Lead Data Scientist

faculty; Greater London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Faculty is seeking a Lead Data Scientist in Greater London to join their Defence team. You will play a pivotal role in embedding human-centered AI solutions, ensuring high-quality, scalable project delivery while setting technical direction and mentoring cross-functional teams.

As a technical expert, your expertise in machine learning will guide complex, high-impact projects. You will maintain client relationships, drive innovation, and ensure the technical excellence of solutions.

Qualifications

• Depth of expertise in machine learning domains.
• Skilled in mentoring and managing teams.
• Proven project management expertise.

Responsibilities

• Set technical direction and ensure high-quality project delivery.
• Design reliable, production-grade technical solutions.
• Manage relationships with demanding clients.

Skills

Machine learning expertise

Technical leadership

Project management

Customer leadership skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

Requirements

• You bring depth of expertise in at least one machine learning domain and strong technical breadth across the entire data science landscape
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• You are a skilled technical leader, proficient in mentoring individuals, managing teams (including other managers), and rolling out impactful tools and workflows
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• You have proven project management expertise, capable of dividing complex, ill-defined problems into actionable, clearly defined workstreams with timelines you can defend
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• You are adept at managing ill-defined, high-risk tasks, consistently delivering innovative and practical outcomes under commercial pressure
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• You possess strong customer leadership skills, able to act as a trusted technical advisor and drive long-term strategic relationships with demanding clients
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• You excel at cross-functional collaboration, effectively aligning technical strategy with Engineering, Commercial (BD), and Infrastructure teams
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• You have experience extending technical oversight to business unit-level initiatives, using your vision to influence and contribute to organisational success
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• If you don’t feel you meet all the requirements, but are excited by the role and know you bring some key strengths, please don't hesitate in applying as you might be right for this role, or other roles. We are open to conversations about part-time hours

What the job involves

• 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
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• As a Lead Data Scientist, you'll take on a pivotal, entrepreneurial role, functioning as the technical expert who thrives on complexity and commercial impact. You will be responsible for setting the technical direction and ensuring the high-quality, scalable delivery of our most challenging, high-impact projects
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• This position combines deep expertise in machine learning with strategic oversight to define project roadmaps, manage technical risk, and architect reliable solutions. Your focus will be on driving innovation, mentoring cross-functional teams, and actively shaping both our technical standards and long-term customer relationships
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• Setting the technical direction for complex, business-critical projects and expertly balancing trade-offs between speed, innovation, and reliability
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• Designing and implementing reliable, production-grade technical solutions, ensuring comprehensive documentation of architectures and specifications
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• Defining project problems, developing clear roadmaps, and overseeing end-to-end delivery across multi-disciplinary workstreams
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• Leading technical scoping and feasibility studies for high-value sales opportunities and strategic customer engagements
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• Managing relationships and communications with demanding clients, fostering trust and aligning technical solutions with shared long-term commercial goals
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• Driving the adoption of best practices, shared resources, and robust technical processes across the wider Data Science craft
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• Mentoring and developing other data scientists and team members, actively contributing to the growth and technical excellence of the organisation