Lead Data Scientist /Deep Learning Practitioner

Capital One; Loughborough; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Bonus

Holiday entitlement

Private medical insurance

Season-ticket loans

Cycle to work

Enhanced parental leave

Gym

Restaurant subsidy

Mindfulness room

Music rooms

Job summary

Capital One is seeking a Lead Data Scientist / Deep Learning Practitioner to drive the next generation of underwriting models. The role focuses on leveraging non-traditional data and advanced neural networks to enhance predictive power and deliver customer insights.

Based in our Nottingham office with a hybrid model (3 days in-office: Tue, Wed, Thu; Mon & Fri remote), you will bridge R&D and production, mentor junior staff, and collaborate with business partners to deliver high-impact

Qualifications

• Strong experience building and deploying deep learning models for sequential data (time series, language).
• Proven track record leading model development, setting direction, project management and mentoring.
• Experience writing reliable code in SQL/Python, performing code reviews, and adhering to software engineering practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of next-generation deep learning approaches to advance underwriting models.
• Build and experiment with neural networks (LSTMs, RNNs, Transformers) on multi-modal data.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to prioritise initiatives and translate R&D prototypes into production.
• Apply business, coding and statistical skills to extract actionable insights from large datasets.
• Work cross-functionally on projects supporting key business initiatives.

Skills

Deep learning

Model leadership

Stakeholder communication

SQL/Python coding

Mentoring

Tools

PyTorch

TensorFlow

Hugging Face Transformers

Job description

Nottingham Trent House (95002), United Kingdom, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

Lead Data Scientist /Deep Learning Practitioner

About this role

Our Data Science team focuses on the development of Machine Learning and Deep Learning solutions, to solve business problems and deliver actionable insights. We are a talented, collaborative and enthusiastic group, who use our expertise to derive insights from complex data, working in close collaboration with our business partners.

This role will focus on leading the development of proprietary deep learning models in order to enhance our existing underwriting capabilities. By utilizing a mix of new and existing data, you will identify ways to improve predictive power and generate high-impact customer insights.

What you’ll do

Lead the development of next generation deep learning approaches to advance our current underwriting models, to ensure that our core lending capabilities remain at the forefront of the industry.

Unlock the value in non-traditional datasets by building sophisticated neural networks (e.g. LSTMs, RNNs, or Transformers). You will find novel ways to transform raw, multi-modal inputs into powerful predictive features.

Collaborate with business stakeholders to prioritize initiatives. You will bridge the gap between ambitious R&D and tangible in-market results, driving ideas from initial prototypes through to production.

Use a combination of business acumen, coding and statistical skills to navigate large amounts of data and extract actionable solutions.

Work cross-functionally on projects that support key business initiatives and drive sustainable growth.

What we’re looking for

Strong experience developing and deploying deep learning models, particularly for sequential data (e.g. time series or language models).

A proven track record leading model development, including setting the technical direction, project management, stakeholder comms, and mentoring junior members of the team.

Experience producing and managing reliable and maintainable code in SQL/Python in a team setting, including code reviews and setting software engineering best practices

Hands-on experience with modern Machine/Deep Learning frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, or Hugging Face Transformers, including training deep learning models on GPUs or GPU clusters.

Experience working with structured and unstructured data, such as text, logs, or time series and tokenisation techniques.

A strong understanding of probability, statistics, machine learning and familiarity with large data set manipulation.

A drive for continued learning through an internal and external focus, and an ability to prototype new techniques to assess value

Where and how you'll work

This is a permanent position based in our Nottingham office.

We have a hybrid working model, so you’ll be based in our office 3 days a week on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and can work from home on Monday and Friday.

Many of our associates have flexible working arrangements, and we're open to talking about an arrangement that works for you.

What’s in it for you

Bring us all this - and you’ll be well rewarded with a role contributing to the roadmap of an organisation committed to transformation

We offer high performers strong and diverse career progression, investing heavily in developing great people through our Capital One University training programmes (and appropriate external providers)

Immediate access to our core benefits including pension scheme, bonus, generous holiday entitlement and private medical insurance – with flexible benefits available including season-ticket loans, cycle to work scheme and enhanced parental leave

Open-plan workspaces and accessible facilities designed to inspire and support you. Our Nottingham head-office has a fully-serviced gym, subsidised restaurant, mindfulness and music rooms.

What you should know about how we recruit

We pride ourselves on hiring the best people, not the same people. Building diverse and inclusive teams is the right thing to do and the smart thing to do. We want to work with top talent: whoever you are, whatever you look like, wherever you come from. We know it’s about what you do, not just what you say. That’s why we make our recruitment process fair and accessible. And we offer benefits that attract people at all ages and stages.

We also partner with organisations including the Women in Finance and Race At Work Charters, Stonewall and upReach to find people from every walk of life and help them thrive with us. We have a whole host of internal networks and support groups you could be involved in, to name a few:

REACH – Race Equality and Culture Heritage group focuses on representation, retention and engagement for associates from minority ethnic groups and allies

OutFront – to provide LGBTQ+ support for all associates

Mind Your Mind – signposting support and promoting positive mental wellbeing for all

Women in Tech – promoting an inclusive environment in tech

EmpowHER - network of female associates and allies focusing on developing future leaders, particularly for female talent in our industry

Capital One is committed to diversity in the workplace.

Who We Are

At Capital One, we're building a leading information-based technology company. Still founder-led by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard Fairbank, Capital One is on a mission to help our customers succeed by bringing ingenuity, simplicity, and humanity to banking. We measure our efforts by the success our customers enjoy and the advocacy they exhibit. We are succeeding because they are succeeding.

Guided by our shared values, we thrive in an environment where collaboration and openness are valued. We believe that innovation is powered by perspective and that teamwork and respect for each other lead to superior results. We elevate each other and obsess about doing the right thing. Our associates serve with humility and a deep respect for their responsibility in helping our customers achieve their goals and realize their dreams. Together, we are on a quest to change banking for good