Senior Data Scientist

About The Company

The National Bank of Canada is a leading financial institution committed to delivering innovative banking solutions and exceptional customer service. With a rich history of serving individuals, businesses, and communities across Canada, the bank prides itself on its strong values of partnership, agility, and empowerment. As a people-first organization, it fosters a collaborative and inclusive environment that encourages continuous growth, development, and community involvement. The bank’s focus on technological advancement and digital transformation positions it as a forward-thinking leader in the financial sector, dedicated to creating positive impacts on the lives of its clients and employees alike.

About The Role

We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Data Scientist to join our Western Excellence Center AI and Transformation Delivery team at the National Bank of Canada. This role offers an exciting opportunity to work at the forefront of artificial intelligence and data analytics, leveraging advanced machine learning techniques to enhance client experiences, optimize risk management, and improve operational efficiencies. As a key member of our multidisciplinary team, you will be responsible for designing, deploying, and operationalizing complex data science solutions that support strategic decision-making and innovation within the organization. Your expertise will directly contribute to the bank’s digital transformation initiatives, enabling us to stay ahead in a competitive landscape.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess a degree in computer science, engineering, data science, statistics, or a related field, complemented by three to five years of hands-on experience in delivering production-level analytics or machine learning solutions. Strong programming skills are essential, with proficiency in languages such as Python, SQL, Rust, JavaScript, C, C++, SAS, or R. Experience working with relational databases and data wrangling, preprocessing, and visualization tools like SAS Viya or equivalent platforms is required. Familiarity with model management, continuous integration and delivery pipelines, source control, and modern development environments is also necessary. Additionally, practical knowledge of containerization, orchestration, cloud platforms such as Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure, and deployment practices in production environments will be highly advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with business partners to define high-impact analytics and AI projects, translating business needs into actionable data science solutions.
• Design, develop, validate, and deploy machine learning models, including statistical and generative AI models such as large language models and retrieval-augmented generation solutions.
• Conduct exploratory data analysis, feature engineering, and model experimentation, communicating insights and recommendations to stakeholders for informed decision-making.
• Implement and oversee model lifecycle practices, including deployment, monitoring, continuous integration, issue resolution, and performance evaluation, ensuring models are audit-ready and compliant.
• Establish and promote best practices, standards, reusable patterns, and comprehensive documentation for models, data lineage, assumptions, and AI processes.
• Support delivery activities such as planning, testing, troubleshooting, demonstrations, training, and knowledge transfer to facilitate adoption of new methods and tools across teams.
  
  

Your Team

Within the Western Excellence Center AI and Transformation Delivery department, you will be part of a dynamic, multidisciplinary team that collaborates closely with various units including data governance, infrastructure, security, database administration, business analysis, and quality assurance. The team operates with a high degree of autonomy within established standards, fostering a culture of innovation, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement. The organization values flexibility and offers a hybrid work environment with adaptable schedules to support work-life balance. The bank is dedicated to employee development through personalized training programs, including initiatives like the Data Academy, language training, Harvard Learning Center, and mentoring support, ensuring continuous growth and mastery of your role.

Benefits

The National Bank of Canada offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your wellbeing and that of your family. Upon joining, you will have access to health and wellness programs, flexible group insurance options, a generous pension plan, and an Employee Share Ownership Plan. Additional benefits include an employee and family assistance program, preferential banking services, involvement in community initiatives, telemedicine services, and a virtual sleep clinic. The bank’s work environment emphasizes collaboration, innovation, and employee engagement, providing cutting-edge tools and fostering a culture of feedback and continuous improvement. These offerings are tailored to meet current trends and your personal needs, ensuring a positive and supportive workplace experience.

Equal Opportunity

The National Bank of Canada is committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible environment for all employees and candidates. We provide accommodations throughout the recruitment process and in the workplace to ensure equal opportunity for everyone. Our organization values diversity and believes that different perspectives strengthen our team and enhance our ability to serve our clients effectively. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates and encourage individuals of all backgrounds to consider joining our team. If you require accommodations or assistance, please let us know during the initial stages of the hiring process. We are dedicated to creating a barrier-free environment where everyone can thrive and succeed.