Lead Data Scientist

Role: Lead Data ScientistLocation: UAE (Dubai or Abu Dhabi)Department: Data (Data Science, BI, Data Engineering, Data Governance)About Astra TechAstra Tech is a UAE-based technology group building an integrated digital ecosystem across FinTech and communication platforms, including BOTIM. We operate at scale in a fast‑growing, multicultural environment, combining financial services, payments, and communication technologies into a unified platform. Our culture is collaborative, meritocratic, and impact‑driven, with strong ownership and a healthy work‑life balance.Role OverviewWe are looking for a Lead Data Scientist to head the Data Science vertical within the Data organization. This is a hands‑on leadership role combining technical depth, ownership, and cross‑functional collaboration. You will lead the design, development, and deployment of advanced machine learning solutions, partnering closely with Product, Engineering, Risk, Finance and Commercial teams. We are looking for someone who can turn a strategic discussion into a clear execution plan, and independently drive it through to production.Culture & Leadership ExpectationsWe are looking for someone who is open, collaborative, and proactive in sharing knowledge; thrives in cross‑functional environments and engages comfortably with non‑technical stakeholders; is intellectually curious and keen to experiment with new tools and approaches; communicates clearly and confidently, translating complexity into clarity; works transparently with no silos or gatekeeping; takes ownership and accountability for outcomes, not just models; balances speed with rigor in a fast‑paced but structured environment; demonstrates strong ethical judgment, particularly in FinTech use cases.Key ResponsibilitiesLead the Data Science vertical within the Data teamDesign, develop, and deploy machine learning models end‑to‑endOwn high‑impact use cases such as:Credit scoringFraud detectionFinancial forecastingRisk modelingAnomaly detectionCollaborate with Data Engineering to productionize modelsWork with BI and Data Governance to ensure data quality and consistencyTranslate business problems into measurable ML objectivesDefine technical standards and modeling best practicesContribute to hiring, mentoring, and team developmentTechnical CompetenciesCore RequirementsApproximately 10+ years of experience in Data Science / Machine LearningStrong Python expertise (pandas, NumPy, scikit‑learn, XGBoost, LightGBM, etc.)Deep understanding of supervised and unsupervised learning, feature engineering, validation, and model interpretabilityStrong statistical foundationAdvanced SQL proficiency across multiple dialectsExperience with Spark SQL and PySparkExperience working in Jupyter environmentsExperience taking models from concept to productionStrong collaboration experience with Data Engineering teamsNice to HaveFinTech industry experienceAzure ecosystem experienceExposure to Microsoft FabricFamiliarity with Power BIPrior hiring or team leadership experienceIdeal ProfileStrong academic background in Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Engineering, or related fields (Master’s or PhD preferred)Comfortable working independently with minimal supervisionAble to move from ambiguity to structured execution quicklyPragmatic, business‑oriented problem solver with strong technical rigor#J-18808-Ljbffr