Principal Data Scientist

Valtech; Greater London; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading digital consulting firm in the UK seeks a Principal Data Scientist to lead advanced AI/ML projects and engage with clients. You will utilize your extensive experience in predictive modeling and data science to deliver impactful solutions, bridging technical and business needs. The role involves mentoring team members and contributing to innovation in AI technologies while ensuring successful client engagement and communication. Candidates should possess strong problem-solving skills and a commitment to continuous learning.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience delivering AI/ML systems with proven commercial impact.
• Strong background in predictive modelling, statistical techniques, and Machine Learning.
• Ability to explain complex data science concepts in simple, business-focused language.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of advanced predictive and traditional ML models.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior business and technical stakeholders.
• Stay at the forefront of new data science and AI trends.

Skills

Problem solving

Client engagement

Communication

Collaboration

Agile methodologies

Tools

AWS Sagemaker

GCP Vertex AI

Azure ML

Job description

As a Principal Data Scientist, you bring a wealth of commercial experience applying data science to solve complex business challenges. You are equally comfortable designing predictive models, exploring emerging technologies, and explaining data science concepts to non-technical stakeholders. With a consulting mindset, you know how to uncover business value, shape opportunities in pre-sales, and guide clients through successful data science adoption.

You will thrive in this role if you are:

• A curious problem solver who challenges the status quo
• Comfortable bridging the gap between technical data science and client business needs
• Passionate about innovation and exploring “what’s next” in AI and ML
• Experienced in working within Agile methodologies and consultancy environments
• Committed to mentoring and developing data scientists in our team

Role Responsibilities

Data Science Leadership

• Lead the design and development of advanced predictive and traditional ML models
• Provide technical guidance to teams and clients, ensuring best practices in ML development and deployment
• Contribute expertise in ML Ops, supporting clients as they take models into production environments
• Ensure delivery quality and technical excellence across all phases of an AI/ML project

Innovation & Thought Leadership

• Stay at the forefront of new data science and AI trends
• Evaluate and experiment with emerging techniques, tools, and frameworks
• Help clients understand the real-world business value of innovation in data science
• Represent Valtech externally through conference speaking, publishing white papers, and blogging

Client Engagement & Consulting

• Act as a trusted advisor to senior business and technical stakeholders
• Collaborate in pre-sales alongside Valtech’s business development teams, shaping data science opportunities and proposals
• Translate complex data science concepts into clear, compelling narratives for non-technical audiences
• Run workshops and discovery sessions with clients to identify high-impact data opportunities

Must-have Qualifications

• Extensive experience delivering AI/ML systems with proven commercial impact
• Strong background in predictive modelling, statistical techniques, and Machine Learning
• Demonstrated consulting experience - able to present and influence at senior levels
• Ability to explain complex data science concepts in simple, business-focused language
• Strong communication, collaboration, and client-facing skills
• Appetite for continuous learning and innovation
• Knowledge of Generative AI models and techniques (e.g. LLMs, transformer architecture, RAG)

Nice-to-have Qualifications

• Hands-on experience designing and deploying Generative AI solutions, including Agentic AI systems.
• Familiarity with cloud-based data science platforms (AWS Sagemaker, GCP Vertex AI, Azure ML)
• Experience with MLOps practices and taking models into production environments
• Exposure to modern data engineering practices and with data pipelines
• Pre-sales experience, including proposal writing and solution shaping
• Familiarity with promoting responsible and ethical AI practices, including data governance, transparency, and fairness in model development