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Data Science Associate Jobs in Arizona (NOW HIRING)

... Associate] is a plus - Designing and implementing thorough data architecture strategies ... Engineering, Data Science, and Data Governance - Architecting and implementing cloud-based ...

Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including data scientists, business analysts, and IT teams ... Azure certifications, such as Azure Data Engineer Associate or Azure Solutions Architect Expert.

Azure AI Engineer Associate, Azure Solutions Architect Expert; AWS Certified Machine Learning ... Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, AI, or related field

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Data Science Associate information

See Arizona salary details

$53.6K

$63.4K

$120.2K

How much do data science associate jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 24, 2026, the average yearly pay for data science associate in Arizona is $63,404.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $55,000.00 and $55,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How does a Data Science Associate typically collaborate with other departments or teams within an organization?

Data Science Associates frequently work cross-functionally, partnering with teams such as engineering, product management, and business analytics to understand project requirements, share findings, and implement data-driven solutions. Collaboration often involves translating complex data results into actionable insights for non-technical stakeholders, ensuring alignment on project goals and deliverables. This role requires strong communication skills, as associates routinely participate in meetings, present analyses, and gather feedback to refine their models or analyses. Effective teamwork helps ensure that data science initiatives support broader business objectives.

Is 40 too late for data science?

Age is not a barrier to becoming a data science associate; many professionals transition into data science later in their careers. Success depends on acquiring relevant skills such as programming, statistics, and machine learning, often through online courses or certifications, regardless of age.

Is an Associates in data science worth it?

An associate's degree in data science can provide foundational skills in data analysis, programming, and statistics, which may help entry-level candidates qualify for junior data science roles. However, many employers prefer candidates with a bachelor's degree or higher, and practical experience or certifications in tools like Python, R, or SQL can enhance job prospects. The value depends on career goals and the specific requirements of potential employers.

What can I do with an associate's degree in data science?

A Data Science Associate with an associate's degree can work as a data analyst, supporting data collection, cleaning, and basic analysis using tools like Excel, SQL, and Python. They often assist in generating reports, visualizations, and insights under supervision, and may pursue certifications to enhance their skills for more advanced roles.

What are Data Science Associates?

Data Science Associates are early-career professionals who support data-driven projects by collecting, cleaning, analyzing, and interpreting large datasets. They typically work under the guidance of more experienced data scientists and help build predictive models, generate reports, and provide insights to inform business decisions. This role often requires proficiency in programming languages like Python or R, familiarity with statistical methods, and strong problem-solving skills. Data Science Associates play a crucial part in transforming raw data into actionable information for organizations.

What is the role of an associate data scientist?

An associate data scientist supports data analysis and modeling tasks by cleaning and processing data, developing algorithms, and creating visualizations. They often work under supervision to assist in building predictive models and may use tools like Python, R, or SQL to analyze data and generate insights.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Data Science Associate, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Data Science Associate, you need strong analytical skills, a solid foundation in statistics and mathematics, and proficiency in programming languages like Python or R, often supported by a degree in data science, computer science, or a related field. Familiarity with machine learning frameworks, data visualization tools, and database systems such as SQL is typically required. Excellent problem-solving abilities, effective communication, and collaboration skills help you translate complex data insights into actionable business strategies. These skills are vital for extracting meaningful value from data and supporting data-driven decision-making within organizations.

What is the difference between Data Science Associate vs Data Analyst?

AspectData Science AssociateData Analyst
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in Data Science, Statistics, or related field; some roles prefer certifications in data analysis or programmingBachelor's degree in Statistics, Mathematics, or related field; often no advanced certifications required
Work EnvironmentCollaborates with data scientists and engineers; involved in building models and algorithmsFocuses on data collection, cleaning, and reporting; supports decision-making
Employer & Industry UsageUsed in tech, finance, healthcare, and consulting firms for data-driven projectsCommon across various industries for business insights and reporting

The Data Science Associate role typically involves more technical work like building models and applying machine learning, whereas Data Analysts focus on interpreting data and creating reports. Both roles require strong analytical skills, but Data Science Associates often have a deeper understanding of programming and statistical modeling.

What are the most commonly searched types of Data Science jobs in Arizona? The most popular types of Data Science jobs in Arizona are:
What job categories do people searching Data Science Associate jobs in Arizona look for? The top searched job categories for Data Science Associate jobs in Arizona are:
What cities in Arizona are hiring for Data Science Associate jobs? Cities in Arizona with the most Data Science Associate job openings:
Infographic showing various Data Science Associate job openings in Arizona as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 74% Full Time, 23% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 97% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 2% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $63,404 per year, or $30.5 per hour.
AI Platform Director- Data Engineering

AI Platform Director- Data Engineering

First Citizens Bank

Phoenix, AZ

$251K/yr

Full-time

Posted 7 days ago


First Citizens Bank rating

7.6

Company rating: 7.6 out of 10

Based on 105 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

85th of 150 rated banks


Job description

Overview

We are seeking an experienced Director to lead the AI platform engineering and enablement functions within our expanding Cloud Data and AI Platform organization. This role is instrumental in building, operationalizing, and governing the next-generation AI and machine learning ecosystem that powers advanced analytics and responsible AI adoption across the bank. You will own the end-to-end AI lifecycle—from data and model development to MLOps, deployment, governance, and responsible AI compliance in a regulated financial environment.

As a seasoned technology leader, you will bring your expertise in enterprise AI architecture, model operations, and platform engineering to partner with key business, technology, and governance stakeholders—ensuring AI initiatives are responsibly implemented, well-controlled, and deliver measurable value. 


Responsibilities

AWS AI/ML Platform Ownership

  • Architect and lead AI/ML workloads on AWS including:
    • Amazon SageMaker (training, deployment, model registry)
    • AWS Bedrock (foundation models and GenAI use cases)
    • AWS Lambda, ECS, EKS for model serving
    • S3, Glue, Snowflake for data pipelines
  • Define enterprise standards for MLOps, feature stores, and model lifecycle management
  • Build and maintain integrations with enterprise platforms for data ingestion, metadata management, tokenization, and control evidence generation. 
  • Continuously enhance the platform’s automation, resilience, and observability, ensuring robust end-to-end telemetry for both model and data pipelines. 
  • Collaborate with Enterprise Risk, Legal, Compliance, and Model Risk partners to embed Responsible AI principles and audit-ready control evidence directly into platform design. 

Machine Learning & GenAI Execution

  • Oversee development of ML models across all business units including Fraud detection systems, Credit scoring and risk modeling, Customer segmentation and personalization, Liquidity related modeling etc.
  • Lead GenAI initiatives using LLMs for Document intelligence, AI copilots etc.

 

Data & Engineering Collaboration

  • Partner with data engineering teams to ensure high-quality, governed datasets
  • Define feature engineering and data product standards in Snowflake / data lake environments
  • Integrate real-time streaming data for low-latency decision systems

 

Model Governance & Risk Compliance

  • Define and enforce standards, patterns, and guardrails for model deployment, explainability, lineage, and monitoring in alignment with enterprise risk, compliance, and security frameworks. 
  • Partner closely with leaders across Responsible AI Governance, AI Portfolio Management, AI Fluency & Engagement, and Applied Data Science & GenAI, in collaboration with enterprise risk partners, to implement a responsible AI framework that embeds audit-ready control evidence and governance mechanisms directly into the platform’s core design to ensure the platform supports scalable, ethical, compliant, and high-impact AI delivery. 
  • Implement model explainability (SHAP, LIME, interpretability frameworks)
  • Establish responsible AI policies (bias detection, fairness, auditability)

 

Team Building & Leadership

  • Develop and mentor engineering talent, championing Agile practices, continuous learning, and adoption of emerging AI and data engineering technologies. 
  • Mentor senior technical leaders and establish engineering best practices
  • Oversee technical due diligence, onboarding, and management of strategic AI and GenAI vendors and tools, ensuring compatibility with enterprise architecture and control

Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree and 8 years of experience in Information Technology including application development, support roles, and management. OR High School Diploma or GED and 12 years of experience in Information Technology including application development, support roles, and management.

Qualifications

  • Deep hands-on experience building production ML systems on AWS
  • 2+ years in AI/ML, data science, or data engineering leadership roles
  • Strong knowledge of:
    • Machine learning (XGBoost, deep learning, NLP, time series)
    • MLOps practices (CI/CD, model monitoring, drift detection)
    • Distributed systems and cloud architecture
  • Strong programming background in Python + SQL (Scala/Java a plus)
  • Experience working in regulated environments with model governance

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience with Generative AI / LLM platforms (Bedrock, OpenAI, Claude APIs)
  • Experience in financial services, banking, fintech, or insurance
  • Familiarity with data platforms like Snowflake, Databricks

#LI-JM1

Benefits are an integral part of total rewards and First Citizens Bank is committed to providing a competitive, thoughtfully designed and quality benefits program to meet the needs of our associates. More information can be found at https://jobs.firstcitizens.com/benefits.

Qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree and 8 years of experience in Information Technology including application development, support roles, and management. OR High School Diploma or GED and 12 years of experience in Information Technology including application development, support roles, and management.

Qualifications

  • Deep hands-on experience building production ML systems on AWS
  • 2+ years in AI/ML, data science, or data engineering leadership roles
  • Strong knowledge of:
    • Machine learning (XGBoost, deep learning, NLP, time series)
    • MLOps practices (CI/CD, model monitoring, drift detection)
    • Distributed systems and cloud architecture
  • Strong programming background in Python + SQL (Scala/Java a plus)
  • Experience working in regulated environments with model governance

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience with Generative AI / LLM platforms (Bedrock, OpenAI, Claude APIs)
  • Experience in financial services, banking, fintech, or insurance
  • Familiarity with data platforms like Snowflake, Databricks

#LI-JM1

Benefits are an integral part of total rewards and First Citizens Bank is committed to providing a competitive, thoughtfully designed and quality benefits program to meet the needs of our associates. More information can be found at https://jobs.firstcitizens.com/benefits.

Education:UNAVAILABLEEmployment Type: FULL_TIME

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