Senior Data Scientist

At First Advantage (Nasdaq: FA), people are at the heart of everything we do. From our customers and partners to our greatest advantage — our team members. Operating with empathy and compassion, First Advantage fosters a global inclusive workforce devoted to the diverse voices that make up our talent and products. Our team members empower each other to be their authentic selves and treat all with respect, integrity, and fairness.

Say hello to a rewarding career and come join a leading provider of mission-critical background screening solutions to some of the most recognized Fortune 100 and Global 500 brands.

We are seeking an experienced Senior Data Scientist to join our dynamic, cross-functional team. You’ll build and optimize AI-driven solutions and data pipelines, working with modern cloud and data technologies to deliver impactful results.

What We Do:

We are on the frontline of recruitment enabling organizations to Hire Smarter. Onboard Faster™ First Advantage is an HR Tech company delivering innovative solutions and insights to enable our clients to manage risk and hire the best talent. Leveraging an advanced technology platform, First Advantage builds fully scalable, configurable screening programs that meet the unique needs of over 33,000 clients. Headquartered in Atlanta, GA and with an internationally distributed workforce spanning 19 countries with about 5,500 employees, First Advantage performs over 93 million screens in over 200 countries and territories annually.

Who You Are:

You are self-motivated and ready to “roll up your sleeves." While you are an independent contributor, you are also collaborative. You can spearhead a project and see it through from start to completion.
As a team player, you navigate cross-functional teams and work well with team members in other business units and departments toward a common goal.
An Innovator — you see gaps in current processes or workflows as an opportunity to improve and try something new.
A lifelong learner and always seeking out opportunities to learn and upskill, you understand the importance of thorough and secure screenings and are interested in the Human Capital sector and the confluence of people, process, and technology.

What You'll Do
Responsibilities:

Design, build, and maintain scalable data pipelines and APIs using Python, TypeScript/JavaScript, and cloud platforms like Azure, AWS, or GCP, integrating with business systems via REST APIs, SOAP, or event-driven architectures. 
Build and optimize ML models for entity matching, text extraction (e.g., OCR, NLP), and recommendation systems using techniques like collaborative filtering, decision trees, or clustering.
Collaborate with Data Engineers, Business Analysts, and senior leadership to gather requirements, build robust data architectures, and ensure data quality, integrity, and compliance. 
Deploy infrastructure and manage data storage using container apps, relational databases, vector stores, or data lakes, leveraging infrastructure-as-code. 
Implement version control and CI/CD pipelines using GitHub.
Leverage data orchestration tools to manage workflows, automate model training, and apply MLOps best practices.
Conduct ad-hoc analyses, derive actionable insights, and present findings to stakeholders. 
Stay current with advancements in AI and machine learning to drive innovation, improve existing solutions, and adapt to evolving technologies. 
Contribute to Scrum-based agile processes, including sprint planning and retrospectives

What You May Need to be Successful
Bachelor’s Degree in computer science, Engineering, or related field
5+ years of experience in data science, AI, and software engineering. 
Strong programming skills in Python and JavaScript/TypeScript. 
Proficiency in SQL for querying and managing relational databases. 
Experience with cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, or GCP) and API development. 
Familiarity with at least one data orchestration or MLOps tool (e.g., Prefect, Data Bricks, Airflow, or Azure Machine Learning Studio).
Familiarity with virtualization and IaaC tools (e.g, Docker, Bicep/Terraform).
Experience with LLM APIs (e.g, OpenAI, LLama). 
Understanding of machine learning, NLP, and data processing techniques
Comfortable in agile environments that implement Scrum

Why First Advantage is Your Next Big Career Move

First Advantage is going through a technology transformation! We are looking for experts who are excited to work with advanced technologies and provide best-in-class user experiences, drive the development and deployment of scalable solutions, and smoothly guide our agile teams and clients through meaningful changes as we continue to expand our impact.

What Are You Waiting For? Apply Today!
You have learned a little about us today – we want to learn about you! If you think this position and our company are a great fit for your areas of interest and expertise, tell us about you by applying now!

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS – India Region: 
Most of the roles are enabled with the ability to work remotely with occasional business travel. Hybrid working model 
Comprehensive employee Leave policy 
Career progressions through Internal job opportunities and Global Talent mobility programs 
Career Development: Mentoring Program, People Management Program, cross-functions training, soft skills training.
Continuous learning and development opportunities. Upskilling and reskilling opportunities mobilized through e-learning platforms
Training and Certification reimbursement programs
Medical Insurance coverage for employees and parental insurance benefits available. Calendarized Employee Wellness programs
Quarterly Rewards and Recognition program to recognize exemplary performance
Other attractive allowances – Weekend working, Holiday pay, Relocation assistance, Maternity bonus, Creche allowance & Other allowance etc. 

United States Equal Opportunity Employment:

First Advantage is proud to be a global leader in removing barriers and supporting our community members to ensure the changing demographics of the workforce are reflected in our hiring and employment practices. We value all of our candidates, employees, and clients, and place great emphasis on hiring and supporting qualified individuals in each role. We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship status, marital status, disability, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, genetic information, or any other area protected by applicable law.