Lead Data Scientist

About the Role:  

We’re looking for a Lead Data Scientist to join our team. The Lead Data Scientist will work within the data team, reporting to the Head of Software, and build cutting-edge technology and data-driven insights to optimise our operations, manage risk, and deliver exceptional value to our customers. 

Key Responsibilities:
Data Strategy & Leadership:  

• Develop and execute a comprehensive data strategy aligned with the company's business objectives for global operations, focusing on areas such as credit scoring, fleet optimisation, predictive maintenance, customer behaviour analysis, business insights, and market forecasting. 
• Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing team of data scientists and analysts as the company scales. 
• Champion data-driven decision-making across all departments in BasiGo, fostering a culture of experimentation and continuous improvement. 
• Identify and prioritise key business problems that can be solved through data science, translating them into actionable projects. 

Model Development & Deployment:  

• Design, develop, validate, and deploy robust machine learning models for critical business functions, including but not limited to:
   
• Credit Risk Assessment: Building sophisticated credit scoring models for matatu operators and drivers based on traditional and alternative data sources (e.g., M-Pesa transactions, driving behaviour, operational history). 
• Predictive Maintenance: Forecasting maintenance needs for electric vehicles to minimise downtime and optimise servicing schedules. 
• Route and Schedule Optimisation: Analysing passenger demand patterns and route characteristics to inform efficient bus scheduling, route planning, and resource allocation. 
• Fleet Optimisation: Analysing vehicle utilisation, route efficiency, and charging patterns to optimise fleet deployment and profitability. 
• Driver scoring: Building a driver scoring model that analyses driver behaviour based on driving efficiency, acceleration and braking behaviour, customer feedback, reported incidents, e.t.c 
• Demand Forecasting: Predicting demand for electric vehicle leases in various public transport routes.   
• Implement MLOps best practices for model versioning, deployment, monitoring, and retraining. 
• Ensure the ethical and responsible use of data and algorithms, with a focus on fairness and transparency. 

Data Analysis & Insights:  

• Conduct in-depth exploratory data analysis to uncover trends, patterns, and insights that inform business strategy. 
• Develop dashboards and reporting tools to visualise key performance indicators (KPIs) and communicate data-driven insights to stakeholders. 
• Building the analytical capacities of all necessary departments to decentralise business insights and embed a culture of data for decision making. 
• Perform ad-hoc analysis to support strategic initiatives and troubleshoot operational challenges. 

Data Infrastructure & Governance (in collaboration with engineering):  

• Work closely with the engineering team to define data requirements, build scalable data pipelines, and ensure data quality and integrity. 
• Advise on data architecture, data warehousing, and data lake solutions. 
• Establish and enforce data governance policies, ensuring compliance with relevant data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR, Kenyan data protection laws). 

Qualifications:  

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, or a related quantitative field. 
• 5+ years of experience in a data science role, with at least 2 years in a leadership or senior capacity, preferably within the financial services, fintech, or mobility sectors. 
• Proven track record of building and deploying machine learning models in a production environment. 
• Strong proficiency in Python (e.g., scikit-learn, TensorFlow, Keras, PyTorch, Pandas, NumPy) and SQL. 
• Experience with the AWS cloud platform and big data technologies is highly desirable. 
• Solid understanding of statistical modelling, machine learning algorithms, and experimental design. 
• Experience with credit scoring models and alternative data sources is a significant advantage. 
• Familiarity with the Kenyan public transport sector (matatu industry) and local market dynamics is a strong plus. 
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex analytical findings into clear, actionable insights for non-technical stakeholders. 
• Strong problem-solving abilities and a strategic mindset. 
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic startup environment. 

Attitude and Approach:  

• A proactive approach to work, the ability to handle multiple tasks, and to maintain a high-quality standard when working under time pressure. 
• Growth mindset, excited to learn and not scared of asking questions. 
• Self-motivated and a great team player.