Data Scientist jobs in the IT industry

Find your next role as a data scientist in New Zealand

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Data science is becoming more important within Aotearoa as both the public sector aims to improve services and businesses seek to unlock invaluable insights for shareholders.

 

If you’re trained in data science, we want to hear from you. Check out any latest vacancies or get in touch with us today to learn more about how Younity can help.

Why choose Younity as your recruitment partner for data scientist roles?

Younity’s team have been working with data scientists for decades, and understand the evolution of this discipline as technology has evolved. Our team doesn’t just look to place people into roles, but understand closely what our employers need from their data. We can then determine the specific experience or training a candidate needs to provide a shortlist that closely matches business requirements.

If you’re a job seeker with data science skills or job experience, Younity can speak your language—from understanding industry-specific demands like machine learning, predictive modelling, and data visualisation, to connecting you with roles that match your expertise in areas such as Python programming, statistical analysis, and big data frameworks.

 

What does a data scientist do in IT?

Data Science uses scientific methods, processes, algorithms and systems to extract knowledge or actionable insights from large data sets.

They combine coding skills with mathematical and statistical modelling, designing algorithms, analysing data, then presenting findings using visualisation tools to key stakeholders.

A data scientist will use various methods to build statistical models or discover patterns in data. Technologies used include Python, R, TensorFlow, SQL, NoSQL, Spark, Hadoop, MATLAB, SQL, SAS.

Collaboration with software engineers, Project Management teams, and other IT professionals is common, ensuring alignment on goals and delivering data-driven solutions that support product and business objectives.

With a skillset that is quite hard to come by, data scientists in New Zealand’s market will find themselves in high demand once word gets out to help with uncovering key insights.

 

What’s it like to work in this discipline?

Working as a Data Scientist in IT is a blend of creativity, analytical thinking, and continuous learning. It’s an exciting field where you’ll apply your skills to many different real world problems.

You’ll spend much of your time experimenting with large datasets, testing hypotheses, and refining algorithms. On a typical day, you might wrangle raw datasets, conduct statistical analysis, develop predictive models, or present insights via data visualization dashboards.

Troubleshooting messy data can be frustrating, but the thrill of uncovering hidden patterns and contributing to major tech breakthroughs keeps the work engaging.

Collaboration is central to this role, data scientists frequently partner with software engineers, product managers, and leadership teams to solve complex problems.

It’s a highly detail-oriented field, so you can expect to focus on a specific problem for an extended period. While analysing data is the foundation of your role, the discipline also requires you to make reasoned decisions based on the insights you uncover.

Storytelling might sound like something for the marketing team to worry about, but there’s certainly that element in this work too, whether it’s a summary report, visualisation or in-person presentations.

It’s worth noting that while such a specialised area can offer competitive pay, the relatively low number of data scientists within organisations can pose a challenge in translating findings in a way your audience will understand and act upon. You might need to spend some time properly setting expectations before getting stuck into a piece of work.

 

What qualifications or experience does this role benefit from?

Data science is a discipline to be studied at tertiary level with entire degrees dedicated to data science available at main universities within New Zealand. This is a great avenue to come into the field as you’ll be able to learn and apply the core competencies over an extended period.

Most data scientists in IT hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Computer Science, Statistics, or a related field. Data scientists can also come through more generalised computer science and IT, depending on their work experience and self-directed learning. However if you’re looking to demand the highest possible rates without significant real world work experience, we’d suggest exploring formal training of some kind.

To excel as a Data Scientist, you’ll typically need strong programming skills in Python, R, and SQL, alongside practical experience with machine learning frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow) and big data technologies.

And while this discipline can sound like a very ‘hard skill’ type field, there’s lots of soft skills that will set you in good stead – including creativity, critical thinking, stakeholder management, communication and adaptability. Theses skills will help you collaborate with various stakeholders and adapt to shifting project needs.

 

Preparing a CV or Cover letter for a data scientist role

Data science is a field where previous paid experience counts for a huge amount – as we’ve noted above, it’s not a line of work that’s (at least for now) full of potential candidates for employers.

Make sure to bring any data science skills and experience front and centre in your CV and speak to your experience here in more detail with a custom-written cover letter. Include metrics to back up your accomplishments and demonstrate tangible results in previous positions. Spotlight relevant projects, emphasizing measurable outcomes in statistical analysis, predictive modeling, and data visualization.

Showcase both your hard skills, (like machine learning, SQL, and cloud computing, etc) and essential soft skills, such as communication, problem-solving and adaptability.

We’d suggest bringing your CV and cover letter into the interview, along with perhaps some bullet points of specific times where you’d applied your data science skills to a project or problem. Make sure to outline the things you contributed and any learnings or positive impacts from this work.

 

Check out our helpful Jobseeker Resources section for cover letter and CV templates, as well as career advice for IT professionals.

 

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