Senior Data Scientist

slihrms; City of Westminster; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

slihrms is seeking an experienced Data Scientist to design, develop and deploy ML-driven data solutions. You will explore large, complex data, apply predictive analytics and communicate results to stakeholders.

The role includes producing production-quality Python/SQL code and contributing to MLOps practices in a collaborative environment. You will work across the data lifecycle in a fast-paced Agile setting, with client-site work and flexible remote options, supporting national security data

Qualifications

• At least three years of relevant professional experience.
• Strong Python and SQL skills with production-quality data and ML workflows.
• Experience with large, complex datasets and feature engineering.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop and deploy statistical, AI and ML solutions.
• Explore large datasets to identify trends and insights.
• Apply ML, predictive analytics to real-world problems.
• Develop and evaluate robust models with proper validation.
• Communicate findings clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Contribute to AI and ML capabilities development.

Skills

Python

SQL

Git

Agile

Spark

PySpark

MLflow

JupyterHub

Communication

Tools

MLflow

JupyterHub

VS Code

Spark

PySpark

Trino

Apache Iceberg

Job description

Overview

Join a genuinely collaborative team whose diverse expertise delivers innovative solutions to complex engineering challenges worldwide. As an experienced data scientist, you will work across the data lifecycle in a fast-paced Agile environment, helping keep people, critical businesses and communication networks connected and secure. The role includes some client-site work, with flexible and remote working options, career development, training and a competitive reward package. The successful candidate will develop insightful, machine learning and data-driven solutions that support defensive cyber operations, mission data exploitation and operational decision-making within a secure national security environment.

Your role

Data Science & Analytics

• Design, develop and deploy statistical, insightful, AI and machine-learning solutions to solve operational challenges.
• Explore large and complex datasets to identify trends, patterns and actionable insights.
• Apply appropriate machine learning, predictive analytics and data science techniques to real-world problems.
• Develop and evaluate insightful models using robust performance and validation methodologies.
• Communicate findings and recommendations clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Contribute to development of innovative AI, machine learning and advanced analytics capabilities.

Data Product Delivery

• Ensure large datasets are managed appropriately across staging, modelling, analytics and presentation layers.
• Contribute to the design and delivery of high-quality data products that support Cyber Capability requirements.
• Work collaboratively with Product Owners and Business Analysts to translate user needs into insightful solutions.
• Support data quality assurance, governance and reproducibility across insightful workflows.

Platform & Engineering

• Develop and maintain production-quality Python and SQL code.
• Use Git-based source control and branch management practices across multiple deployment environments.
• Work with Spark and PySpark to process and analyse large-scale datasets.
• Develop and manage machine learning workflows within an MLOps environment.
• Use tooling such as MLflow, VS Code or JupyterHub for model development, experimentation and deployment.
• Work with technologies to access, manage and analyse data at scale (e.g., Apache Iceberg and Trino).

Delivery Excellence

• Participate fully in Agile ceremonies including sprint planning, backlog refinement, demonstrations and retrospectives.
• Produce high-quality technical documentation and knowledge-sharing materials.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of data science and MLOps practices.

About you

Essential Skills & Experience

• Candidates should typically bring at least three years of relevant professional experience, although applicants with less experience and strong evidence of capability will also be considered.
• Strong Python and SQL skills, with experience developing production-quality insightful, statistical, AI and machine-learning solutions.
• Experience working with large, complex, structured and unstructured datasets, including data preparation, exploratory analysis, feature engineering and model validation.
• Practical experience with Git, Agile delivery and collaborative software-development workflows.
• Experience using distributed data-processing and MLOps tools such as Spark, PySpark, MLflow, JupyterHub or equivalent technologies.
• Understanding of data-product lifecycles, data quality, governance, reproducibility and auditable insightful workflows.
• Ability to translate operational or business needs into insightful solutions and communicate findings clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Effective collaboration within multidisciplinary teams, supported by strong problem-solving, documentation and critical-thinking skills.

Desirable Skills & Experience

• Advanced statistical modelling, experimental design, forecasting, anomaly detection, model optimisation or explainability.
• Deployment and operation of machine-learning models, including monitoring, drift detection and performance management.
• Awareness of modern lakehouse or enterprise data platforms and technologies such as Trino and Apache Iceberg.
• Experience in NLP, large language models, Generative AI, deep learning, graph analytics.
• Responsible AI or retrieval-augmented generation.
• Delivery of data products or decision-support capabilities in secure, governed or operational environments.
• Stakeholder engagement, workshop facilitation and presentation of insightful findin