US E ES - Lead Data Scientist GenAI, Financial Planning & Analysis - Strategic Analytics

$102K - $188K Sacramento, CA, US Senior Data Scientist

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Skills & Technologies

AzureGcpPower BiPythonTableau

About This Role

AI job market dashboard showing open roles by category

Deloitte is at the leading edge of GenAI innovation, transforming Strategic Analytics and shaping the future of Finance. We invite applications from highly skilled and experienced AI and Data Science Engineer III professionals ready to drive the development of our next\-generation GenAI solutions.

Recruiting for this role ends on July 25th 2026\.

Work you'll do

As an AI and Data Science Engineer III on the Strategic Analytics team, you will be responsible for

  • Designing, developing, and deploying artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced analytics solutions for business stakeholders
  • Building and maintaining scalable data pipelines, application programming interfaces, and model deployment workflows in cloud environments
  • Partnering with finance, strategy, and operational teams to translate business requirements into technical solutions and actionable insights
  • Supporting the development of generative artificial intelligence use cases, prototypes, and production\-ready products aligned to strategic priorities
  • Monitoring solution performance, maintaining technical documentation, and identifying opportunities to improve reliability, efficiency, and adoption

A successful candidate would possess these skills:

  • Ability to work independently and collaborate as part of a team
  • Effective written and verbal communication skills
  • Meticulous attention to detail and quality of work product
  • Ability to build and sustain professional relationships
  • Ability to lead projects or workstreams
  • Ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks in a fast\-paced and dynamic environment
  • Strong interpersonal skills and professional demeanor
  • Ability to meet deadlines
  • Ability to provide clear guidance to others

The teamStrategic Analytics is a dynamic part of the Finance Financial Planning and Analysis organization, supporting executive leaders across the firm as well as stakeholders in financial and operational functions. The team combines cloud computing, data science, artificial intelligence, strategic problem\-solving, and institutional knowledge to deliver insights that inform critical business decisions and support the firm's growth.

Generative artificial intelligence is a key strategic priority for the team, with a strong focus on developing products and solutions that can create value across the organization and for clients. In this role, the selected candidate will contribute directly to high\-impact initiatives that advance innovation and business transformation.

Qualifications

Required:

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, Finance, or a related field
  • 4\+ years of experience in data science, machine learning engineering, data engineering, or software engineering
  • 3\+ years of experience developing solutions using Python
  • 2\+ years of experience working with cloud platforms such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform
  • 2\+ years of experience using Structured Query Language and working with relational or distributed data platforms
  • Ability to travel 0\-10%, on average, based on the work you do and the clients and industries/sectors you serve.
  • Limited immigration sponsorship may be available.

Preferred:

  • Master's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, Statistics, or a related field
  • Experience developing generative artificial intelligence or large language model solutions
  • Experience with machine learning operations tooling and model deployment frameworks
  • Experience building application programming interfaces or production data products
  • Experience supporting finance, financial planning and analysis, or enterprise strategy use cases
  • Experience with data visualization tools such as Tableau or Power BI

The wage range for this role takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. The disclosed range estimate has not been adjusted for the applicable geographic differential associated with the location at which the position may be filled. At Deloitte, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is $102,500 to $188,900\.

You may also be eligible to participate in a discretionary annual incentive program, subject to the rules governing the program, whereby an award, if any, depends on various factors, including, without limitation, individual and organizational performance.

Salary Context

This $102K-$188K range is below the median for Data Scientist roles in our dataset (median: $155K across 226 roles with salary data).

View full Data Scientist salary data →

Role Details

Company Deloitte
Title US E ES - Lead Data Scientist GenAI, Financial Planning & Analysis - Strategic Analytics
Location Sacramento, CA, US
Category Data Scientist
Experience Senior
Salary $102K - $188K
Remote No

About This Role

Data Scientists extract insights and build predictive models from data. In the AI era, many roles now include LLM-powered analytics, automated reporting, and integration with generative AI tools. The role has evolved from 'the person who runs SQL queries' to 'the person who builds AI-powered data products.'

Modern data science roles fall into two camps: analytics-focused (insights, dashboards, experimentation) and ML-focused (building predictive models, recommendation systems, NLP features). The best data scientists can operate in both modes. The AI shift means that even analytics-focused roles now involve building automated insight pipelines using LLMs, going well beyond one-off reports.

Across the 3,708 AI roles we're tracking, Data Scientist positions make up 8% of the market. At Deloitte, this role fits into their broader AI and engineering organization.

Data Scientist roles remain in high demand, though the definition keeps shifting. Companies increasingly want candidates who can bridge traditional statistics with modern ML and LLM capabilities. The 'pure insights' data scientist role is consolidating into analytics engineering, while the 'build models' data scientist role is merging with ML engineering.

What the Work Looks Like

A typical week includes: analyzing experiment results for a product feature launch, building a predictive model for customer churn, creating an automated reporting pipeline using LLM-powered summarization, presenting insights to stakeholders, and cleaning data (always cleaning data). The ratio of analysis to engineering varies by company, but expect both.

Data Scientist roles remain in high demand, though the definition keeps shifting. Companies increasingly want candidates who can bridge traditional statistics with modern ML and LLM capabilities. The 'pure insights' data scientist role is consolidating into analytics engineering, while the 'build models' data scientist role is merging with ML engineering.

Skills Required

Azure (24% of roles) Gcp (17% of roles) Power Bi (5% of roles) Python (51% of roles) Tableau (4% of roles)

Python, SQL, and statistical modeling are the foundation. Increasingly, roles want experience with LLMs for data analysis, automated insight generation, and building AI-powered data products. Familiarity with cloud data platforms (Snowflake, BigQuery, Databricks) and ML frameworks (scikit-learn, PyTorch) covers most job requirements.

Experimentation design and causal inference are underrated skills that separate strong candidates. Companies care about whether their product changes cause improvements, and can distinguish causation from correlation. A/B testing methodology, Bayesian statistics, and the ability to communicate uncertainty to non-technical stakeholders are high-value skills.

Good postings specify the data stack, the types of problems you'll work on, and the team structure. Look for companies that differentiate between analytics and ML data science. Vague 'data scientist' postings that list every skill under the sun usually mean the company doesn't know what they need.

Compensation Benchmarks

Data Scientist roles pay a median of $192,890 based on 463 positions with disclosed compensation. Senior-level AI roles across all categories have a median of $230,000. This role's midpoint ($145K) sits 24% below the category median. Disclosed range: $102K to $188K.

Across all AI roles, the market median is $217,500. Top-quartile compensation starts at $272,100. The 90th percentile reaches $325,000. For comparison, the highest-paying categories include AI Safety ($300,000) and Research Engineer ($280,000). By seniority level: Entry: $120,000; Mid: $200,000; Senior: $230,000; Director: $272,150; VP: $250,000.

Deloitte AI Hiring

Deloitte has 15 open AI roles right now. They're hiring across AI/ML Engineer, Data Scientist. Positions span Washington, DC, US, Fort Worth, TX, US, McLean, VA, US. Compensation range: $141K - $338K.

Location Context

Across all AI roles, 14% (508 positions) offer remote work, while 3,180 require on-site attendance. Top AI hiring metros: New York (1,045 roles, $220,000 median); San Francisco (810 roles, $277,088 median); Los Angeles (397 roles, $215,000 median).

Career Path

Common paths into Data Scientist roles include Data Analyst, Statistician, Quantitative Researcher.

From here, career progression typically leads toward Senior Data Scientist, ML Engineer, AI Product Manager.

Start with statistics and SQL. Build a real analysis project on public data that demonstrates insight generation alongside model building. The market values data scientists who can communicate findings clearly to business stakeholders. If you want to move toward ML engineering, invest in software engineering fundamentals and production deployment skills.

What to Expect in Interviews

Interviews combine statistics, coding, and business acumen. SQL is almost always tested, often with complex joins and window functions. Expect a case study round where you're given a business problem and asked to design an analysis plan. Coding rounds focus on pandas, statistical modeling, and visualization. The strongest differentiator is how well you communicate insights to non-technical stakeholders during presentation rounds.

When evaluating opportunities: Good postings specify the data stack, the types of problems you'll work on, and the team structure. Look for companies that differentiate between analytics and ML data science. Vague 'data scientist' postings that list every skill under the sun usually mean the company doesn't know what they need.

AI Hiring Overview

The AI job market has 3,708 open positions tracked in our dataset. By seniority: 102 entry-level, 1,705 mid-level, 1,469 senior, and 432 leadership roles (Director, VP, C-Level). Remote roles make up 14% of the market (508 positions). The remaining 3,180 roles require on-site or hybrid attendance.

The market median for AI roles is $217,500. Top-quartile compensation starts at $272,100. The 90th percentile reaches $325,000. Highest-paying categories: AI Safety ($300,000 median, 21 roles); Research Engineer ($280,000 median, 147 roles); AI Architect ($254,798 median, 67 roles).

Data Scientist roles remain in high demand, though the definition keeps shifting. Companies increasingly want candidates who can bridge traditional statistics with modern ML and LLM capabilities. The 'pure insights' data scientist role is consolidating into analytics engineering, while the 'build models' data scientist role is merging with ML engineering.

The AI Job Market Today

The AI job market spans 3,708 open positions across 16 role categories. The largest categories by volume: AI/ML Engineer (2,605), Data Scientist (310), AI Software Engineer (259). These three account for the majority of open positions, though smaller categories often have higher per-role compensation because of specialized skill requirements.

The seniority mix tells a story about where AI teams are in their maturity. Entry-level roles (102) are outnumbered by mid-level (1,705) and senior (1,469) positions, reflecting that most companies are past the 'build a team from scratch' phase and need experienced engineers who can ship production systems. Leadership roles (Director, VP, C-Level) total 432 positions, representing the bottleneck between technical execution and organizational strategy.

Remote work availability sits at 14% of all AI roles (508 positions), with 3,180 requiring on-site or hybrid attendance. The remote share has stabilized after the post-pandemic correction. Senior and specialized roles (Research Scientist, ML Architect) are more likely to be remote-eligible than entry-level positions, partly because experienced hires have more negotiating power and partly because these roles require less hands-on mentorship.

AI compensation is structured in clear tiers. The market median sits at $217,500. Top-quartile roles start at $272,100, and the 90th percentile reaches $325,000. These figures include base salary with disclosed compensation. Total compensation (including equity, bonuses, and sign-on) runs 20-40% higher at companies that offer those components.

Category matters for compensation. AI Safety roles lead at $300,000 median, while Prompt Engineer roles sit at $140,000. The spread between highest and lowest-paying categories reflects the premium on specialized technical skills versus broader analytical roles.

The most in-demand skills across all AI postings: Python (1,890 postings), Aws (1,103 postings), Azure (877 postings), Rag (855 postings), Gcp (631 postings), Prompt Engineering (560 postings), Pytorch (545 postings), Claude (498 postings). Python dominates, appearing in the vast majority of role descriptions regardless of category. Cloud platform experience (AWS, GCP, Azure) is the second most common requirement. The newer entrants to the top skills list (RAG, vector databases, LLM APIs) reflect the shift from traditional ML toward generative AI applications.

Frequently Asked Questions

Based on 463 roles with disclosed compensation, the median salary for Data Scientist positions is $192,890. Actual compensation varies by seniority, location, and company stage.
Python, SQL, and statistical modeling are the foundation. Increasingly, roles want experience with LLMs for data analysis, automated insight generation, and building AI-powered data products. Familiarity with cloud data platforms (Snowflake, BigQuery, Databricks) and ML frameworks (scikit-learn, PyTorch) covers most job requirements.
About 14% of the 3,708 AI roles we track offer remote work. Remote availability varies by company and seniority level, with senior and leadership roles more likely to offer location flexibility.
Deloitte is among the companies actively hiring for AI and ML talent. Check our company profiles for detailed breakdowns of open roles, salary ranges, and hiring trends.
Common next steps from Data Scientist positions include Senior Data Scientist, ML Engineer, AI Product Manager. Progression depends on whether you lean toward technical depth, people management, or product strategy.

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