Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100) — mandatory. 2+ years of experience in applied machine learning or data science, delivering production-grade ML solutions. Hands-on experience designing, training, and deploying models using Azure Machine Learning (AML), AutoML, and MLflow. Proficiency in Python, pandas, and scikit-learn for feature engineering, model training, and validation. Proven ability to deploy models to real-time REST endpoints and orchestrate batch inference pipelines. Experience implementing MLOps practices, including CI/CD pipelines, model registries, and automated retraining. Understanding of Azure cloud and data engineering concepts. Strong collaboration skills — able to work with subject matter experts to translate business processes into ML opportunities. Excellent communication and problem-solving abilities. Knowledge of responsible and ethical AI frameworks.