Senior Consultant, Data Scientist - Financial Services

The financial services industry is currently undergoing a period of unparalleled change. The banks and financial institutions have been subjected to stringent regulations, increased supervision, and overall global economic instability. These changes have made these institutions re-evaluate the way they have been doing business traditionally. Moreover, the proliferation of technological advances including disruptive technologies and digital are compounding the pressures of maintaining competitiveness, being adaptable and increasing profit margins.

EY continues to invest in growing its EMEIA Digital and Emerging Technology (DET) practice focused on delivering key Digital transformation programs, building valuable relationships with financial services clients, and developing strong capabilities through both formal training and working with senior mentors and talented colleagues from across EY. The DET practice is akin to a start-up with EY, and we are seeking high calibre and experienced Data Scientists to join this growing team.

The Data Science Team within RiskOps is highly engaged with our clients making use of their critical thinking skills with a business-focused mentality and customer-facing attitude. They activate, maintain, and support clients, develop models and rules, and train & enable them. In addition, they work cross-functionally with other departments (e.g., Research, Product, Marketing) in a collaborative team spirit spanning the globe to ensure we deliver best in class risk prevention solutions.

Your key responsibilities:

• Develop a thorough understanding of the data science lifecycle, including data exploration, preprocessing, modelling, validation, and deployment.
• Design, build, and maintain tree-based predictive models, such as decision trees, random forests, and gradient-boosted trees, with a low-level understanding of their algorithms and functioning.
• Hyperparameter tuning for existing machine learning models to optimize performance.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to understand business needs and provide data-driven solutions and insights.
• Conduct A/B testing and other model validation techniques to ensure the accuracy and reliability of data models.
• Communicate complex data insights to non-technical stakeholders through clear and actionable reports.
• Apply domain knowledge (if applicable) in financial fraud to enhance predictive modelling and anomaly detection capabilities.

Skills and attributes for success:

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to collect, organize, analyze, and disseminate significant amounts of information with attention to detail and accuracy.
• In-depth knowledge of machine learning algorithms, particularly tree-based models, and their application to structured data.
• Familiarity with SQL and experience working with relational databases.
• Python/R programming experience (pandas, scikit-learn, matplotlib, etc).
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong communication skills to effectively collaborate with team members and present findings to stakeholders.
• A good understanding of the financial fraud domain is preferred, with the ability to apply this knowledge to data analysis and fraud detection.
• Critical thinking & translate technical problems into business usable and understandable language.
• Big Data Experience (Spark).

What we look for:

• Empathy - You feel for the customer and the team, and the way you communicate and the decisions you make reflect this.
• Grit - When the situation calls for it, you roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty to get the job done.
• Patience - You don’t lose your cool and even in the most extreme crucial conversation, you maintain a sense of calm.
• Experience - You’ve been there, seen that. Very little surprises you, and your toolbox is full.
• Resourceful - You don’t have all the answers, but you know exactly where to go to find them without being told.

What working at EY offers:

We offer a competitive remuneration package where you’ll be rewarded for your individual and team performance. Our comprehensive Total Rewards package includes support for flexible working and career development, and with FlexEY you can select benefits that suit your needs, covering holidays, health and well-being, insurance, savings and a wide range of discounts, offers and promotions.

Plus, we offer support, coaching and feedback from some of the most engaging colleagues around, opportunities to develop new skills and progress your career, and the freedom and flexibility to handle your role in a way that’s right for you.

About EY:

As a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services, we’re using the finance products, expertise and systems we’ve developed to build a better working world. That starts with a culture that believes in giving you the training, opportunities and creative freedom to make things better.

If you can confidently demonstrate that you meet the criteria above, please contact us as soon as possible. Join us in building a better working world. Apply now.

EY is committed to being an inclusive employer and we are happy to consider flexible working arrangements. We strive to achieve the right balance for our people, enabling us to deliver excellent client service whilst allowing you to build your career without sacrificing your personal priorities.