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Senior Data Scientist

Posting Country:  South Africa
Date Posted:  7 Oct 2025
Full Time / Part Time:  Full Time
Contract Type:  Permanent

At Vodacom, we’re working hard to build a better future. A more connected, inclusive and sustainable world. As a dynamic global community, it's our human spirit, together with technology, that empowers us to achieve this. 

We challenge and innovate in order to connect people, businesses, and communities across the world. Delighting our customers and earning their loyalty drive us, and we experiment, learn fast and get it done, together.

With us, you can be truly be yourself and belong, share inspiration, embrace new opportunities, thrive, and make a real difference. 
 

 

When it comes to putting people first, we're number 1. 

The number 1 Top Employer in South Africa. 
Certified by the Top Employer Institute 2025.

Role Purpose/Business Unit:

 

  • Vodacom is a leading African mobile communications company, serving over 200 million customers across South Africa, Tanzania, DRC, Mozambique, Kenya, Lesotho, Egypt, and Ethiopia. Our mobile networks reach a population of approximately 250 million people. Through Vodacom Business Africa (VBA), we also deliver managed services to enterprises in over 40 countries across the continent.
  • We are truly data-driven, committed to delivering intelligent solutions that enhance customer experience and business performance. Our Big Data and AI team plays a pivotal role in enabling this transformation by supporting the CX and Digital space with scalable, innovative data capabilities.

 

  • We’re looking for a Senior Data Scientist to join our Big Data and AI team. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment and is passionate about solving complex business problems using AI, Machine Learning, GenAI, and Agentic AI.
  • You’ll work on high-impact use cases across customer experience and digital platforms developing models and AI products that drive strategic decisions and improve customer journeys.

Your responsibilities will include:

 

•    Design and build AI solutions that deliver actionable insights and measurable business impact.
•    Develop and deploy predictive models using large, diverse datasets across structured and unstructured domains.
•    Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Advanced Analytics, Engineering, and Business stakeholders.
•    Contribute to the wider community to enable AI capability across Vodafone globally.
•    Lead initiatives in GenAI, LLMs, and Agentic AI to support next-gen customer experience and digital products.
•    Track and report model performance using compelling data visualizations and storytelling techniques.
•    Mentor junior data scientists and contribute to capability building across the team.
•    Partner with Big Data Engineering to automate and productionize AI workloads.
•    Present findings to both technical and non-technical audiences, translating complex insights into business value.

The ideal candidate for this role will have:

 

•    Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in quantitative fields like Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Computer Science Engineering, Artificial Intelligence or related fields (essential)
•    A minimum of 4-6 years relevant experience in Big Data & Data Science.
•    Experiencing working with and mentoring/coaching data scientists in training
•    Experience with GenAI, LLMs, and MLOps/LLMOps frameworks.
•    Experience in data manipulation: use of structured data tools (e.g., SQL), and unstructured data platforms (e.g. PySpark, NoSQL)
•    Proficiency in at least one relevant programming language: Python (preferred), R, Java
•    Experience across major machine learning model frameworks (e.g. H2O, scikit-learn, PyTorch, Tensorflow) and techniques (e.g. random forest, gradient boosting, k-means segmentation, multiple regression, factor analysis, time-series forecasting)


•    Exposure to cloud native deployment of models and working with containerized technologies such as Docker and Kurbernetees.
•    Knowledge of MLOps and LLMOps concepts and deployment of models through batch and real-time architectures.
•    Professional and/or academic experience in Big Data analytics & deployment of models and algorithms to solve real-world problems (with deep statistical and machine learning modelling expertise)
•    Familiarity with visualization tools (e.g. Tableau, Qlik, D3, Apache Superset, Plotly, PowerBI, Opensearch, Grafana)
•    Good interpersonal communication and presentation skills
•    Ability to work in a fast-paced environment 
•    Analytical and expansive thinking with a strong desire to deliver and develop.
•    Experience working with teams and coaching data scientists
•    Strong communication and presentation skills.
•    Design & Systems Thinking in relation to AI and Machine Learning Eco Systems.
•    Real-time Decisioning & Intelligence use case deployment and evaluation experience.
•    Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, agile environment.

We make an impact by offering:

  • Enticing incentive programs and competitive benefit packages
  • Retirement funds, risk benefits, and medical aid benefits
  • Cell phone and data benefits, advantages fibre connection discounts, and exclusive staff discounts offered in collaboration with partner companies

 


Closing date for Applications: 14 October 2025. 


The base location for this role is Vodacom, Midrand Campus. 

 

The company's approved Employment Equity Plan and Targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process. As an Equal Opportunities employer, we actively encourage and welcome people with various disabilities to apply.
Vodacom is committed to an organisational culture that recognises, appreciates, and values diversity & inclusion.

Commitment from Vodacom

Vodacom is committed to attracting, developing and retaining the very best people by offering a flexible, motivating and inclusive workplace in which talent is truly recognized, developed and rewarded. We believe that diversity plays an important role in the success of our business and we are committed to creating an inclusive work environment which respects, values, celebrates and makes the most of people’s individual differences - we are not only multinational but multicultural too. At Vodacom you will have access to our excellent flexible benefits programme that you would expect from any global company.

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