Applied Physicist - Defense Data Science Lead

Applied Data Science Partners; Corsham; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

26 days annual leave

BUPA Private Healthcare

Enhanced family leave

Development budget £1,000

Job summary

Applied Data Science Partners seeks an Applied Physicist to drive advanced mathematical workstreams for UK Defence and Security programmes. You will translate requirements into analytical models, develop bespoke algorithms, and lead V&V to ensure mission-critical reliability.

You will mentor junior analysts, collaborate with engineers to integrate kernels into synthetic environments, and contribute to technical bids while handling data under strict security constraints.

Qualifications

• A degree in Mathematics, Theoretical Physics, or a strongly related quantitative discipline.
• Experience leading technical delivery teams within the UK Defence or Aerospace sectors.
• Experience in the practical application of mathematical techniques such as Monte Carlo simulation or Bayesian inference.
• Experience working with MoD assessment frameworks and an understanding of the UK Defence Science and Technology (S&T) landscape.
• Experience conducting peer reviews of complex analytical code and mathematical proofs.
• Experience presenting highly technical or abstract concepts to military stakeholders and senior civil servants.
• Experience in the end-to-end development of models, from initial mathematical formulation to deployment in a production environment.
• Experience working within secure environments and an understanding of the constraints of working with classified information.
• Expert knowledge of numerical methods, optimisation, and statistical analysis within a defence context.
• Proficiency in mathematical programming using Python (NumPy, SciPy), FORTRAN, or Julia.
• Familiarity with simulation tools and synthetic environments used for military training and experimentation.
• Strong understanding of the trade-offs between model fidelity, computational efficiency, and real-time performance.
• Excellent problem-solving skills with the ability to maintain mathematical rigour under tight project deadlines.
• Ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and manage stakeholder expectations across complex programmes.
• Effective organisational skills with a proactive approach to managing simultaneous workstreams.
• High level of integrity and attention to detail, particularly regarding the accuracy of safety-critical or mission-critical models.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical delivery of advanced mathematical workstreams for UK Defence and Security programmes.
• Develop and implement complex mathematical models to simulate battlefield scenarios, platform performance, or constraints.
• Translate military requirements into analytical frameworks and technical specs.
• Oversee development of bespoke algorithms for signal processing, sensor fusion, or autonomous decision-making.
• Provide V&V of models for mission-critical confidence.
• Lead OA projects to support MoD decision-making.
• Collaborate with engineers to integrate mathematical kernels into synthetic environments.
• Provide leadership in stochastic modelling, game theory, or optimisation for defence problems.
• Mentor junior analysts and mathematicians.
• Author technical reports and peer-reviewed papers to demonstrate thought leadership.
• Contribute mathematical expertise to technical bids and proposals.
• Manage lifecycle of sensitive data, ensuring compliance with UK government security classifications.
• Represent the organisation at MoD and industry forums.

Skills

Mathematics

Leadership

Problem-solving

Communication with stakeholders

Team management

Analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mathematics or Theoretical Physics

Tools

Python (NumPy/SciPy)

FORTRAN

Julia

Simulation tools

Job description

Applied Data Science Partners seeks an Applied Physicist to drive advanced mathematical workstreams for UK Defence and Security programmes. You will translate requirements into analytical models, develop bespoke algorithms, and lead V&V to ensure mission-critical reliability.

You will mentor junior analysts, collaborate with engineers to integrate kernels into synthetic environments, and contribute to technical bids while handling data under strict security constraints.