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Data Scientist

State of Wisconsin Investment Board · Madison, WI · Full time

Posted Aug 26, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

Apply at State of Wisconsin Investment Board

Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a model you built that changed a business decision. How did you know it made a difference?

What they are checking: Whether their work produces real impact rather than models that sit unused.

How do you explain a model's results to portfolio managers who need to trust it before using it?

What they are checking: Whether they can make their work understandable to the business, which the team aims to advise.

Tell me about a time your analysis showed something a stakeholder didn't want to hear.

What they are checking: Whether they report findings honestly, which is essential when money for retirees is at stake.

What would you do

An investment team asks you to build something using machine learning, but you think a simpler method would work better. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they choose the right tool for the problem and can explain why to a business partner.

About the work

How would you approach a forecasting problem with financial time series data?

What they are checking: Whether they understand non-stationarity, look-ahead bias and other traps specific to market data.

How do you avoid overfitting when you have limited historical data, which is common in investment problems?

What they are checking: Whether they use sound validation methods and stay skeptical of results that look too good.

What's your experience working with unstructured data, like documents or text?

What they are checking: Whether they can extract value from sources common in investment research beyond clean tables.

How do you move a model from a notebook into something reliable that runs in production?

What they are checking: Whether they can deliver working tools, not just prototypes, within an engineering team.

How do you check data quality before you start modeling?

What they are checking: Whether they protect results by catching data problems early rather than after conclusions are shared.

Which Python libraries and tools do you rely on most, and why?

What they are checking: Whether they have a practical, current toolkit for data science work.

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by State of Wisconsin Investment Board.

Sophisticated Work. In a Great City. Making a Difference. The State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB) manages more than $178 billion in assets, including those of the fully-funded Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS). SWIB operates at a level more often seen in top-tier global asset managers than in typical public pension funds. SWIB is a home for top talent. Approximately 61 percent of SWIB’s investment professionals are Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholders. The City of Madison, the state capitol and home of Wisconsin’s flagship university, makes regular appearances on lists of best places to live, eat, and play. SWIB offers a modern workspace, hybrid work options, and competitive compensation and benefits. Serving over 703,000 WRS beneficiaries, SWIB is driven by a clear mission: securing the financial future of those who serve Wisconsin. When you work at SWIB, you know your work matters. Job Description: About the Team Data Services & Engineering Teams at SWIB supports, implements & develops industry-leading systems and platforms to support SWIB’s diverse and complex set of investment portfolios and strategies. The team at SWIB strives to be a trusted advisor and partner to the business that is valued as a critical contributor to SWIB’s continued growth and success. We effectively leverage technology to derive the maximum value from it and achieve SWIB’s business goals. We keep technology aligned with SWIB’s future direction and operate SWIB’s technology according to industry standards. Position Overview • Enable data-driven decision-making through innovative analytical solutions and models. • Convey complex data concepts to technical and non-technical stakeholders. • Utilize programming languages such as Python and SQL for data manipulation, analysis, and model development. • Apply artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to enhance data analysis, predictive modeling, and decision-making. • Act as a liaison between investment personnel and the supporting infrastructure regarding business process change management (IT, Operations, Legal, HR, Strategic Planning, etc.) • Implements data quality frameworks and conducting data validation ensuring accuracy of analysis. • Develop and deploy models, utilizing techniques such as regression, classification, and clustering. • Create interactive visualizations (e.g. Power BI, Streamlit) to effectively communicate data findings. • Deploy data solutions in cloud environments (e.g. Azure, AWS). • Utilize data warehousing technologies and platforms (e.g. Snowflake) to support analytics initiatives. The ideal candidate: • Bachelor’s degree or advanced degree in finance, business, engineering, computer science, computational economics, math, data science or a related program. • 1+ years of experience with data science, data analytics, investment analysis, or similar. • Proactively drives data-driven decision-making through innovative analytical solutions and models. • Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, adept at conveying complex data concepts to technical and non-technical stakeholders. • Proficient in programming languages such as Python, SQL, or R for data manipulation, analysis, and model development. • Experience applying artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to enhance data analysis, predictive modeling, and decision-making. • Experience implementing data quality frameworks and conducting data validation ensuring accuracy of analysis. • Skilled in developing and deploying machine learning models, utilizing techniques such as regression, classification, and clustering. • Knowledge of cloud platforms (e.g. Azure, AWS) for data storage and processing, with experience in deploying data solutions in cloud environments. • Experience with data warehousing technologies and platforms (e.g. Snowflake) to support analytics initiatives. • Experience deploying reports utilizing automated processes Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment techniques (CICD). • Experience implementing testing tools and data quality metrics/processes to ensure overall data quality of reports that are supported and developed. • Superb work ethic, attention to detail, team orientation, collaborative disposition, and commitment to excellence. • Interest or experience in investment management, quantitative finance and technology. Progress toward or completion of the CFA designation is preferred • Ability to follow rigor in creating/updating documentation, maintain process (i.e. JIRA tickets) and following technology and business best practices. SWIB Offers: • Competitive total cash compensation, based on AON (formerly McLagan) industry benchmarks • Comprehensive benefits package • Educational and training opportunities • Tuition reimbursement • Challenging work in a professional environment • Hybrid work environment The position requires U.S. work authorization. Pursuant to our Hybrid Remote Work Policy, all staff have the flexibility to work remotely but are required to have a weekly presence in our offices, the frequency of which is dependent on their distance from office or the job position. Staff are not required to reside locally; however, we offer relocation reimbursement to the Dane County area per our policy. All SWIB employees are subject to SWIB’s Ethics Policy and Personal Trade Approvals Policy. These policies include restrictions on outside business activities and employment and have limits on personal trading. You may request copies of these policies from SWIB’s talent acquisition team and any questions can be answered by SWIB’s compliance team.

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