Mastercard is seeking a talented Data Scientist II to join their Foundry Research and Development team in Pune. The role involves developing high-performance AI solutions, leveraging Machine Learning (ML), Deep Learning (DL), and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to solve real-world problems. As part of an agile, innovative team, the candidate will work on transitioning from research to market-ready products at scale.Key Responsibilities:Analyze, design, and develop AI solutions with ML, DL, and NLP.Research new AI frameworks and develop Proof of Concepts (PoCs), prototypes, and scalable products.Build AI-based solutions using large and small language models for relevant use cases.Collaborate with cross-functional teams across geographies to drive product innovation.Participate in the preparation of research papers and patents in AI solution concepts.Use tools like Python, SQL, FastAPI, GitHub, Azure, and Databricks for solution development and deployment.Ideal Candidate:2+ years of experience in Data Science, with proficiency in Python, NLP, ML, and DL.Strong knowledge of AI models, cloud platforms (Azure), and MLOps tools.Expertise in Python libraries like pandas, numpy, sklearn, PyTorch, and transformers.Experience with prompt engineering, working with external APIs, and self-hosted models.Knowledge of SQL, streamlit for basic UI, and experience with Unix and cloud-native services.Collaborative mindset and a passion for developing innovative AI solutions.