Principal Data Scientist

Xcede; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Xcede is seeking a senior leadership role for an AI/ML consultancy. You will define technical direction, own end-to-end data science pipelines, and mentor a small team while partnering with senior client stakeholders to deliver strategic value.

You’ll apply a broad range of ML methods, including time series, NLP, and GenAI, and ensure robust, clear outputs for non-technical audiences across regulated or commercial sectors.

Qualifications

• Led delivery of applied machine learning projects across commercial or regulated sectors.
• Strong Python skills with NumPy/Pandas; PyTorch familiarity.
• Ability to scope and structure solutions around ambiguous business problems.

Responsibilities

• Set the technical direction on multi-disciplinary data science & AI projects, from approach selection to architecture design.
• Take ownership of full solution pipelines, leading hands-on development and mentoring others.
• Work with senior client stakeholders to shape project scope and communicate findings.
• Oversee a small data science team, ensuring quality, review, and robust delivery.
• Collaborate with commercial and delivery teams to shape proposals and feasibility of engagements.
• Share knowledge and best practices within the team to boost capability.

Skills

Leadership

Python

PyTorch

ML methods

Time series

NLP/GenAI

Stakeholder engagement

Team mentorship

NumPy

Pandas

Tools

NumPy

Pandas

PyTorch

Job description

This is a leadership opportunity at a fast-scaling AI consultancy known for its technical excellence and track record in delivering real-world impact across some of the most important companies globally. The team helps major clients in the Retail sector apply cutting-edge data science in complex operational environments, balancing innovation with reliability and rigour.

You’ll join a deeply technical, collaborative group working on custom AI and machine learning solutions that support automation, forecasting, and decision intelligence. The focus is on strategic value creation: solving ambiguous problems with clarity, and delivering tools that embed into the heart of client systems.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Set the technical direction on multi-disciplinary data science & AI projects, from approach selection to architecture design
• Take ownership of full solution pipelines, leading hands-on development and supporting others to do the same
• Work closely with senior client stakeholders to shape project scope, track value delivery, and communicate findings
• Oversee a small team of data scientists on each project, supporting mentorship, quality control, and technical review
• Collaborate with commercial and delivery teams to shape proposals and ensure feasibility of engagements
• Contribute to internal capability-building by sharing knowledge, tools, and best practices within the wider team

What They’re Looking For

• You’ve led the delivery of applied machine learning projects, ideally across commercial or regulated sectors
• Strong Python skills and comfort using core libraries (e.g. NumPy, Pandas), plus familiarity with deep learning tooling like PyTorch
• Expertise in a wide range of ML methods, including supervised and unsupervised learning, time series, or NLP and LLM / GenAI based projects.
• Ability to scope and structure solutions around ambiguous business problems, turning them into tractable pipelines
• Confident in managing small technical teams, reviewing work, and setting standards for robustness and clarity
• Experience with stakeholder engagement and translating outputs for non-technical audiences