Sabenza IT & Recruitment - Data Scientist - Contract

Data Scientist is needed in Sandton, South Africa.

Client: Sabenza IT & Recruitment

Location: Sandton, GT, za

Contract: Contract

Job Description

Our client, a leading player in the alcohol manufacturing and distribution sector based in Gauteng, is building world-class analytics capabilities. They are seeking a talented Data Scientist to join their team on an initial contract with excellent potential for extension or permanent placement.

In this high-impact role, you will design, build, and productionise ML/AI solutions that optimise manufacturing processes, enhance distribution efficiency, improve demand forecasting, and unlock powerful consumer insights. You will work with modern MLOps practices, scalable pipelines, and cross-functional stakeholders across the region, delivering measurable value from day one.

Job Purpose: Develop and deploy production-grade machine learning and artificial intelligence solutions that generate measurable business value across the organisation. The Data Scientist contributes to end-to-end analytics delivery, building scalable solutions in collaboration with team members and business stakeholders. This role combines solid technical skills in ML development and MLOps fundamentals with effective communication and a drive for continuous learning.

Requirements

Requirements: Education, Experience & Skills:

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Data Science, Engineering, Physics, or related quantitative field required.
• Master’s degree beneficial.
• 5+ years in a technical analytics or data science environment.

Must Have: Production Machine Learning & Technical Expertise:

• Proficient in Python with strong software engineering practices including unit testing, integration testing, version control, code reviews, and documentation.
• Experience deploying ML models to production with automated CI/CD pipelines, monitoring, and retraining workflows.
• Experience implementing monitoring for production ML systems including data quality checks, model performance metrics, drift detection, and alerting.
• Knowledge of containerisation and model deployment orchestration strategies.
• Experience with at least one major cloud platform (Azure strongly preferred, AWS or GCP acceptable).

Must-Have: Machine Learning & Analytics:

• Strong foundation in statistical methods, machine learning algorithms, and model evaluation techniques.
• Practical knowledge of model validation, cross-validation strategies, holdout test design, and A/B testing for production model evaluation.
• Understanding of data quality frameworks, schema validation, and automated testing for data pipelines.
• Familiarity with data governance principles, data lineage, and compliance requirements.

Must-Have: Project & Delivery Management:

• Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects, prioritise effectively based on business impact, and deliver results under tight timelines.
• Strong problem-solving capabilities with structured approaches to breaking down complex challenges.

Nice-to-Have (Highly Advantageous):

• Demonstrated experience building analytics solutions in FMCG, CPG, retail, or beverage alcohol industries with measurable business impact.
• Experience with causal inference methods (difference-in-differences, propensity score matching, synthetic controls) for measuring promotional effectiveness and marketing mix modelling.
• Experience with advanced forecasting techniques such as hierarchical forecasting or neural forecasting methods.
• Familiarity with LLMs and generative AI applications in business contexts.
• Experience building consumer segmentation, churn prediction, or customer lifetime value models.
• Certifications in cloud platforms (Azure Data Scientist Associate, AWS ML Specialty) or Databricks certifications.
• Experience working in agile environments using frameworks like Scrum or Kanban, including sprint planning, backlog grooming, and iterative delivery.

Additional Information

This is more than a contract; it’s your opportunity to shape analytics excellence in a major South African industry while building a long-term relationship with a forward-thinking employer.