Lead Data Scientist

DISCOVERED; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 420,000 - 650,000; Full time

Job summary

DISCOVERED in Abu Dhabi invites a Lead Data Scientist to shape an AI Centre of Excellence. You will lead a team delivering production-grade ML and AI solutions, bridging technical work with business outcomes in a highly regulated environment.

You will work with senior stakeholders, product, engineering and governance to deploy scalable analytics while upholding governance, privacy and regulatory standards across the group.

Qualifications

• 5–8 years of experience in data science and ML with technical leadership.
• Strong Python skills and PyTorch experience.
• Proven track record deploying ML/AI solutions to production.
• Experience with large-scale data processing (Spark) and cloud deployments (AWS/Azure/GCP).
• Experience in highly regulated environments (banking/finance/government).
• Experience leading and coaching Data Scientists.
• Excellent stakeholder management and ability to explain complex concepts.
• Master’s or PhD in CS/DS or related field.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of Data Scientists delivering analytics and AI solutions across the organisation.
• Bridge the gap between technical teams and business, ensuring governance and clear communication.
• Drive production deployment and adoption of models, from experimentation to scalable solutions.
• Set standards for data science delivery across the AI Centre of Excellence and governance.

Skills

Python

PyTorch

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Production ML

Cloud deployment

Data science

Education

Master's in CS/DS

PhD in CS/DS

Tools

Spark

AWS

Azure

Google Cloud

SageMaker

Vertex AI

Job description

Job description

This is a chance to join a multinational organisation that is building an AI Centre of Excellence in Abu Dhabi, with a clear mandate to move AI from experimentation into scaled deployment across the group.

The business is investing heavily in AI and advanced analytics, moving beyond pilots and proof-of-concepts to embed production AI across core functions and reshape how services are designed and delivered.

They’re now looking for a Lead Data Scientist to help make that happen.

The role

You’ll lead a team of Data Scientists delivering advanced analytics, machine learning and AI solutions across the organisation, while staying close to the technical work yourself.

The focus is on turning real business challenges into production-ready solutions. You’ll work with senior stakeholders, Product, Engineering and governance teams to identify where AI can have the biggest impact, then take those initiatives from early experimentation through to deployment and adoption.

You’ll also help set the standards for how data science is delivered across the wider AI Centre of Excellence, introducing new tools and approaches while making sure everything meets the governance, privacy and regulatory standards expected within a highly regulated environment.

This is a hands‑on leadership role for someone who can bridge the gap between technical teams and the business, and who has already delivered complex machine learning projects beyond the prototype stage.

What we're looking for

• 5–8 years' experience across data science and machine learning, including technical leadership experience.
• Strong Python skills and hands‑on experience with frameworks such as PyTorch.
• Experience taking complex machine learning or AI solutions into production.
• Strong knowledge across areas such as supervised and unsupervised learning, deep learning, NLP, computer vision or generative AI.
• Experience working with large-scale data processing technologies such as Spark and deploying models across AWS, Azure or Google Cloud.
• Previous experience in a highly regulated environment such as banking, financial services or government.
• Proven experience leading, coaching and developing Data Scientists.
• Strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly.
• Master’s degree or PhD in Computer Science, Data Science or a related field.

Experience with platforms such as SageMaker, Vertex AI or similar would be a plus.