Principal Data Scientist

BBC Studios; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 78,000 - 84,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

London Weighting Allowance

Job summary

BBC Studios is seeking a Principal Data Scientist to drive data-driven decision making across its diverse lines of business. You will lead high-impact data science projects, shape problem statements, and guide production deployment of models while collaborating with senior stakeholders.

The role focuses on advancing our data capabilities, educating the organization about data science, and championing the value of insights to BBC Studios’ strategic objectives.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in a data science or closely related role.
• A degree in mathematics, statistics, computer science or related field.
• A background working in media, customer research or related area.
• A hands-on approach to problem solving, from understanding the impact down to mathematical details.
• Excellent programming skills with Python.
• Good working knowledge of SQL and experience querying large datasets.
• Experience building machine learning models and deploying them into production.
• Experience shaping projects and translating vague business problems into practical solutions.
• Experience interacting with senior stakeholders and leading technical workstreams.

Responsibilities

• Lead data science projects across our different lines of business.
• Drive Studios’ capabilities to power data driven decision making, including automated tagging and other metadata focussed solutions to enhace discoverability and recommendations.
• Provide technical leadership in defining problem statements, and selecting the most appropriate algorithmic approaches and data sources.
• Own the end-to-end delivery of data science projects, from ideation and proof of concept through to production.
• Collaborate closely with stakeholders across the business, clearly communicating insights, impact, and recommendations.
• Keep up to date with latest development in generative AI and apply where appropriate.

Skills

Python

SQL

Machine learning

Stakeholder management

Data science

Problem solving

Production deployment

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mathematics/Statistics/CS

Job description

JOB DETAILS

JOB BAND: D
CONTRACT TYPE: Permanent
LOCATION: London TVC - 2 days a week in office
DEPARTMENT: Data Insights
PROPOSED SALARY RANGE: £78,000 - £84,000 on relevant skills, knowledge and experience. Plus London Weighting Allowance of £5,441. The expected salary range for this role reflects internal benchmarking and external market insights.
We're happy to discuss flexible working. If you'd like to, please indicate your preference in the application – though there's no obligation to do so now. Flexible working will be part of the discussion at offer stage.

WE ARE BBC STUDIOS

A globally renowned media company borne of the BBC. We make and distribute the world’s most sought-after TV, audio and digital content.
Our ambition is to be the home of the most powerful, entertaining, and inspiring stories for people all around the world.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The way BBC Studios operates has changed significantly over the last 5 years. It has moved into new areas of business and alongside that has developed the data capabilities required to support a modern organisation. We have built a successful data science team and are looking for a principal data scientist to join us, working across the different BBC Studios’ lines of business.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM

We have built a successful data science team and are looking for a Principal Data Scientist. You will be working across all of BBC Studios’ lines of business to understand where data science can make a difference. As data remains a developing capability within BBC Studios, this role will be central to driving data education and supporting the organisation’s cultural evolution. This role will play a critical role in the education and culture change we are bringing to the business and act as a champion for the Data Science team, promoting its work and building understanding of the value data driven insights can bring to BBC Studio.

Your Key Responsibilities And Impact

• Lead data science projects across our different lines of business. For commercial News, it might be automated decision-making to chose between subscription prompts and adverts, or for TV commissioning it could be developing synthetic audiences as an alternative to traditional surveys.
• Drive Studios’ capabilities to power data driven decision making, including automated tagging and other metadata focussed solutions to enhace discoverability and recommendations.
• Provide technical leadership in defining problem statements, and selecting the most appropriate algorithmic approaches and data sources.
• Own the end-to-end delivery of data science projects, from ideation and proof of concept through to production.
• Collaborate closely with stakeholders across the business, clearly communicating insights, impact, and recommendations.
• Keep up to date with latest development in generative AI and apply where appropriate.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Strong experience in a data science or closely related role.
• A degree in mathematics, statistics, computer science or related field.
• A background working in media, customer research or related area.
• A hands-on approach to problem solving, from understanding the impact down to mathematical details.
• Excellent programming skills with Python.
• Good working knowledge of SQL and experience querying large datasets.
• Experience building machine learning models and deploying them into production.
• Experience shaping projects and translating vague business problems into practical solutions.
• Experience interacting with senior stakeholders and leading technical workstreams.

NEXT STEPS

We appreciate your interest in this position and understand how important this opportunity is to you. Due to the high volume of interest we may need to close the application period earlier than anticipated. This step is necessary to ensure we can provide a high level of attention and service to all applicants. Thank you for your understanding.

Disclaimer

This job description is a written statement of the essential characteristics of the job, with its principal accountabilities, incorporating a note of the skills, knowledge and experience required for a satisfactory level of performance. This is not intended to be a complete, detailed account of all aspects of the duties involved.
Please note: If you were to be offered this role, the BBC will conduct Employment screening checks which include Reference checks; Eligibility to work checks; and if applicable to the role, Safeguarding and Adverse media/Social media checks. Any offer made is conditional on these checks being satisfactory.
Before your start date, you may need to disclose any unspent convictions or police charges, in line with our Recruitment policy. This allows us to discuss any support you may need and assess any risks. Failure to disclose may result in the withdrawal of your offer.

Redeployment

The BBC is committed to redeploying employees seeking suitable alternative employment within the BBC and they will be given priority consideration ahead of other applicants. Priority consideration means for those employees seeking redeployment their application will be considered alongside anyone else at risk of redundancy, prior to any individuals being considered who are not at risk.