Description
Discovery Health is accepting applications for a Junior Data Scientist talent-pool vacancy in Sandton. The role sits in Data Sciences and focuses on Natural Language Processing, machine learning and Large Language Model work. The official vacancy page is dated 19 July 2026 and still provides an application option.
This is a technical vacancy rather than a general graduate programme. Applicants should have a strong quantitative academic background and practical ability in Python, SQL and data-science or machine-learning work.
Available Position
📌 Talent Pool – Junior Data Scientist
About the Company
Discovery Health forms part of Discovery’s wider health and financial-services business. Its Data Science Lab works with predictive analytics, machine learning, big data and operations research across different business areas and uses both structured and unstructured datasets.
Eligibility
The vacancy asks for an Honours or Master’s degree in a relevant quantitative field, or another qualification supported by suitable experience. Discovery says candidates at different experience levels may be considered, so the quality of the applicant’s technical background and project experience matters.
Responsibilities
- Work with large volumes of unstructured text from different sources.
- Review relevant academic research and industry developments.
- Work with senior team members to take projects from initial problem definition through deployment and business use.
- Prototype data-science and machine-learning systems, especially NLP and LLM-based solutions.
- Evaluate models, prototypes and deployed systems for technical quality and business value.
- Present analyses and project updates to technical and non-technical audiences.
Qualifications
Relevant fields include Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Data Science, Actuarial Science, Operations Research, Industrial Engineering, Applied Mathematics and similar quantitative disciplines. A PhD is listed as advantageous rather than essential.
Experience
Discovery states that candidates at all levels of experience may be considered. Applicants should therefore show evidence of the technical skills needed for the role, whether those skills come from employment, academic work, research or relevant projects.
Skills
Core requirements include SQL, working with databases and Python for data science and machine learning. Useful additional experience includes Git, R, NLP packages and models, TensorFlow, PyTorch, LLM use or training, Spark and Dask. The role also needs clear problem definition and strong written, visual and verbal communication.
Job Benefits
The vacancy offers work with large datasets and technical projects involving NLP, LLMs, predictive analytics and machine learning. The official advert does not publish a salary or detailed benefits package, so those details have not been assumed.
Useful Information
- Business unit: Discovery Health
- Function: Data Sciences
- Date posted: 19 July 2026
- Location: 1 Discovery Place, Sandton, Gauteng
- Closing date: Not stated on the official public vacancy
How to Apply
Apply through the official Discovery careers listing. Your CV should clearly show the quantitative qualification, Python and SQL work, and any relevant machine-learning, NLP or LLM projects. Keep the examples factual and specific so the technical fit is easy to understand.
Final Summary
The Discovery Junior Data Scientist vacancy suits quantitative graduates and data professionals with Python, SQL and machine-learning capability. The role is based in Sandton and includes NLP and LLM work. No closing date is shown on the public vacancy, so applications should be submitted while the official page remains open.
