Junior Data Scientist Opportunity at Discovery Health Sandton

Are you looking for a Junior Data Scientist job in South Africa? Discovery Health is offering an exciting opportunity for aspiring data professionals who are passionate about machine learning, artificial intelligence, statistics and advanced analytics. This role is ideal for graduates and early career professionals who want to build practical experience while working on innovative projects that improve healthcare outcomes and business performance. Based at Discovery’s head office in Sandton, Gauteng, this permanent opportunity provides exposure to cutting edge technology, experienced mentors and real world data science applications. If you are eager to launch your career with one of South Africa’s leading healthcare and financial services organisations, this could be the perfect opportunity.

Discovery is recognised for using data, behavioural science and technology to improve the lives of millions of people. As a Junior Data Scientist, you will become part of the Data Science Lab, a specialist team that develops advanced analytical solutions, machine learning models, AI powered systems and personalised healthcare solutions. You will collaborate with experienced professionals while continuously developing your technical and analytical skills.

Key Responsibilities

• Support data analysis, feature engineering and model development.
• Build, test and refine statistical, machine learning and causal inference models.
• Assist with experimentation, impact measurement and evaluation frameworks.
• Maintain reproducible analytical pipelines and technical documentation.
• Identify opportunities for personalisation using behavioural, healthcare and operational data.
• Support the development of AI enabled workflows using language models, structured data and business rules.
• Evaluate AI solutions for performance, reliability and business value.
• Deliver analytical workstreams under the guidance of senior data scientists.
• Work closely with business stakeholders to solve complex analytical problems.
• Present findings, recommendations and technical insights clearly to different audiences.
• Support predictive modelling, optimisation and decision making initiatives.
• Contribute to continuous improvement through research, innovation and collaboration.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree or Honours Degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Actuarial Science, Operations Research, Industrial Engineering, Applied Mathematics or a related quantitative discipline.
• Strong knowledge of Python for data analysis, statistical modelling and machine learning.
• Experience working with SQL and relational databases.
• Good understanding of statistics, machine learning, model evaluation and experimental design.
• Ability to write well documented and reproducible analytical code.
• Strong analytical thinking and problem solving abilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively within cross functional teams.
• Curiosity, accountability and willingness to learn.

Advantageous Skills

• Exposure to causal inference techniques.
• Experience with cloud platforms, especially Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
• Familiarity with Git and production data science workflows.
• Knowledge of Generative AI, Large Language Models (LLMs), Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) or Agentic AI.
• Experience in healthcare, insurance, behavioural science or personalisation projects.
• Postgraduate studies, research experience or participation in data science competitions.
• Previous internship or industry experience in data science is beneficial but not required.

Discovery offers an exceptional environment for ambitious data professionals who want to solve meaningful problems using technology and innovation. You will gain valuable exposure to advanced analytics, machine learning, AI powered decision systems and large scale healthcare datasets while working alongside experienced mentors. This opportunity allows you to strengthen both your technical expertise and business understanding while contributing to projects that have a measurable impact on members and the organisation. If you are passionate about using data to create smarter solutions and build a rewarding career in data science, this is an excellent opportunity to apply.

Apply here