Title:  Junior Data Scientist

Job Classification

• Job Requisition: 145505
• TA Specialist: Refilwe Falatsi
• Closing Date: 22 May 2026
• Location: 135 Rivonia Campus, Sandton
• Cluster: Personal and Private Banking | Nedbank Insurance | BITE_Data & Analytics
• Employment Equity Statement: Preference will be given to applicants from Underrepresented Groups

Job Purpose

To design, prototype, and build next-generation analytic engines and services by applying strong expertise in machine learning, data mining and information retrieval.

Job Responsibilities

• Develop best-in-class statistical models and algorithms
• Conducts advanced statistical analysis
• Provide actionable insights, identify trends, and measure performance
• Create value out of enterprise-wide data
• Provide insights to BI and BA to further exploit and present their models
• Provide strategic direction to data information received
• Apply advanced analytical techniques such as machine learning and artificial intelligence in order to derive business value.
• Conduct data discovery for inclusion in models.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders to obtain business acumen and intellectual property
• Keep abreast with latest tools and techniques
• Understands business problems and designs end-to-end analytics use cases
• Collaborates with model developers to implement and deploy scalable solutions
• Develop complex models and algorithms that drive innovation throughout the organization.
• Ensure improvement of on-time performance and network planning,
• Provide thought leadership by researching best practices, conducting experiments, and collaborating with industry leaders.
• Work with large data sets, simulation/ optimization, and distributed computing tools (Map/Reduce, Hadoop, Hive, Spark, Gurobi, Arena, etc.).
• Ensure understanding of pros and cons of different analytics approaches for problem type.
• Implements more advanced algorithms, e.g., complex descriptive.
• Ensure Quality controls of own work and those of junior scientists.
• Understand current state of analytics more broadly and apply techniques from across industries.
• Map problems and quantify the impact of proposed measures.
• Develop and prioritise use case roadmaps
• Support the achievement of the business strategy, objectives, and values by reviewing Nedbank and Business Unit Plan and ensuring delivered systems, process, services, and solutions are aligned.
• Improve personal capability and stay abreast of developments in field of expertise by identifying training courses and career progression for self through input and feedback from managers.
• Ensure personal growth and enable effectiveness in performance of roles and responsibilities by ensuring all learning activities are completed, experience practiced, and certifications obtained and/or maintained within specified time frames.
• Enable skilling and required corrective action to take place by sharing knowledge and industry trends with team and stakeholders during formal and informal interaction.
• Obtain buy-in for developing new and/or enhanced processes (e.g., operational processes) that will improve the functioning of stakeholders' businesses by highlighting benefits in support of the implementation of recommendations.
• Support the achievement of the business strategy, objectives and values
• Stay abreast of developments in field of expertise
• Ensure personal growth and enable effectiveness in performance of roles and responsibilities
• Contribute to the Nedbank Culture building initiatives (e.g. staff surveys etc.).
• Participate and support corporate responsibility initiatives for the achievement of business strategy
• Seek opportunities to improve business processes, models and systems though agile thinking.

People Specification

Essential Qualifications - NQF Level

Preferred Qualification

Master’s Degree Computer Science, Econometrics, Mathematical Statistics or Actuary Science

Preferred Certifications

AWS certifications, Microsoft Data Scientist, IBM data engineer or SAS Data Scientist certification

Minimum Experience Level

• Degree in computer science, Data Science, statistics, or operations research or related technical discipline.
• 1 - 4 years’ experience in a data science role
• Cursory knowledge of machine learning, statistics, optimization or related field
• Experience with R, Python, Matlab is required, programming in C, C++, Java
• Experience working with large data sets, simulation/ optimization and distributed computing tools (Map/Reduce, Hadoop, Hive, Spark, Gurobi, Arena, etc.)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills along with strong desire to work in cross functional teams
• Attitude to thrive in a fun, agile start-up like environment

Behavioural Competencies