Data Scientist II - QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey

Who You'll Work WithDriving lasting impact and building long-term capabilities with our clients is not easy work. You are the kind of person who thrives in a high performance/high reward culture - doing hard things, picking yourself up when you stumble, and having the resilience to try another way forward.In return for your drive, determination, and curiosity, we'll provide the resources, mentorship, and opportunities you need to become a stronger leader faster than you ever thought possible. Your colleagues—at all levels—will invest deeply in your development, just as much as they invest in delivering exceptional results for clients. Every day, you'll receive apprenticeship, coaching, and exposure that will accelerate your growth in ways you won’t find anywhere else.When you join us, you will have:Continuous learning: Our learning and apprenticeship culture, backed by structured programs, is all about helping you grow while creating an environment where feedback is clear, actionable, and focused on your development. The real magic happens when you take the input from others to heart and embrace the fast-paced learning experience, owning your journey.A voice that matters: From day one, we value your ideas and contributions. You’ll make a tangible impact by offering innovative ideas and practical solutions. We not only encourage diverse perspectives, but they are critical in driving us toward the best possible outcomes.Global community: With colleagues across 65+ countries and over 100 different nationalities, our firm’s diversity fuels creativity and helps us come up with the best solutions for our clients. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from exceptional colleagues with diverse backgrounds and experiences.World-class benefits: On top of a competitive salary (based on your location, experience, and skills), we provide a comprehensive benefits package to enable holistic well-being for you and your family.Your ImpactAs a Data Scientist II, you’ll lead the development of cutting-edge AI and machine learning solutions to tackle some of the most complex business challenges across industries—delivering measurable impact at scale.In this role, you will leverage the latest advances in deep learning, reinforcement learning, and AI to uncover insights and improve business performance. You will mentor other data scientists, shape QuantumBlack’s R&D roadmap, and identify high-potential machine learning initiatives for industry applications. Working closely with data engineers, machine learning engineers, and designers, you will build end-to-end analytics solutions that create real-world impact.Your work will transform industries. By leveraging advanced AI techniques and collaborating with industry leaders, you will help clients gain a competitive edge, solve critical challenges, and achieve lasting improvements in their operations.You will be based in one of our McKinsey Digital Africa offices - Johannesburg or Casablanca, and collaborate closely with data scientists, data engineers, machine learning engineers, designers, and product managers around the world. Together, you’ll work on interdisciplinary projects to solve complex business challenges across a range of industries. Collaborating with QuantumBlack leadership, client executives, and technical experts, you will lead the development and application of cutting-edge machine learning and AI solutions to drive measurable business impact.At McKinsey, you’ll thrive in an unparalleled environment for growth. You’ll work on high-impact projects, connect technology with business value, and collaborate with inspiring multidisciplinary teams, gaining a holistic perspective of AI’s transformative potential while advancing as a technologist and leader.Your Qualifications and SkillsBachelors, Master’s or PhD level degree in disciplines such as computer science, machine learning, applied statistics, mathematics, engineering or artificial intelligence3-5 years of deep technical experience in distributed computing, machine learning, and statistics related workProgramming experience in languages such as: Python, R, Scala, SQLProven application of advanced analytical, data science and statistical methods in the commercial worldKnowledge of distributed computing or NoSQL technologies is a bonusClient-facing skills e.g. working in close-knit teams on topics such as data warehousing, machine learningWhile we advocate for using the right tech for the right task, we often leverage the following technologies: Python, PySpark, the PyData stack, SQL, Airflow, Databricks, our own open-source data pipelining framework called Kedro, Dask/RAPIDS, container technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes, cloud solutions such as AWS, GCP, and Azure, and moreExceptional time management to meet your responsibilities in a complex and largely autonomous work environmentDemonstrated leadership (thought leadership or people leadership e.g. managed project teams or direct reports)Willingness to travelGood presentation and communication skills, with a knack for explaining complex analytical concepts to people from other fieldsStrong communication skills, both verbal and written, in English and local office language(s), with the ability to adjust your style to suit different perspectives and seniority levels