Data Scientist- Job Advert
Title: Data Scientist I
Reports to: Senior Data Scientist
Duty Location: Kampala, Uganda
Application Opens: 15th May, 2025
Application Closes: 31st May 2025
About Tugende
Tugende uses asset finance, technology, and a customer-centric model to help informal sector entrepreneurs dramatically increase their economic trajectory. Tugende’s core asset finance packages include medical and life insurance, training, safety equipment, and digital credit profiles in addition to affordable asset financing for SMEs. By helping clients grow economically and building digital track records of responsibility, we are creating a long-term ecosystem for MSMEs that will grow and thrive.
Tugende is tackling the credit gap for small businesses in Africa by enabling informal entrepreneurs to 1) own income‑generating assets, 2) build a verifiable digital credit profile, and 3) earn future growth opportunities through the Tugende digital platform. This platform includes discounts, smartphones, e‑commerce opportunities, and on‑demand credit lines. Tugende has financed 80,000+ clients and has hundreds of employees serving clients across its branches in Uganda and Kenya.
About this role
We are seeking a Junior Data Scientist (Data Scientist I) to join our Data, Analytics, and Business Intelligence team. This is a growth-focused role for individuals ready to advance their data science skills in a highly practical, fast-paced, and impact-driven environment.
You will work under the guidance of the Senior Data Scientist and alongside experienced professionals in data engineering, analytics, finance, and technology. You’ll be involved in developing machine learning models, data pipelines, reporting tools, and intelligent automation systems that directly support key functions, including Credit, Recovery, Finance, Operations, and Product.
This role is best suited for individuals who are hungry to learn, open to mentorship, and serious about building a career in applied data science. You will be challenged, but also fully supported, in your journey from foundation to impact.
Key responsibilities
Data Management and Engineering Support
Contribute to the ongoing structuring, cleaning, validation, and optimisation of Tugende’s enterprise data in the Redshift-based Data Warehouse.
Develop and maintain reusable SQL queries and data pipelines to support analytics and reporting needs.
Reporting and Dashboard Development
Build and update interactive Power BI dashboards to monitor operational, financial, and credit KPIs.
Automate and publish reports for month-end performance, credit risk, recovery ops, and marketing KPIs.
Machine Learning & Model Development
Contribute/support to model development for:
Credit scoring and provisioning
Fraud detection and revenue leakage prevention
Asset repossession prediction and asset financing behaviour modelling
GPS geostatistics for asset tracking and client safety
Participate in the deployment of ML pipelines using:
Assist in packaging and deploying models using containerization tools such as Docker.
Contribute to lifecycle tracking with MLFlow (or similar tools) for versioning and performance monitoring.
Support infrastructure deployment via AWS services such as EC2, Lambda, S3, and CloudWatch, under guidance from senior team members.
Ensure models are monitored and versioned appropriately for ongoing learning and improvement.
Operations Research & Optimisation
Assist in the development of optimisation models to:
Allocate assets and staff across branches
Plan vehicle or asset maintenance and rotation
Optimise cost-performance trade-offs in recovery and servicing
Portfolio, revenue and risk projection Stress Testing
Apply a range of OR tools and libraries (e.g., pyomo, scipy, optimise, pulp) depending on problem structure and complexity.
Generative AI & Automation Initiatives
Assist in the implementation of AI Agents for:
Underwriting and risk assessment
Plate detection/image validation for vehicles and bikes
Internal knowledge base querying (LLM-powered policy agents)
Chatbots for client servicing and operations support
Support senior engineers in model monitoring and maintenance
Documentation & Collaboration
Document all models, pipelines, and tools using clear technical documentation standards.
Work closely with business teams to understand pain points and build tailored data solutions.
Assist in preparing and delivering presentations and reports to senior leadership using PowerPoint, dashboards, or interactive notebooks.
Participate in internal data literacy initiatives to empower end users across departments.
Qualifications
Minimum Requirements
Bachelor’s degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Engineering, Economics or related field.
0–2 years of experience in a data science, analytics, or software engineering role (internships or academic projects accepted)
Relevant coursework or certifications in machine learning, data analysis, or data engineering is an added advantage.
Proficiency in Python and core data science libraries: pandas, numpy, matplotlib, scikit-learn
Intermediate to strong SQL skills
Exposure to Power BI or other BI tools for dashboard creation
Strong Excel skills and basic experience in dashboard/report automation
Preferred but Not Required
Understanding of data structures, feature engineering, and model evaluation
Redshift/PostgreSQL preferred
Familiarity with at least one optimisation library (e.g. pyomo, pulp)
Docker, MLFlow, and AWS tools
Background in asset financing, lending, or fintech is a bonus
Soft Skills & Mindset
Fast learner with a strong sense of accountability
Ability to thrive under mentorship and feedback
Strong attention to detail and a data-driven mindset
Willingness to work in a competitive, high-expectation team culture
Passionate about using data to solve real-world problems
Application procedure: Interested candidates who meet the above requirements should follow this link and apply.