New

Data Science Specialist - OptimusAI

McKinsey & Company
parental leave, paid time off
United States, Texas, Houston
Jul 08, 2025
Digital Data Science Specialist - OptimusAI Job ID: 99392 Do you want to work on complex and pressing challenges-the kind that bring together curious, ambitious, and determined leaders who strive to become better every day? If this sounds like you, you've come to the right place. Your Impact As an OptimusAI Data Science Specialist, you will help leading companies across the Energy and Materials sector unlock their full productivity potential using AI. Collaborating in a dynamic, multi-disciplinary team of 3-6 experts, you will use your creativity and analytics expertise to enhance client performance in areas such as energy efficiency, product quality, and capacity. You will be working side-by-side with the client's process engineers and analytics specialists and will be communicating your work to executive audiences. Internally, you will collaborate with our talented product engineers to develop innovative products and algorithms to address current and future client needs. You will help codify best practices, radiate our impact in/externally and shape the product roadmap. Along the way, you will benefit from world-class training in business problem structuring and client advisory, while working closely with senior manufacturing and analytics experts. Experience unparalleled career growth with significant ownership and responsibility from day one, all within a collaborative, diverse, and non-hierarchical environment. Seize the opportunity to travel to client sites, locally and around the world. You will be based in our Houston or Denver office as part of McKinsey's manufacturing AI solution (OptimusAI), which sits at the intersection of three practices: Global Energy and Materials, QuantumBlack and Operations. Global Energy and Materials: advises production and investor companies across chemicals & agriculture, paper & packaging, metals & mining, oil & gas, and power generation on strategic, operational, and growth issues. QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey: the AI arm of our firm which helps clients transform faster, innovate smart, and anticipate the future. Operations: assists our clients in solving complex operational challenges by developing and implementing operational strategies, initiatives and solutions for their most critical problems. Connecting boardroom strategies to the shop floor operators. At the intersection of these groups, OptimusAI is a team of ~10 expert consultants, data scientists and engineers, focused on improving processing plant productivity through data analytics. We develop real-time AI advisory systems to support decision making in the plant control room, assess and optimize process control systems, and we unlock plant bottlenecks through data-driven process changes. OptimusAI supports a global community of consultants by developing an innovative machine learning toolkit and codifying the approach to deliver significant and lasting client impact. Ready to deliver direct impact on some of the world's largest industrial players? We invite you to submit a cover letter detailing why you are the perfect fit for our team and how you can contribute to our mission! Your Growth Driving lasting impact and building long-term capabilities with our clients is not easy work. You are the kind of person who thrives in a high performance/high reward culture - doing hard things, picking yourself up when you stumble, and having the resilience to try another way forward. In return for your drive, determination, and curiosity, we'll provide the resources, mentorship, and opportunities you need to become a stronger leader faster than you ever thought possible. Your colleagues-at all levels-will invest deeply in your development, just as much as they invest in delivering exceptional results for clients. Every day, you'll receive apprenticeship, coaching, and exposure that will accelerate your growth in ways you won't find anywhere else. When you join us, you will have: Continuous learning: Our learning and apprenticeship culture, backed by structured programs, is all about helping you grow while creating an environment where feedback is clear, actionable, and focused on your development. The real magic happens when you take the input from others to heart and embrace the fast-paced learning experience, owning your journey. A voice that matters: From day one, we value your ideas and contributions. You'll make a tangible impact by offering innovative ideas and practical solutions. We not only encourage diverse perspectives, but they are critical in driving us toward the best possible outcomes. Global community: With colleagues across 65+ countries and over 100 different nationalities, our firm's diversity fuels creativity and helps us come up with the best solutions for our clients. Plus, you'll have the opportunity to learn from exceptional colleagues with diverse backgrounds and experiences. World-class benefits: On top of a competitive salary (based on your location, experience, and skills), we provide a comprehensive benefits package to enable holistic well-being for you and your family. Your qualifications and skills Bachelor's or master's degree in data science, computer science, engineering, or a related field 4+ years of relevant professional experience in advanced analytics, ideally in the context of heavy industry Expertise in Python programming, with a focus on writing clean, efficient, modular, and maintainable code Ability to implement and maintain MLOps pipelines for continuous integration and deployment of models Strong DevOps and backend engineering skills, including experience with CI/CD pipelines, containerization (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes), and infrastructure as code (e.g., Terraform, Ansible) Excellent organization capabilities, including the ability to initiate tasks independently and see them through to completion Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, in English and local office language(s), with the ability to adjust your style to suit different perspectives and seniority levels Proficient in rational decision making based on data, facts, and logical reasoning Ability to create work product-focused materials/outputs, which may include PowerPoint decks, Excel models, articles, or other written deliverables Exceptional time management to meet your responsibilities in a complex and largely autonomous work environment Ability to work or attend meetings outside of traditional business hours or take on projects with limited or no notice at times Ability to travel to and work in varying environments that may be challenging and/or not accessible (e.g., factories, hospitals, mines) Please review the additional requirements regarding essential job functions of McKinsey colleagues. Apply Now Apply Later FOR U.S. APPLICANTS: McKinsey & Company is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Certain US jurisdictions require McKinsey & Company to include a reasonable estimate of the salary for this role. For new joiners for this role in the United States, including all office locations where the job may be performed, a reasonable estimated range is $140,000 - $143,400 USD -to help you understand what you can expect. This reflects our best estimate of the lowest to highest [salary/hourly wages] for this role at the time of this posting, ensuring you have a clear picture right from the start, though it's important to remember that actual salaries may vary. Factors like your office location, your unique blend of experience and skills, start date and our current organizational needs all play a part in determining the final figure. Certain roles are also eligible for bonuses, subject to McKinsey's discretion and based on factors such as individual and/or organizational performance. Additionally, we provide a comprehensive benefits package that reflects our commitment to the wellness of our colleagues and their families. This includes medical, mental health, dental and vision coverage, telemedicine services, life, accident and disability insurance, parental leave and family planning benefits, caregiving resources, a generous retirement contributions program, financial guidance, and paid time off. FOR NON-U.S. APPLICANTS: McKinsey & Company is an Equal Opportunity employer. For additional details regarding our global EEO policy and diversity initiatives, please visit our McKinsey Careers and Diversity & Inclusion sites. Job Skill Group - N/A Job Skill Code - SSDC - Software Delivery Specialist, Data Function - Technology Industry - High Tech;Metals & Mining;Oil & Gas Post to LinkedIn - Yes Posted to LinkedIn Date - Mon Jul 07 00:00:00 GMT 2025 LinkedIn Posting City - Houston LinkedIn Posting State/Province - Texas LinkedIn Posting Country - United States LinkedIn Job Title - Data Science Specialist - OptimusAI LinkedIn Function - Consulting;Information Technology LinkedIn Industry - Information Technology and Services;Mining & Metals;Oil & Energy LinkedIn Seniority Level - Not Applicable