Data Scientist

Join our Canadian AI team as a Data Scientist, where you’ll apply advanced analytics, machine learning, generative AI, and emerging agentic AI techniques to solve complex business challenges and deliver actionable insights that drive strategic decision-making. In this role, you will work with large and complex datasets across multiple systems, develop data-driven and AI-enabled solutions that improve business processes, and help evaluate new AI capabilities for practical business use.

You’ll collaborate closely with subject matter experts, AI Product Managers, Agentic Engineers, and technology partners to understand business needs, customer journeys, data sources, and solution requirements, while contributing to projects that support broader organizational goals.

Position Responsibilities:

• Develop analytics, machine learning, and generative AI solutions that improve business processes and support strategic decisions.

• Analyze large, complex datasets to uncover actionable insights, business opportunities, and measurable value drivers.

• Apply statistical modeling, machine learning, experimentation, and AI evaluation techniques to solve business problems.

• Support testing of AI assistants, copilots, RAG solutions, and agentic workflows in partnership with technology and engineering teams.

• Communicate results of moderate complexity to business partners and recommend solution options to senior data science team members.

• Lead end-to-end data science projects of moderate scope, from problem framing through analysis and recommendation.

• Connect and integrate data across multiple systems to support data-driven and AI-enabled decision-making.

• Partner with subject matter experts to understand business processes, data sources, customer journeys, and adoption needs.

• Document analytical methods, assumptions, limitations, and technical decisions clearly, including support for peer review, governance, and model risk management activities.

• Understand how assigned projects support broader business strategy, including the core drivers of business value, adoption, and decision quality.

• Share technical expertise, contribute to best-practice development, and support a collaborative, knowledge-sharing culture across the data science team.

Required Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, or related field; or Bachelor’s degree with equivalent technical experience.

• Minimum of 2 years of applicable experience in data science, advanced analytics, machine learning, or AI solution development.

• Strong programming capability in Python, R, or similar analytical programming languages; SQL experience strongly preferred.

• Working knowledge of statistical modeling, machine learning algorithms, experimental design, and model evaluation techniques.

• Applied understanding of exploratory data analysis, data wrangling, feature development, data visualization, model production concepts, and insight generation.

• Familiarity with generative AI, LLMs, prompt engineering, embeddings, RAG, or AI evaluation approaches.

• Ability to analyze structured and unstructured data and translate findings into business recommendations.

• Strong communication skills with the ability to explain analytical concepts to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with Azure, Databricks, Git, MLflow, or cloud-based analytics environments.

• Familiarity with vector databases, semantic search, embeddings, or knowledge retrieval methods.

• Exposure to LangChain, LangGraph, Semantic Kernel, or similar agentic AI frameworks.

• Experience supporting experimentation, proof-of-concepts, MVPs, or AI product development.

• Understanding of Responsible AI, model governance, privacy, security, and risk considerations in regulated environments.

When you join our team:

• We’ll empower you to learn and grow the career you want.

• We’ll recognize and support you in a flexible environment where well-being and inclusion are more than just words.

• As part of our global team, we’ll support you in shaping the future you want to see.

The role being advertised is an existing vacancy.

About Manulife and John Hancock

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. To learn more about us, visit https://www.manulife.com/en/about/our-story.html.

Manulife is an Equal Opportunity Employer

At Manulife/John Hancock, we embrace our diversity. We strive to attract, develop and retain a workforce that is as diverse as the customers we serve and to foster an inclusive work environment that embraces the strength of cultures and individuals. We are committed to fair recruitment, retention, advancement and compensation, and we administer all of our practices and programs without discrimination on the basis of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, religion or religious beliefs, creed, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), sexual orientation, genetic characteristics, veteran status, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, disability, or any other ground protected by applicable law.

It is our priority to remove barriers to provide equal access to employment. A Human Resources representative will work with applicants who request a reasonable accommodation during the application process. All information shared during the accommodation request process will be stored and used in a manner that is consistent with applicable laws and Manulife/John Hancock policies. To request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact [email protected].

Referenced Salary Location

Working Arrangement

Salary range is expected to be between

Employees also have the opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance. The actual salary will vary depending on local market conditions, geography and relevant job-related factors such as knowledge, skills, qualifications, experience, and education/training. If you are applying for this role outside of the primary location, please contact [email protected] for the salary range for your location.

Manulife offers eligible employees a wide array of customizable benefits, including health, dental, mental health, vision, short- and long-term disability, life and AD&D insurance coverage, adoption/surrogacy and wellness benefits, and employee/family assistance plans. We also offer eligible employees various retirement savings plans (including pension and a global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions) and financial education and counseling resources. Our generous paid time off program in Canada includes holidays, vacation, personal, and sick days, and we offer the full range of statutory leaves of absence. If you are applying for this role in the U.S., please contact [email protected] for more information about U.S.-specific paid time off provisions.

We use data and analytics technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), and automated processing tools, to analyze and process the information you provide to us or third parties in the application process. For more information, please refer to our personal information collection statement.