Employer: Discovery Health (Digital & DHCS Division)
Business Unit: Digital & Discovery Health Care Services (Health App, HealthID)
Industry: Healthcare Technology, Data Science & Financial Services
Location: Sandton / Johannesburg, Gauteng OR Cape Town, Western Cape (Hybrid / On-Site)
Position Type: Full-Time Graduate Programme
Target Candidates: Recent Graduates (Data Science, Actuarial Science, Computer Science, Engineering, Stats)
Compensation: Competitive Corporate Graduate Salary & Medical Aid Benefits
Posted Date: 02 October 2026
Closing Date: 30 November 2026
About Discovery Health & Digital
Discovery Health is South Africa’s premier health insurer and financial services provider, renowned for its purpose-driven innovation to make people healthier and enhance their lives.
The Digital & DHCS team—which powers the Discovery Health App, HealthID, and digital healthcare service platforms—is seeking analytically curious graduates for the Behavioural Data Scientist Graduate Programme. This program combines behavioral economics, predictive machine learning, and journey analytics to convert messy transactional data into meaningful health and digital product insights.
Key Responsibilities & Data Science Exposure
The Behavioural Data Scientist Graduate will receive hands-on training and contribute across four technical pillars:
1. Behavioral Analytics & Member Segmentation
- Journey Analytics: Analyze large-scale behavioral data across the Discovery Health App and HealthID platform to understand user touchpoints and digital journeys.
- Customer Segmentation: Perform advanced cluster and cohort analysis to uncover patterns in member behavior and clinical service usage.
2. Predictive Modeling & Machine Learning
- Model Building: Clean, engineer, and manipulate complex data to build supervised and unsupervised machine learning models.
- Experimentation: Apply statistical hypothesis testing, regression analysis, and A/B test evaluations to measure digital product interventions.
- LLM & Generative AI: Explore advanced applications of Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Large Language Models (LLMs) in digital healthcare.
3. Data Visualization & Insights Reporting
- Dashboarding: Design interactive reports and dashboards using Power BI / Tableau to monitor member behavior trends.
- Translating Analytics: Translate raw statistical outputs into clear, business-driven insights for cross-functional product and healthcare teams.
4. Stakeholder Engagement & Project Execution
- Cross-Functional Projects: Partner with data engineers, actuaries, and digital product leads to solve complex healthcare delivery problems.
Candidate Profile & Minimum Entry Requirements
To qualify for consideration for this graduate program, applicants must meet the following mandatory criteria:
- Educational Qualifications:
- Completed Bachelor’s Degree in Data Science, Actuarial Science, Statistics, Computer Science, Industrial/Aeronautical/Mechanical Engineering, or a related quantitative Data Analytics discipline (Mandatory).
- An Honours or Master’s Degree in a quantitative discipline is highly advantageous.
- Technical Stack & Programming Skills:
- Basic practical coding experience in Python, R, or SQL (Mandatory).
- Basic understanding of statistics (regression, hypothesis testing) and relational/dimensional database concepts.
- Data Science Fundamentals:
- Understanding of machine learning basics (supervised/unsupervised learning, model evaluation, NLP concepts).
- Soft Skills & Attributes:
- Structured problem-solving skills, logical thinking, and high attention to detail.
- Curious, self-driven, accountable, adaptable, and eager to learn in a fast-paced environment.
- Location Flexibility:
- Must be able to work from Discovery’s offices in either Johannesburg (Sandton) or Cape Town.
Advantageous/Preferred Criteria:
- Exposure to Power BI or Tableau.
- Knowledge or experience in Generative AI, LLMs, and advanced data pipeline engineering.
Program Benefits & Career Growth
- World-Class Data Infrastructure: Work directly with vast, real-world behavioral and healthcare datasets.
- Mentorship: Continuous coaching from leading Discovery actuaries, data scientists, and digital tech leaders.
- Employment Equity: Discovery is an Equal Opportunity Employer that encourages candidates from designated groups and persons with disabilities to apply.
Career Advice for Applicants
- Highlight Quantitative Coursework: Feature your statistical, machine learning, and programming projects (using Python, R, or SQL) clearly on page 1 of your CV.
- Mention Behavioral or Product Projects: If you have completed university projects involving segmentation, customer journeys, or predictive modeling, summarize them with quantifiable results.
- Tailor Your Motivation: Discovery values purpose-driven candidates—briefly express how your passion for behavioral data aligns with making people healthier.
Sample Interview Questions
Machine Learning & Behavioral Analysis
- Question (Model Building): “How do you handle missing or messy transactional data when building a predictive behavioral model in Python or SQL?”
- Question (A/B Testing): “How would you design a hypothesis test to determine whether a new feature on the Health App successfully increased preventative care adoption?”
How to Apply
Apply online directly on the official Discovery Careers portal:
- Employer: Discovery Health
- Business Unit: Digital & DHCS
- Locations: Sandton (Johannesburg) OR Cape Town
- Position Type: Graduate Programme