Lead Data Scientist

SR2 | Socially Responsible Recruitment | Certified B Corporation™; London; On-site; GBP 103,500 - 126,500; Full time

Job summary

A recruitment firm specializing in AI is seeking a Principal AI Recruiter to establish and lead a new data science function. You'll focus on delivering solutions for financial services and work closely with senior stakeholders. The ideal candidate has a strong background in machine learning, Python expertise, and leadership experience. The role combines technical work with strategy and client interaction, offering an exciting opportunity to shape the future of financial services through AI.

Qualifications

• Strong background in machine learning and statistical modelling.
• Expert in Python with experience in ML/AI frameworks.
• Proven track record in financial services projects.

Responsibilities

• Establish and grow a dedicated data science function.
• Set technical direction and define best practices.
• Lead projects from discovery to deployment.

Skills

Machine learning

Statistical modelling

Applied data science

Python

Stakeholder management

Consulting experience

Tools

Scikit-Learn

PyTorch

TensorFlow

Job description

Overview

SR2 | Socially Responsible Recruitment | Certified B Corporation pay range: Up to £115k + equity. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

The Role

Principal AI Recruiter | Founder of The AI Collective

Role focus: Build and scale a brand-new data science function within an established AI company. The function will work exclusively on financial services projects, so prior FS experience is required. This role combines hands-on technical work with leadership, strategy, and client-facing impact. You\'ll work directly with senior decision-makers in banking, fintech, and insurtech, while mentoring and developing a high-calibre data science team.

Key responsibilities:

• Establish and grow a dedicated data science function focused on financial services use cases.
• Set technical direction, define best practices, and shape the roadmap for client delivery.
• Lead projects end-to-end from discovery and experimentation to POC and large-scale deployment.
• Deliver advanced solutions across ML and AI, including agentic systems and LLM-powered applications.
• Act as a senior point of contact for FS stakeholders, influencing both technical and commercial outcomes.
• Hire, mentor, and develop a team of data scientists to a best-in-class standard.

What We’re Looking For

• Strong background in machine learning, statistical modelling, and applied data science.
• Expert in Python and familiar with standard ML/AI frameworks (e.g. Scikit-Learn, PyTorch, TensorFlow).
• Solid track record of delivering successful projects within FS – ideally in regulated, enterprise-grade environments.
• Previous leadership experience and ability to guide strategy, make architectural decisions, and manage technical teams.
• Excellent comms and stakeholder management skills, comfortable in senior client-facing settings.
• Bonus points for consulting experience.

Why Join?

• Shape and lead a new capability from day one.
• Work on complex, high-impact problems at the frontier of financial services and AI.
• Combine technical leadership with direct client influence.
• Join a company where innovation, collaboration, and professional growth are at the heart of how they operate.

If you’re motivated by the idea of building something new, leading a team, and driving AI adoption.

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Finance and Information Technology

Industries

• IT Services and IT Consulting
• Software Development
• Financial Services