Data Scientist Intern (Machine Learning & AI Focus) - Big Ideas Africa

job Description

Data Scientist Intern (Machine Learning & AI Focus)

Location: Harare
Job Type: Internship (Full time )

Company Overview:
We are a rapidly growing e-commerce startup revolutionizing the way consumers discover and purchase products online. We harness the power of data and cutting-edge technology to offer personalized shopping experiences and drive growth. Join our dynamic team and be a part of an exciting journey as we build the future of e-commerce powered by Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Job Overview:
We are looking for a talented and motivated Data Scientist Intern with a focus on Machine Learning (ML) and AI to join our data science team. In this role, you will have the opportunity to work on real-world challenges in the e-commerce industry, such as recommendation systems, predictive analytics, customer segmentation, and demand forecasting. As an intern, you will collaborate with a team of data scientists, engineers, and business stakeholders to leverage data and machine learning algorithms to drive business decisions.

This internship is an excellent opportunity to apply your theoretical knowledge of machine learning and AI in a fast-paced, practical environment while gaining exposure to the e-commerce domain.

Duties and Responsibilities

- Data Exploration & Preprocessing:
- Clean, transform, and analyze large datasets to identify patterns, trends, and correlations.
- Work with structured and unstructured data sources (e.g., transaction logs, user behavior, product data, etc.).
- Implement data preprocessing techniques to prepare datasets for machine learning models.

- Model Development & Evaluation:
- Assist in the development of machine learning models for various use cases (e.g., recommendation systems, fraud detection, demand forecasting).
- Apply supervised and unsupervised learning algorithms to build predictive models.
- Evaluate model performance using metrics such as accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and others.
- Help with model optimization and fine-tuning to improve predictive performance.

- AI & ML Solutions for E-Commerce:
- Contribute to the development of AI-driven features such as product recommendations, dynamic pricing, and personalized marketing.
- Collaborate with the engineering team to integrate models into production systems.
- Participate in A/B testing and experiment design to validate model efficacy in real-world settings.

- Data Visualization & Reporting:
- Present insights and findings through clear data visualizations and reports for internal stakeholders.
- Assist in communicating complex analytical results in a simple and actionable manner for non-technical audiences.

- *Collaboration & Continuous Learning*:
- Work closely with team members across data science, engineering, and product teams to address business challenges.
- Stay up-to-date with the latest research and trends in machine learning and AI, and apply them to real-world e-commerce problems.
- Participate in knowledge-sharing sessions and team discussions.

Qualifications and Experience

-Educational Background:
- Currently pursuing or recently completed a degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Engineering, or a related field.

Technical Skills:
- Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R.
- Experience with machine learning libraries (e.g., Scikit-learn, TensorFlow, Keras, PyTorch).
- Strong knowledge of data manipulation and analysis tools (e.g., Pandas, NumPy).
- Familiarity with databases and querying languages (e.g., SQL).
- Understanding of statistical analysis and model evaluation techniques.

- Mathematical & Analytical Skills:
- Strong foundation in statistics, linear algebra, and probability.
- Ability to work with large datasets and draw actionable insights.

- Experience with Machine Learning Algorithms:
- Experience with supervised learning (e.g., regression, classification) and unsupervised learning (e.g., clustering, dimensionality reduction).
- Knowledge of deep learning and natural language processing (NLP) is a plus.
- Experience with recommendation systems or time series forecasting is an advantage.

- Communication & Teamwork:
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to present complex technical findings clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.

- Additional Skills (Nice-to-Have):
- Experience with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, GCP, Azure) is a plus.
- Knowledge of big data technologies (e.g., Hadoop, Spark) is advantageous.
- Experience with version control (e.g., Git) and agile methodologies is beneficial.

What We Offer:
- Hands-on experience working on cutting-edge AI and machine learning projects in a fast-growing e-commerce startup.
- Mentorship and guidance from senior data scientists & industry professionals.
- A collaborative and dynamic work environment where your ideas are valued.
- Opportunity to transition into a full-time position upon successful completion of the internship.