Lead R Data Scientist - Sustainability

Morris Sinclair Recruitment; Greater London; Remote; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment firm is seeking a Lead R Data Scientist to join a Sustainability team. The role involves maintaining technical infrastructure, overseeing best practices in R programming, and collaborating with engineers. Candidates should have a Master's in informatics or life sciences, deep R knowledge, and strong problem-solving skills. This is a fully remote position but must be UK-based.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or equivalent in informatics or life sciences required.
• Deep knowledge of R programming and package development.
• Proven experience managing dependencies in R environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical best practices across R package design and documentation.
• Collaborate with Engineering on code design and release cycles.
• Implement scientific research findings into production-ready code.

Skills

R programming

Spatial data analysis

Version control systems

Problem-solving

Leadership

Education

Master's degree in informatics or life sciences

Tools

Microsoft Azure

Docker

GIS systems

Job description

Overview

Remote Role Central London Office

This is a fully remote role but you MUST be UK based and not require a visa to work.

Lead R Data Scientist - Sustainability

The Organisation

Our client develops cutting-edge navigator software for the global agricultural sector, helping farmers transition toward more sustainable practices through science-backed analytics. Their software provides direct access to advanced sustainability models and insights.

Their Sustainability division consists of specialised Research Software Engineers who transform scientific findings into practical models for farmers and land managers, enabling them to understand their systems better and build more sustainable, profitable operations.

Position Overview

We\'re seeking an experienced Data Engineer to join our client\'s Sustainability team as the lead technical specialist in our R-focused Research Software Engineering group. You\'ll create and maintain the technical infrastructure that enables our sustainability experts and data scientists to develop innovative agricultural sustainability solutions.

Core Functions

• Lead technical best practices across R package design, code architecture, documentation, and dependency management
• Establish and oversee versioning and CI/CD systems to enhance team workflows
• Guide team members in code architecture, development standards, and deployment processes
• Serve as the technical authority for computationally demanding tasks, especially spatial analytics and GIS-based product development
• Implement scientific research findings into production-ready code
• Collaborate with our Engineering department to align code design, versioning strategies, and release cycles

Essential Qualifications

• Master\'s degree or equivalent in informatics or life sciences (or bachelor\'s degree with 5+ years relevant industry experience)
• Deep knowledge of R programming and package development
• Proven experience managing dependencies and ensuring reproducibility in R production environments
• Strong background in version control systems and CI/CD implementation
• History of successful collaboration with IT teams on data science workflows
• Proficiency with Windows and/or Linux environments
• Experience with GIS systems and spatial data analysis
• Exceptional problem-solving abilities and adaptability
• Leadership experience with strong communication skills
• Structured approach to quantitative challenges
• Comfort working in a dynamic startup environment

Qualifications

• Microsoft Azure experience, particularly R integration
• Application containerization knowledge (Docker, etc.)
• Familiarity with Python, JavaScript, C++, bash, or other languages
• Web application development experience (React, .NET)
• Background in data security and IP protection workflows
• Knowledge of environmental sustainability concepts (carbon footprinting, lifecycle analysis, environmental modeling)
• Experience in agricultural or land management sectors

If you are based in the UK and meet the criteria listed then apply now! The Morris Sinclair team will give you a call.