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Tinotenda Mhlanga

@tinotendamhlanga

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Senior data scientist with strong fraud analytics and ML expertise.

Zimbabwe

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What I'm looking for

I seek a data-focused role applying ML and large-scale analytics to reduce risk and drive measurable business impact in collaborative, product-oriented teams.

I am a senior data scientist specializing in fraud analytics, AML modeling, and machine learning, with hands-on experience in large-scale transactional environments. I combine strong academic credentials in finance and computer science with practical skills in SQL, Python, and C++ to deliver measurable business impact.

At Discover Financial Services I identified a critical false positive in fraud reason codes and led analyses that materially reduced erroneous losses. I designed analytical tools and complex SQL pipelines in Snowflake to enrich transactional insights and support strategic risk decisions.

I improved AML watchlist processing performance dramatically by implementing multithreading in Python (reducing parsing and pairing runtimes by 37% and 77%, respectively) and updated an open-source C++ package to meet AML requirements. I also built machine-learning models for computer vision and crisis detection during a data science internship supporting Horizon 2020 smart-city initiatives.

I hold a MS in Finance (Financial Technology) and a MS and BS in Computer Science, and I look to apply my blend of data engineering, ML modeling, and domain expertise to high-impact roles that value rigorous analytics, reliable production systems, and measurable operational improvements.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Senior Data Science Analyst

Discover Financial Services

Aug 2023 - Apr 2024 (8 months)

Led SQL- and Python-driven fraud and AML analysis that identified critical false positives saving millions, refined detection metrics, and reduced AML watchlist runtimes by up to 77% through multithreading and tooling enhancements.

SQL Snowflake Python Multithreading Fraud Detection AML C++Data Engineering Performance Optimization

Data Science Intern

Catalink Ltd

Feb 2020 - Apr 2020 (2 months)

Developed computer-vision models for pedestrian/vehicle detection (YOLO, 90% accuracy) and crisis-event detection (VGG16, 81% accuracy) as part of Horizon 2020 smart-city initiatives.

YOLO OpenCV Python VGG16 Computer Vision Model Evaluation Smart City Machine Learning

SAP Financial Accounting Consultant

Twenty Third Century Systems Global

Apr 2016 - Sep 2016 (5 months)

Assisted in configuring SAP General Ledger and House Bank modules to handle 1,000+ business transactions and streamline incoming/outgoing payment processing for a client.

SAP FI General Ledger Bank Configuration Requirements Gathering Implementation Support Business Analysis

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

Kelley School of Business, Indiana University

Master of Science in Finance, Financial Technology

Completed a Master of Science in Finance with a focus on Financial Technology in May 2023.

University of Nicosia

Master of Science in Computer Science, Mobile Systems

Grade: GPA: 3.92 / 4.00

Activities and societies: Appeared on the Dean's List for the whole program

Completed a Master of Science in Computer Science (Mobile Systems) in May 2022 with a 3.92 GPA and consistent Dean's List recognition.

University of Nicosia

Bachelor of Science, Computer Science

Activities and societies: Minor in Mathematics; Member of the University of Nicosia Artificial Intelligence Laboratory

Earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with a minor in Mathematics in May 2020 and participated in the University of Nicosia Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.