Lead Data Scientist - Public Sector - Ormeau

Hackajob Ltd; Belfast City District; On-site; GBP 61,000 - 101,000; Full time

Job summary

Kainos is seeking an experienced AI leader to architect and deliver advanced AI and ML solutions for diverse sectors in the UK. You will guide projects, mentor junior engineers, and ensure responsible AI practices across delivery.

You will work on state-of-the-art AI frameworks, cloud-native architectures, and client engagements, leveraging your deep expertise in AI/ML, data engineering, and ethical AI. A security clearance is required.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2.1 degree in Computer Science, AI, Data Science, Statistics, or similar quantitative field.
• Deep understanding and developing experience of AI/ML models including time series, supervised/unsupervised learning, RL, and LLMs.
• Experience with modern AI engineering approaches: prompt engineering, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and agentic AI.
• Strong Python skills with CI/CD, testing, and code reviews.
• Expertise in data engineering for AI, handling large-scale, unstructured, multimodal data.
• Understanding of responsible AI, model interpretability, and ethical considerations.
• Strong interpersonal skills to lead client projects and translate requirements to non-technical language.
• Experience in managing, coaching, and developing junior members and wider community.
• Active UK Government Security Clearance.
• Desirable: PyTorch, TensorFlow, fine-tuning or distilling LLMs, scikit-learn, XGBoost.
• Desirable: data storage for AI, vector databases, semantic search, and knowledge graphs.
• Desirable: OSS contributions; familiarity with ISO42001.

Responsibilities

• Architect, design, and deliver advanced AI solutions using ML, generative AI, and agentic AI.
• Drive adoption of modern AI frameworks, AIOps best practices, and scalable cloud-native architectures.
• Provide hands-on technical leadership and translate business challenges into trustworthy AI solutions.
• Ensure responsible AI practices throughout delivery.
• Mentor staff and foster innovation, learning, and engineering excellence.
• Make sound decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• Manage and develop a small team with focus on performance and careers.
• Provide direction and leadership as the team solves challenging problems together.

Skills

AI/ML models

Python

CI/CD

Leadership

Communication

Security clearance

Education

2:1 degree in CS/AI/DS/Stats

Tools

PyTorch

TensorFlow

scikit-learn

XGBoost

Fine-tuning LLMs

Job description

Salary: £61,000 - 101,000 per year

Requirements

• We require a minimum of a 2.1 degree in Computer Science, AI, Data Science, Statistics, or a similar quantitative field.
• We need deep understanding and developing experience of AI/ML models, including time series, supervised and unsupervised learning, reinforcement learning, and LLMs.
• We require experience with modern AI engineering approaches such as prompt engineering, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and agentic AI.
• We need strong Python skills with a grounding in software engineering best practices, including CI/CD, testing, and code reviews.
• We require expertise in data engineering for AI, including handling large-scale, unstructured, and multimodal data.
• We need understanding of responsible AI principles, model interpretability, and ethical considerations.
• We require strong interpersonal skills with the ability to lead client projects and establish requirements in non-technical language.
• We require experience in managing, coaching, and developing junior members of a team and wider community.
• We require active UK Government Security Clearance.
• Desirable: experience with modern deep learning frameworks such as PyTorch and TensorFlow.
• Desirable: experience fine-tuning or distilling LLMs such as GPT, Llama, Claude, or Gemini, and using machine learning libraries such as scikit-learn and XGBoost.
• Desirable: experience with data storage for AI, vector databases, semantic search, and knowledge graphs.
• Desirable: contributions to open-source AI projects or research publications.
• Desirable: familiarity with AI security, privacy, and compliance standards such as ISO42001.

Responsibilities

• We architect, design, and deliver advanced AI solutions leveraging machine learning, generative AI, and agentic AI technologies.
• We drive the adoption of modern AI frameworks, AIOps best practices, and scalable cloud-native architectures.
• We provide hands-on technical leadership and collaborate with customers to translate business challenges into trustworthy AI solutions.
• We ensure responsible AI practices throughout delivery.
• We act as technical mentors and foster a culture of innovation, continuous learning, and engineering excellence.
• We make sound, reasoned decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• We manage, coach, and develop a small number of staff, with a focus on performance management and career development.
• We provide direction and leadership for our team as we solve challenging problems together.

Technologies

• Agentic AI
• AI
• AWS
• Architect
• CI/CD
• Cloud
• Fine-tuning
• Support
• Machine Learning
• PyTorch
• Python
• RAG
• Security
• TensorFlow

More

We are Kainos, a people-first company where problem solvers, innovators, and collaborators work together to create real impact. We are recognised as one of the UKs leading AI and data businesses, with a decade-long track record of delivering production-grade AI solutions across government, healthcare, defence, and commercial sectors. Our 150-strong AI and Data Practice brings together deep expertise in machine learning, generative AI, agentic AI, and data, and we are trusted by Microsoft, AWS, and others to deliver advanced AI and data solutions at citizen scale. We are pioneers in responsible AI and partner with leading organisations to ensure AI is deployed ethically, securely, and with measurable business value. We value diversity, equity, and inclusion, and we support candidates through any needed accommodations or adjustments during the recruitment process.

last updated 40 week of 2026