Data Scientist Intern - QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey

Opportunity & Culture

Driving lasting impact and building long-term capabilities with our clients is challenging work. We look for individuals who thrive in a high-performance, high-reward culture—those who tackle difficult problems, possess resilience when setbacks occur, and maintain the determination to find new paths forward.

In return for your drive, determination, and curiosity, we provide the resources, mentorship, and opportunities necessary to accelerate your growth into a strong leader faster than you might expect. Our colleagues invest deeply in your development, matching the commitment we show to delivering exceptional client results. Every day will offer you apprenticeship, coaching, and exposure to accelerate your growth in unique ways.

What Joining Us Means

• Continuous Learning: Our learning and apprenticeship culture features structured programs designed to help you grow. We cultivate an environment where feedback is clear, actionable, and focused on development. Success comes from embracing input, owning your journey, and thriving in a fast-paced learning environment.
• A Voice That Matters: From day one, your ideas and contributions are valued. You will make a tangible impact by offering innovative ideas and practical solutions while upholding our unwavering commitment to ethics and integrity. We encourage diverse perspectives because we recognize they are critical to achieving the best outcomes.
• Global Community: With colleagues spanning over 65 countries and more than 100 nationalities, our firm's diversity fuels creativity and helps us devise optimal solutions for our clients. You will have the chance to learn from exceptional colleagues with varied backgrounds and experiences.
• World-Class Benefits: In addition to a competitive salary (dependent on location, experience, and skills), we offer a comprehensive benefits package to support the holistic well-being of you and your family.

What You Will Do

As part of a multidisciplinary data science team, you will work alongside experienced data scientists, engineers, and technologists. You will learn the craft of applied AI and analytics through direct involvement, contributing to real client solutions from day one.

Internship Details: This full-time summer internship is designated for Master’s students whose graduation dates fall between December 2027 and August 2028, and who are pursuing degrees in Data Science, Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related field. The commitment is expected to last 8–12 weeks.

You will assist in building and evaluating analytical and AI solutions, taking on well-defined tasks under close guidance. With every engagement, you will grow your skills across machine learning, data analysis, and AI engineering, building a strong foundational understanding of how high-performing data science teams operate—from problem definition to delivering actionable models and insights.

Your work will contribute to solving some of the most complex and high-impact challenges across various industries. Collaborating across QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey, and QuantumBlack Labs teams, you will help develop innovative AI and analytics capabilities and scalable enterprise solutions. You will help design and deliver production-ready AI and analytics solutions that create tangible client impact, accelerating AI adoption and solving complex business problems at scale.

Interns will be based in our Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, or New York office for an 8–12 week period during the summer of 2027. Working in cross-functional teams, you will collaborate closely with data engineers, machine learning engineers, and industry experts. By partnering with clients, from technical teams to C-level executives, you will solve complex problems that drive measurable business value and begin developing your skills as a client-facing technologist.

This role offers a unique pathway to grow at the forefront of AI and data science. You will develop expertise at the intersection of technology and business by tackling diverse challenges in the evolving AI landscape. Working alongside multidisciplinary teams, you will gain a holistic understanding of how data science drives advanced AI while collaborating with some of the industry's leading technologists and AI practitioners.

Your Background

• Currently pursuing a Master's degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related field, with an expected graduation date between December 2027 and August 2028.
• Foundational knowledge of machine learning concepts and statistical methods, coupled with eagerness to gain hands-on experience across supervised, unsupervised, and forecasting approaches with guidance.
• Basic understanding of data quality assessment and exploratory data analysis, with the ability to contribute to clearly defined analytical tasks under close supervision.
• Familiarity with using and evaluating Generative AI tooling and simple agentic AI frameworks, along with an eagerness to learn how Large Language Models can augment knowledge work.
• Ability to write accurate, modular code under guidance, possessing foundational knowledge of software development best practices and introductory exposure to MLOps and CI/CD concepts. Proficiency in Python or R is a plus.
• A quality and risk mindset—beginning to check personal work using provided QA steps, and developing awareness of common modeling risks including fairness, explainability, hallucination, and human oversight.
• Experience working successfully in cross-functional teams, collaborating closely with peers and cross-functional teammates.
• Exceptional time management skills required to meet responsibilities within a complex and largely autonomous work environment.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English and the local office language(s), with the ability to tailor your style to suit different perspectives and seniority levels.