Sr Data Scientist

The Senior Data Scientist at Thrivent holds a key leadership position, responsible for advanced data analysis, hypothesis testing, and exploring innovative data sources and methodologies to derive impactful business insights. This role involves not only consulting with internal and external stakeholders to define analytic requirements and solutions but also leading and educating others in advanced predictive analytics and data strategies. Exhibiting significant independence and strategic thinking, the Senior Data Scientist collaborates closely with business partners while providing mentorship and direction to junior team members. In addition to developing comprehensive knowledge of Thrivent's products, systems, and processes, this role stays at the forefront of emerging technologies and industry best practices. The Senior Data Scientist plays a pivotal role in shaping the data science strategy and driving data-informed decision-making within the organization.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Strategic Business Problem Solving and Innovative Solution Leadership: Lead and innovate in solving complex business problems with data-driven strategies. Champion the development of sophisticated analytical frameworks and models, driving key decisions and company-wide initiatives.
• Advanced Data Management and Engineering: Oversee and optimize complex data architectures, ensuring robust, scalable data solutions. Lead initiatives in data engineering, ensuring the integration of diverse data sources and maintaining data integrity across the organization.
• Sophisticated Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA) and Thought Leadership: Conduct high-level EDA to drive strategic decision-making. Serve as a thought leader, introducing novel methodologies and insights that shape business strategies and operations.
• Pioneering in Hypothesis Testing and Predictive Modeling: Lead in the development and implementation of state-of-the-art predictive models and advanced statistical analyses. Champion the use of cutting-edge machine learning techniques and algorithms, setting standards for model development and validation.
• End-to-End Data Science Solution Delivery: Lead the development and implementation of data science solutions with a focus on end-to-end model deployment in production environments. Ensure these models deliver high-impact insights that drive significant improvements in business performance, monitoring model performance over time, and seamlessly integrating data science into operational workflows and decision-making processes.
• Senior-Level Stakeholder Management and Consultation: Assume a senior role in stakeholder engagement, acting as a key consultant and advisor to business and executive leadership. Drive discussions, set project priorities, and steer the company's strategic direction through expert data science consultation.
• Critical Thinking and Strategic Analysis: Apply advanced critical thinking to evaluate and reshape business processes and strategies. Lead in the application of analytical rigor and statistical methods to drive innovation and effective problem-solving.
• Leadership in Professional Development and Team Growth: Foster a culture of continuous learning and development within the data science team. Mentor and develop junior and mid-level data scientists, guiding their career growth and enhancing the team's overall skill set. Lead the establishment of robust talent development practices for emerging data science professionals within our company, including refining interview processes and implementing mentorship programs.
• Driving Organizational Change through Data Science Initiatives: Lead major data science initiatives and projects, significantly impacting the organization's direction. Influence and shape the future of data science practices within the company, ensuring alignment with business goals.
• Data Science Evangelism and Business Engagement: Actively engage with various business units to showcase and demonstrate data science solutions and POCs developed by the team. Champion the value and potential of data science across the organization, driving new business opportunities and expanding the data science portfolio. Lead efforts in educating and inspiring stakeholders about the transformative power of data science, thereby fostering a culture of data-driven decision-making and innovation.
• Visionary in Industry Trends and Technological Advancements: Stay ahead of industry trends and emerging technologies in data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Guide the organization in adopting new data science technologies and practices, maintaining its competitive edge in the market.
• Leadership in Model Governance and Regulatory Strategy: Lead the enterprise in understanding and implementing advanced model governance and regulatory compliance strategies in the domain of data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Influence and shape the organization's governance practices, ensuring models not only comply with current regulations but also anticipate future legal trends, thereby safeguarding the organization's reputation and operational integrity.
• University Partnerships: Enhance these internal talent recruitment initiatives through strategic partnerships with leading universities, leveraging these relationships to enrich our talent pool and ensure a continuous flow of skilled data science graduates.

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS:

Required:

Experience & Education:

• 5-7 years of relevant experience in data science or a closely related field. This experience should include hands-on work with data analysis, statistical modeling, machine learning, and delivering actionable insights from data.
• Bachelor's degree in Data Science or a related quantitative field such as Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science.

Advanced Technical Skills

• Expertise in Programming and Data Tools: Mastery in Python, with exceptional skills in writing efficient, scalable, testable, and maintainable code. Proficiency in a wide range of data science tools and libraries.
• Advanced Data Engineering: Deep understanding of data architectures, pipeline design, and optimization. Ability to handle complex data integration and processing tasks.
• Sophisticated Statistical Analysis and Machine Learning: Extensive knowledge of advanced statistical methods, machine learning algorithms, and their practical applications. Ability to innovate and develop bespoke models tailored to specific business needs.
• Data Visualization and Business Intelligence: Expert ability to translate complex data findings into clear visual stories and actionable insights using advanced visualization tools and techniques.
• MLOps and Production-Level Deployment: Deep understanding of machine learning operations, model deployment, monitoring, CI/CD, and maintenance in production environments.
• Big Data Technologies Mastery: Proficient in using and optimizing big data technologies and frameworks for handling large-scale datasets.

Strategic Analytical Skills

• Complex Problem-Solving and Innovation: Demonstrated ability in solving intricate business problems with innovative data-driven solutions.
• Advanced Critical Thinking: Capacity for high-level critical analysis and strategic thinking, applying data insights to influence business strategy.
• Research Leadership: Leading research initiatives to explore new data methodologies and technologies, applying findings to drive business value.

Leadership and Soft Skills

• Strong Leadership and Mentorship: Proven experience in leading data science teams and projects. Ability to mentor and develop junior and mid-level data scientists.
• Exceptional Communication: Advanced skills in communicating complex data insights to a wide range of stakeholders, including executive leadership.
• Data Science Evangelism: Ability to champion the role of data science within the organization, influencing business units and executive leadership in driving adoption of data-driven solutions.
• Collaborative Teamwork and Stakeholder Management: Strong collaboration skills, with the ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage relationships with key business stakeholders.
• Change Management and Strategic Influence: Skills in managing change, driving innovation, and influencing strategic decisions through data science insights.

Preferred:

• Domain Expertise: In-depth knowledge of the specific industry or business domain, applying data science to drive domain-specific goals.
• Advanced Project Management: Proficient in advanced project management, overseeing complex data science projects from conception to implementation.
• Version Control and Best Practices: Mastery of version control systems and adherence to best practices in software development and data science workflows.
• Education: Master's degree or PhD in Data Science or a related quantitative field.

Thrivent provides Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) without regard to race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, marital status, citizenship status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable local, state, or federal law. This policy applies to all employees and job applicants.

Thrivent is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please let us know by sending an email to [email protected] or call 800-847-4836 and request Human Resources.