Research Scientist – Generative & Applied Machine Learning

Join M-KOPA's central Data Science team in a fully remote role that bridges cutting-edge machine learning research with tangible social impact. You'll develop sophisticated models that drive financial inclusion while solving complex business challenges for a company that has already improved the lives of over 23 million people worldwide.

Imagine applying your research expertise where algorithmic innovations translate directly into life-changing opportunities. With M-KOPA, you'll:

• Conduct research that immediately influences products and services used by millions, creating measurable social and economic benefits

• Tackle sophisticated machine learning challenges that push both theoretical boundaries and business performance

• Enjoy the freedom to explore novel methods while collaborating internationally with colleagues from Europe and the UK to Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and Ghana

• Publish influential research papers, attend leading conferences, and collaborate with prestigious academic institutions

• Join a carbon-negative organization that has already displaced over 2 million tonnes of emissions while driving digital and financial inclusion

This isn't just another research position—it's your opportunity to harmonize scientific excellence with profound humanitarian impact in an organization where your intellectual curiosity leads to meaningful change.

• Advanced expertise in machine learning, mathematics, statistics, and theoretical computer science.

• Experience or academic publication in generative modelling (e.g., VAEs, GANs, diffusion models, or related methods).

• Tracked publication record in prestigious conference or journals (e.g. NeurIPS/ICML/ICLR/AAAI).

• Proven ability to translate academic research into practical, impactful algorithms

• Experience with deep learning, reinforcement learning, or other specialized machine learning domains

• Exceptional analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities

You'll prototype, test, and iterate advanced models, integrating state-of-the-art academic insights into practical solutions. Your research will directly influence strategic decisions, optimize product performance, and shape the future direction of M-KOPA's offerings.

Working remotely within the UTC-1 to UTC+3 time zone, you'll collaborate with talented colleagues in Product, Engineering, Operations, and Strategy. Your solutions won't just address immediate business problems—they'll establish M-KOPA as a thought leader in applying sophisticated machine learning to real-world challenges.

For the intellectually curious scientist driven by both scientific excellence and meaningful impact, this role offers the perfect balance of theoretical exploration and practical application. You'll work in an environment that values your academic rigor while providing the satisfaction of seeing your research transform lives.

Ready to conduct research that matters? Join M-KOPA and apply your machine learning expertise to change lives.

This is a fully remote role, you would be working within the following time zone (UTC -1 / UTC+3) with a diverse group of other employees working remotely from locations such as UK, Europe and Africa. You will be reporting to the Head of Data Science.

At M-KOPA, we empower our people to own their careers through diverse development programs, coaching partnerships, and on-the-job training. We support individual journeys with family-friendly policies, prioritize well-being, and embrace flexibility.

Join us in shaping the future of M-KOPA as we grow together. Explore more at m-kopa.com.

Recognized four times by the Financial Times as one Africa's fastest growing companies (2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025) and by TIME100 Most influential companies in the world 2023 and 2024 , we've served over 5 million customers, unlocking $1.5 billion in cumulative credit for the unbanked across Africa.

Important Notice
M-KOPA is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to assembling a diverse, broadly trained staff. Women, minorities, and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

M-KOPA explicitly prohibits the use of Forced or Child Labour and respects the rights of its employees to agree to terms and conditions of employment voluntarily, without coercion, and freely terminate their employment on appropriate notice. M-KOPA shall ensure that its Employees are of legal working age and shall comply with local laws for youth employment or student work, such as internships or apprenticeships. 

M-KOPA does not collect/charge any money as a pre-employment or post-employment requirement. This means that we never ask for ‘recruitment fees’, ‘processing fees’, ‘interview fees’, or any other kind of money in exchange for offer letters or interviews at any time during the hiring process.

Applications for this position will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Shortlisting and interviews will take place at any stage during the recruitment process. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a suitable candidate is selected before the advertised closing date.