Associate Data Scientist

About This Role

IBM is hiring Associate Data Scientists to join its Data & AI division, working on IBM watsonx, enterprise AI products, and client-facing analytics engagements. You will apply ML and statistical modeling to real business problems using IBM's cloud and AI platforms — and help shape the way IBM delivers data science to its global enterprise customer base.

Job Overview

• Job Title: Associate Data Scientist
• Company: IBM
• Location: Armonk, NY / Austin, TX / Atlanta, GA / Chicago, IL / Raleigh, NC
• Job Type: Full-time
• Experience Level: Entry-level (0–2 years)
• Salary Range: $24–$34/hr
• Posted Date: 2026-06-04
• Application Deadline: 2026-07-04

Role Context

IBM associate data scientists are placed either in product engineering teams (building features for watsonx, OpenScale, or Db2) or in IBM Consulting delivery teams (building client analytics solutions). Your first year includes rotations and IBM SkillsBuild certification paths covering ML, cloud, and generative AI. Team sizes and industries vary by placement.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and evaluate ML models using IBM watsonx.ai, Python, and cloud-native tools
• Develop data pipelines and feature engineering workflows on IBM Cloud or AWS
• Apply NLP and text analytics to extract insights from unstructured enterprise data
• Validate models for fairness, explainability, and performance using IBM OpenScale/AI Fairness 360
• Collaborate with client teams to understand data quality and domain-specific constraints
• Document model development and deployment workflows in compliance with IBM AI governance standards

Requirements & Skills

• Bachelor's or Master's in Data Science, Computer Science, Statistics, or a related quantitative field
• Python proficiency — scikit-learn, pandas, and statistical modeling libraries
• SQL skills for data preparation and analysis
• Familiarity with supervised and unsupervised ML fundamentals
• Interest in AI ethics, model governance, or explainable AI is a strong plus
• IBM internship or academic certification experience is a bonus

Benefits & Work Conditions

• $24–$34/hr with IBM stock awards and annual merit increases
• Hybrid work model with flexible remote days
• IBM SkillsBuild training platform and certification reimbursement
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance from day one
• 401(k) with company match and employee assistance programs

Who Should Apply

Recent graduates who want to develop data science expertise in an enterprise AI context with structured mentorship and training. IBM is a strong choice if you are interested in AI governance, responsible AI practices, or enterprise ML deployment — areas where IBM has long been an industry standard-setter.

About the Company

IBM is a 100+ year-old technology company now focused on hybrid cloud and AI. Its watsonx platform provides enterprise-grade generative AI, ML model training, and data governance tools. IBM Research continues to publish foundational AI safety and explainability work, and its consulting arm deploys these capabilities for global enterprises.

How to Apply

Apply through IBM Careers. Navigate to "Data & Analytics" under career opportunities. The selection process includes an online cognitive and coding assessment, followed by one or two technical and HR interviews.