Gustavo R Santos
I solve business challenges through the power of data.
BIO
I’m a passionate Data Scientist who thrives on solving complex problems through data analysis, visualization, and machine learning. I excel in delivering agile, impactful solutions—from statistical analysis to building advanced models—using Python, R, and SQL to turn raw data into strategic insights.
As a published author with Packt and an instructor on Udemy, I love sharing knowledge, evidenced by my blog attracting 20k+ views monthly. Whether I am exploring datasets or helping leadership make data-driven decisions, I bring curiosity, creativity, and a hands-on approach to every project. My goal? To transform data into value and inspire others along the way.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Food Lion, Salisbury, NC – USA
November, 2020 – August, 2024
Data Scientist
As part of the Corporate Strategy team, I performed analysis and data wrangling leveraging PySpark and SQL to improve data quality, helping to boost e-commerce model precision by 20%.
Applied statistical analysis and optimization algorithms to solve business challenges, including developing a checkout lane recommendation algorithm that cut labor costs by 33%.
Built machine learning models in Python and R, delivering actionable insights via Power BI dashboards, such as HR incident tracking. Utilized advanced techniques like clustering and NLP to enhance business outcomes, including customer segmentation, sentiment analysis and store traffic predictions with <2% MAPE.
IBM, Brazil
July, 2012 – July, 2019
Data Analyst
Analyzed projects financial data using SQL and Excel to generate insights for decision-making. Developed KPI reports, forecast tracking tools, and dashboards, improving executive processes. Implemented 6+ semi-automated reports, cutting lead time by 70%, reducing input errors by 99%, and decreasing overtime by 50% through process improvements.
IBM, Brazil
March, 2010 – July, 2012
Billing Lead
Led a 3-member team managing billing processes, ensuring accurate and timely reporting. Redesigned workflows with VBA, cutting lead time by 40% and automating Excel tasks, significantly reducing manual effort. Streamlined data workflows to achieve 99% billing accuracy, enhancing efficiency and client satisfaction.
CORE COMPETENCIES
Python | R Language | SQL | Databricks | Spark | Power BI | Excel
EDUCATION BACKGROUND
2023 – USP, Brazil – MBA Data Science and Analytics – Completed GPA 98%.
2020, Data Science Academy — Completed GPA 90%
Online program of 6 courses including machine learning and statistics, totaling 432 hours.
2020, MIT, Online — Extension – Completed GPA 98%
Professional certificate. Data Science and Big Data Analytics: Making Data-Driven Decisions.
2006, FGV, Brazil — MBA Marketing
PUBLICATIONS
2023
Data Wrangling with R
A book about modern techniques to load, clean, and transform data using the R language.
2024
Your AI Partner
A book about what generative AI is, how it works on a high level, and how you can use it in your everyday life.
2023
Mastering Data Wrangling with PySpark in Databricks
Complete course about how to manipulate, clean and transform Big Data using PySpark in Databricks.
2024
Hands-On Data Science Project Using CRISP-DM
Online course showing an end-to-end data science project lifecycle using the framework CRISP-DM.