Staff Engineer - Data Science, Digital Business

Sony Pictures; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 800 000 - 1 200 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading international entertainment company in Gauteng seeks a Data Science Lead to oversee the development of advanced data science solutions. This role will leverage large-scale data for personalization and audience insights, guiding a talented team through complex projects. Candidates should have extensive experience in machine learning and a strong understanding of data-driven decision-making. A passion for innovation and collaboration is crucial in this dynamic environment.

Benefits

Inclusive and equitable workplace

Recognition as a Great Place to Work

Opportunities for continuous learning

Qualifications

• 8–12 years of experience in data science or machine learning projects.
• Proven ability to lead complex data science projects from conception to delivery.
• Experience in media or entertainment industry is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design of machine learning models for personalization and audience engagement.
• Drive optimization initiatives across SonyLIV's digital platform.
• Mentor and upskill the data science team.
• Translate business problems into data science use cases.

Skills

Advanced proficiency in Python for data science applications

Strong expertise in machine learning frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-learn)

Hands-on experience with big data ecosystems (Spark, Hadoop)

Strong understanding of data pipelines and model deployment

Analytical mindset

Education

Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, Data Science, Statistics or related field

Tools

AWS

GCP

Azure

Job description

Purpose

To lead the development and deployment of advanced data science solutions that power personalization, content recommendations, audience insights, and business decision‑making at SonyLIV. The role will be instrumental in leveraging large‑scale data to build scalable models, mentor the data science team, and ensure alignment of data‑driven solutions with business goals.

Education

Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, Data Science, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, or a related field.

Experience

8–12 years of experience in data science, machine learning, or artificial intelligence, with a demonstrated track record of developing and deploying data science and ML solutions in production environments for real‑time systems. Proven experience leading complex, end‑to‑end data science projects from conception through implementation and delivery.

Desirable Experience

• Exposure to large‑scale data platforms and cloud technologies (AWS, GCP, Azure) with strong familiarity in AWS ecosystem
• Hands‑on experience in exploratory data analysis, feature engineering, data pipeline development, ML model development, model inference, endpoint deployment, and real‑time serving architectures
• Strong understanding and practical application experience with machine learning algorithms and neural network architectures
• Experience in A/B testing methodologies, model evaluation frameworks, and advanced analytics
• Prior experience in media, OTT, or entertainment industry is an advantage
• Experience with Large Language Models (LLMs) and agentic AI frameworks is highly valued

Position Interlinkages

• Works closely with Product, Engineering, and Business Strategy teams for organizational goals
• Partners with Engineering, Analytics, and Product Management teams to deliver solutions
• Provide technical leadership to the Data Science team

Business / Channel / Function

Digital

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of machine learning models for personalization, recommendations, and audience engagement
• Drive experimentation and optimization initiatives across SonyLIV's digital platform
• Collaborate with engineering teams to ensure seamless deployment and scalability of models
• Translate complex business problems into data science use cases and deliver measurable outcomes
• Establish model monitoring at business KPI level and work towards achieving business goals
• Mentor, guide, and upskill the data science team
• Stay updated on emerging technologies and bring innovative solutions to the business

Required Technical Skills

• Advanced proficiency in Python for data science applications
• Strong expertise in machine learning frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit‑learn)
• Hands‑on experience with big data ecosystems (Spark, Hadoop) and cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure)
• Strong understanding of data pipelines, feature engineering, model development, and model deployment
• Analytical mindset with the ability to derive actionable insights from large datasets
• Experience with LLM applications and agentic AI frameworks (optional)

Other Personal Characteristics

• Self‑initiative and high ownership mindset
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to influence stakeholders across functions
• Excellent problem‑solving and decision‑making abilities
• Strong communication skills to explain technical concepts to non‑technical teams
• Passion for innovation and continuous learning
• Collaborative, proactive, and outcome‑oriented approach

Sony Pictures Networks is home to some of India's leading entertainment channels such as SET, SAB, MAX, PAL, PIX, Sony BBC Earth, Yay!, Sony Marathi, Sony SIX, Sony TEN, Sony TEN1, SONY Ten2, SONY TEN3, SONY TEN4, to name a few!

Our foray into the OTT space with one of the most promising streaming platforms, Sony LIV brings us one step closer to being a progressive digitally‑led content powerhouse.

Our independent production venture- Studio Next has already made its mark with original content and IPs for TV and Digital Media.

But our quest to Go Beyond doesn't end there. Neither does our search to find people who can take us there.

We focus on creating an inclusive and equitable workplace where we celebrate diversity with our Bring Your Own Self Philosophy and are recognised as a Great Place to Work.

- Great Place to Work Institute- Ranked as one of the Great Places to Work for since 5 years

- Included in the Hall of Fame as a part of the Working Mother & Avtar Best Companies for Women in India study- Ranked amongst 100 Best Companies for Women In India

- Brandon Hall Group HCM Excellence Award - Outstanding Learning Practices.

The biggest award of course is the thrill our employees feel when they can Tell Stories Beyond the Ordinary!