Lead Data Scientist

Vanguard • Malvern, PA

22h • Hybrid

About The Position

At Vanguard, the mission is to work for the long-term financial wellbeing of clients, leading through products and services that transform clients' lives, and fostering individual and team development. This mission drives the company forward and inspires its employees. Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for most crew members, balancing enhanced flexibility with in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. This model supports long-term client outcomes and enriches the employee experience. Vanguard is one of the world's largest investment management companies, serving individual investors, institutions, employer-sponsored retirement plans, and financial professionals. The company prides itself on a diverse and talented crew with a culture that promotes teamwork and an unwavering focus on client best interests. The Lead Data Scientist role involves developing complex queries and performing extensive programming to prepare large-scale data for statistical modeling and AI applications. This position leads diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analytics initiatives, identifies data inconsistencies, designs, trains, evaluates, and deploys machine learning and AI models, and applies generative AI techniques to enable automation and intelligent user experiences. The role also guides model validation, performance monitoring, and responsible AI practices, engages with stakeholders to translate requirements into solutions, serves as an AI and analytics expert, and delivers insight presentations.

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in data science, analytics, or related quantitative roles.
• Strong programming skills (e.g., Python, SQL) for data wrangling, modeling, and production ready solutions.
• Handson experience with statistical modeling and machine learning techniques.
• Proven ability to translate complex analytical results into business insights.
• Experience with generative AI, LLMs, vector databases, or AI orchestration frameworks.
• Familiarity with cloud based data and AI platforms.
• Experience working in regulated or largescale enterprise environments.

Responsibilities

• Develops complex queries and performs extensive programming to access, transform, and prepare largescale data for statistical modeling and AI applications.
• Leads diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analytics initiatives to support strategic and operational decision-making.
• Identifies data inconsistencies, documents assumptions, and addresses data quality gaps to ensure reliable model outcomes.
• Designs, trains, evaluates, and deploys machine learning and AI models (e.g., supervised/unsupervised learning, NLP, timeseries, optimization).
• Apply generative AI techniques (e.g., LLMs, embeddings, prompt engineering, agents) to enable automation, insight generation, and intelligent user experiences.
• Guides model validation, performance monitoring, explainability, and responsible AI practices.
• Engages with business and technology stakeholders to understand problems, formulate hypotheses, and translate requirements into analytic and AI solutions.
• Serves as an AI and analytics expert on cross functional initiatives, contributing to enterprise wide data and AI maturity.
• Prepares and delivers clear, concise insight presentations and recommendations to technical and nontechnical audiences.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees