Senior Data Scientist

About the team

Our Defence team is focused on building and embedding human-centered AI solutions which give our nation a competitive edge in the defence sector. We collaborate with our clients to bring ethical, reliable and cutting-edge AI to high-stakes situations and maintain the balance of global powers essential to our liberty.

Because of the nature of the work we do with our Defence clients, you will need to be eligible for UK Security Clearance (SC) and willing to work between 2 to 4 days per week on-site with these customers which may require travel to locations throughout the UK.

When not required on client sites, you’ll have the flexibility to work from our London office or remotely from elsewhere within the UK.

About the role:

As a Senior Data Scientist, you will lead high-impact AI projects and shape the technical direction of bespoke solutions. This role requires hands-on technical excellence combined with crucial team leadership.

You will define data science approaches, design robust software architectures, mentor junior colleagues, and ensure delivery rigor across projects all while building deep client relationships and solidifying our reputation as a leader in practical, measurable AI.

What you'll be doing:

• Mapping the end-to-end data science approach and designing the associated software Leading project teams that deliver bespoke algorithms and high-stakes AI solutions to clients across the sector.
• Conceiving the core data science approach and designing the associated robust software architecture for new engagements.
• Mentoring a small number of data scientists and supporting the professional growth of technical team members on projects.
• Partnering with commercial teams to build client relationships and shape project scope for technical feasibility.
• Contributing to Faculty’s thought leadership and reputation through delivering courses, public speaking, or open-source projects.
• Ensuring best practices are followed throughout the project lifecycle to guarantee high-quality, impactful delivery.

Who we're looking for:

• You possess senior experience in a professional data science position or a quantitative academic field.
• You demonstrate strong programming skills, with the ability to be a fluent Python programmer, using core libraries (NumPy, Pandas) and a deep-learning framework (e.g., PyTorch).
• You have a deep expertise in core data science paradigms (supervised/unsupervised, NLP, validation), demonstrating a proficiency across the standard data science toolkit, including the ability to develop new, innovative algorithms.
• You bring a leadership mindset, focused on growing the technical capabilities of the team and nurturing a collaborative culture.
• You exhibit commercial awareness, with experience in client-facing work and the ability to translate business problems into a rigorous mathematical framework.
• You are skilled in project planning, assessing technical feasibility, estimating delivery timelines, and leading a team to deliver high-quality work on a strict schedule.