Junior Data Scientist
The Junior Data Scientist will design and maintain scalable data pipelines integrating structured and unstructured data to create executive dashboards and analytical products. This role involves prototyping and deploying AI agents using advanced language models to support business decision-making, while collaborating with cross-functional teams and applying software engineering best practices in a fully remote, contract position based in California.
About Careertakes
👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client, global biotech company (Pharmaceutical Manufacturing).
Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.
What You’ll Do
This is a 1-year contract (W2) for a Junior Data Scientist supporting a confidential client in the biotech / pharmaceutical manufacturing space. The role is remote but candidates must reside in California. Pay is $40–45 per hour W2. You will design, build, and maintain data pipelines and analytical products that combine structured and unstructured data to inform executive decision-making and operational reviews. You’ll also prototype and productionize AI agents and responsible-AI controls.
- Design and maintain scalable data pipelines, curated datasets, and reporting layers using SQL, Python, Databricks (or equivalent), APIs, and cloud services.
- Integrate and process structured and unstructured sources (databases, documents, presentations, collaboration platforms, external feeds).
- Create trusted data models to power executive dashboards, scorecards, and recurring business reviews.
- Partner with product managers, engineers, designers, and business stakeholders to translate business questions into data and AI solutions.
- Prototype and deploy AI agents using LLMs, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), semantic search/embeddings, and workflow orchestration.
- Implement data-quality checks, AI evaluation metrics, monitoring, access controls, and responsible-AI guardrails.
- Follow software engineering best practices: version control, automated testing, CI/CD, documentation, and production monitoring.
- Communicate technical recommendations and insights clearly to both technical teams and executive audiences; provide documentation and knowledge transfer.
Who You Are (Qualifications)
Basic qualifications
- Master’s degree OR Bachelor’s degree plus 2 years of relevant experience.
- Entry-level / early-career data scientist or data engineer with hands-on experience in analytics and data pipeline development.
Preferred qualifications
- Advanced proficiency in SQL and Python for ETL/ELT, automation, analytics, and AI development.
- Hands-on experience with Databricks or comparable platforms (Spark/PySpark, Delta Lake), including ETL/ELT workflows.
- Experience building analytical data models and executive dashboards using Power BI, Tableau, or similar tools.
- Experience working with unstructured data and developing AI agents using LLMs, RAG, embeddings, and vector search.
- Experience taking prototypes to production with attention to security, scalability, monitoring, and governance.
- Familiarity with Azure, AWS, or GCP; Git, automated testing, and CI/CD pipelines.
- Strong communication and data-storytelling skills; ability to work independently and engage executive stakeholders.
- Experience in regulated environments (pharmaceuticals, biotech, healthcare) is a plus.
Role Details
- Employment type: Contract (W2)
- Duration: 1-year contract, open to extension
- Location: Remote — candidates must reside in California (Thousand Oaks / CA area preferred)
- Pay: $40–45 per hour (W2)
- Seniority: Entry level
- Job function: Information Technology / Data Science
- Industry: Pharmaceutical Manufacturing / Biotechnology
Keywords (highly relevant)
- Junior Data Scientist Thousand Oaks CA
- Data pipelines Databricks
- SQL Python data engineering
- LLM RAG AI agents
- Power BI Tableau dashboards
- Remote (California) contract
Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency
Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.
If you have questions about how your data is used, please contact us directly.
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