Data Scientist

Aflac Northern Ireland; Belfast City District; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Hybrid work model

Option for four-day week

Job summary

Aflac NI is expanding its Data Science team in Northern Ireland and seeks a collaborative Data Scientist to turn data into actionable insights. You will partner with business units to understand challenges, test ideas, and explain results clearly while contributing to product and process improvements.

We welcome candidates at different career stages; the role offers growth opportunities, a hybrid work model with two days in the office per week, and a supportive, learning-focused environment

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent.
• Experience programming in Python.
• Understanding and application of statistical methods and data analysis techniques.
• Experience developing, evaluating and applying machine learning models to solve business problems.
• Knowledge of supervised and unsupervised machine learning techniques, such as classification, regression, clustering and anomaly detection.
• Good understanding of model evaluation, validation techniques and performance metrics for AI/ML solutions.
• Familiarity with a variety of structured and unstructured data sources.
• Experience with cloud-based technologies (AWS, Azure or GCP).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to communicate analytical findings to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Good understanding of research and product development.
• Experience of, or a strong willingness to learn, new technologies and approaches.
• Applicants must be located in Northern Ireland and hold the relevant right to work status. We are unfortunately unable to offer sponsorship

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with business partners to understand challenges and test ideas.
• Explain findings clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Turn data insights into actionable outcomes for customers and business.
• Contribute to the development and deployment of AI/ML solutions.

Skills

Bachelor's degree

Python

Statistics

Machine learning

Supervised learning

Unsupervised learning

Model evaluation

Data sources

Cloud technologies

Communication

Problem solving

Research

Learning new technologies

Right to work in Northern Ireland

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

AWS

Azure

GCP

Job description

The Team

We are expanding our team at the leading edge of data science & analytics, and we are looking for a dynamic, inquisitive individual to help us grow our expertise. We want a collaborative individual to help further enhance our data practice, working to turn research and experimentation into actual beneficial outcomes for our customers and business. If that sounds like you then keep on reading.

Our Data Science team leads on exploring new insights from our data that benefit Aflac’s customers, providing the building blocks for new products, benefits, and offerings within the supplemental health insurance industry.

The team are involved with data discovery, analytics and model development which contributes to the consolidation and enrichment of our existing data. If you have a passion for Data Science, this is a rare opportunity to use your expertise to help shape the ongoing success of this team.

Working on some of the biggest problems for the company, the team operates with the freedom to explore, develop, and learn new insights. These are used to prototype, pilot and launch new products to drive decision making and ultimately create a better experience for our customers. As part of this team, you will bring your experience in data science to turn these ideas into reality.

The Role

We are looking for a collaborative Data Scientist who enjoys solving complex problems and turning data into useful insight. You will work with business partners to understand challenges, test ideas and explain findings clearly.

We recognise that Data Scientists come from different backgrounds and experience levels. Whether you are building strong foundations or bringing deeper commercial experience, you will have the opportunity to grow in a team that values curiosity, learning and innovation.

What you need to have

Below is an overview of the skills and experience we are looking for, but remember, don't rule yourself out if you don't have everything on the list. It's your intellect, attitude and appetite for learning we're after. We welcome applications from candidates at different stages of their Data Science career. The complexity and scope of work will naturally grow with your experience, and we'll support you in developing new skills throughout your journey with us.

Essential

• Bachelor's degree. Comparable commercial experience may also be considered.
• Experience programming in Python.
• Understanding and application of statistical methods and data analysis techniques.
• Experience developing, evaluating and applying machine learning models to solve business problems.
• Knowledge of supervised and unsupervised machine learning techniques, such as classification, regression, clustering and anomaly detection.
• Good understanding of model evaluation, validation techniques and performance metrics for AI/ML solutions.
• Familiarity with a variety of structured and unstructured data sources.
• Experience with cloud-based technologies (AWS, Azure or GCP).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to communicate analytical findings to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Good understanding of research and product development.
• Experience of, or a strong willingness to learn, new technologies and approaches.
• Applicants must be located in Northern Ireland and hold the relevant right to work status. We are unfortunately unable to offer sponsorship

Desirable

• MSc or PhD in a STEM discipline.
• Experience with Generative AI solutions and Large Language Models (LLMs).
• Experience with Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG).
• Experience with Agentic AI frameworks and workflows.
• Experience with AI/MLOps architectures.
• Experience with AWS AI services (SageMaker, Bedrock, AgentCore).
• Experience working and collaborating in teams, particularly within data-focused environments.
• Experience of stakeholder engagement and requirements gathering.
• Experience deploying, testing and monitoring ML models in production.
• Experience contributing to AI-driven product development, experimentation and innovation initiatives.

Please note this in NOT a remote position, we operate a hybrid model with 2 days in the office per week.

Aflac NI is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to attracting diverse talent and supporting flexible working. Applications from candidates wishing to work four days per week are welcomed and will be considered in line with business and team requirements.

So that's us. Thanks for taking the time to read this far. We look forward to hearing from you if you fancy joining an innovative technology company that runs locally and is supported by a well-established, highly recognised Fortune 500 company in the US.

Aflac is an equal opportunities employer