Data Science Manager

Who We Are

In 2021, Poatek was acquired by WillowTree, an award-winning digital product consultancy recognized as one of the fastest growing and best places to work in the United States. Now a TELUS Digital company, with offices across the globe, we continue to partner with the world’s leading brands, such as the FOX, Capital One, HBO, PepsiCo, Domino’s and more, to design, build, and transform their digital products and strategies. We’re looking to grow our Poatek offices in Brazil with top talent excited to collaborate with team members across the globe to deliver innovative solutions for our clients.

Location and Flexibility

This is a hybrid role. This model requires the ability to work in a hybrid mode from one of our offices in  Porto Alegre (3 times/ week or 12 days/ month). Our WFN culture is designed to foster in-person innovation, collaboration, and connection with team members local and visiting from other global offices.

The Opportunity

Are you a technically-driven leader who thrives at the intersection of hands-on data science and people leadership? Do you want to stay deeply involved in code, architecture, and machine learning while also mentoring and growing a high-performing team?

As a Data Science Manager at TELUS Digital, you'll lead one or more cross-functional teams to build high-impact, AI-powered solutions for international clients across diverse industries, healthcare, finance, and beyond. This is a dual role: you will have both technical responsibilities on projects and people management responsibilities, including career development, team growth, and coaching. The intention is to provide a balance where you remain deeply engaged in technical work while also contributing to the development of the team.

Success looks like: An energized, happy team building high-quality data science and AI solutions for eager, engaged client stakeholders while you maintain your technical edge and continue to grow as both a technologist and a leader.

Responsibilities

Technical Leadership:

• Provide technical guidance to teams and projects for international clients, acting as a tech lead and architect on data science and AI initiatives
• Work alongside GenAI Engineers, Data Scientists, and Data Engineers to design, build, and deploy cutting-edge machine learning models and AI-powered solutions
• Drive data architecture and ML deployment decisions, influencing frameworks, infrastructure choices, and production-grade model implementation
• Stay at the forefront of innovation:  Explore and introduce the latest GenAI trends, tools, and frameworks to teams and clients when appropriate
• Solve cross-industry challenges: Tackle advanced technical problems across diverse domains (telecom, healthcare, finance, etc.), ensuring exposure to varied and enriching problem spaces
• Shape technical deliveries: Use your expertise to advocate for best practices in AI, data strategy, and ML system architecture

People Leadership:

• Lead and mentor cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality solutions while fostering collaboration, autonomy, and growth
• Support your team's career development: conduct one-on-ones, set goals, provide coaching and feedback, and champion their professional growth and promotions
• Perform performance evaluations and create career plans that help team members reach their full potential
• Build a culture of excellence: Foster team autonomy, proactive engagement, and a feedback-driven environment where everyone thrives
  
  

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional experience in data science and machine learning development, with a demonstrated track record of delivering high-impact ML solutions.
• Strong background in data science: You've been a data scientist or similar role in the past, with deep hands-on experience in Python, machine learning algorithms, statistical methods, and ML system architecture.
• Proven ability to design, implement, and evaluate complex models at scale, including experience with data strategy and governance techniques.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP), containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), MLOps frameworks, and production-grade model deployment.
• You’ve gained experience supporting and developing engineers, whether as a tech lead, coordinator, manager, or in a similar role, through goal-setting, coaching, and feedback.
• Architectural thinking: You can design end-to-end data science architectures and understand how systems will run in production, even if you're not the one building the infrastructure.
• Excellent communication skills: You can simplify and communicate complex problems around technology, business processes, and development tasks to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Comfortable having difficult conversations and always keeping your clients' and teammates' best interests in mind.

You’ll love this job if you...

• Want to lead and code. You don't want to abandon the technical work you love, but you're also passionate about growing and mentoring others
• Are excited by cutting-edge AI & ML projects and want to work on innovative solutions at the forefront of technology
• Thrive in a collaborative, tech-driven culture where knowledge-sharing, continuous learning, and modern tools/practices are the norm
• Value autonomy and hands-on impact you want the freedom to choose frameworks, influence architecture, and drive data strategy
• Are comfortable collaborating and communicating with teams and clients to deliver software in an agile environment
• Pride yourself in your work and take responsibilities and commitments seriously
• Celebrate differences and thrive in an environment where everyone's unique contributions are encouraged
•  Value a feedback culture that fosters personal and professional growth

Why TELUS Digital?

We thrive on engineering excellence, using the latest technologies in cloud computing, AI, machine learning, DevOps, microservices architecture, and data engineering. Our teams embrace Agile methodologies, continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) pipelines, and a DevOps-first mindset to deliver solutions at scale.

In addition to being part of an international and innovative consultancy company, you will have:

• A Global Innovation Hub: Be part of an international consultancy at the forefront of technology
• Work-Life Harmony: Enjoy flexible hours and autonomy to balance your professional and personal life
• Cutting-Edge Tech Playground: Dive into the latest technologies and shape the future of digital solutions
• Prestigious Partnerships: Collaborate with world-renowned brands, making a real impact in the market
• Growth-Centric Environment: Thrive in our collaborative ecosystem with a clear career development path
• Global Exposure: Embrace optional international travel opportunities to broaden your horizons

Some of our benefits: 

• Health and dental plan
• Life insurance
• Monthly voucher for meals, culture, education, health and mobility
• Child care assistance and more!