Senior Data Scientist

The Methodist Church in Britain; England; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working options

Carer-friendly working environment

Wellbeing support

Job summary

The Methodist Church in Britain invites applications for a senior technical specialist within NHS Central East ICB's Strategic Value Unit. The role leads high‑level data science projects across strategic commissioning and population health, ensuring rigorous, reproducible work under supervision.

Master–level quantitative expertise and strong NHS data skills in R/Python/SQL are essential. Candidates will oversee end-to-end analytics, mentor colleagues, and translate complex findings into clear

Qualifications

• Master's-level qualification in a relevant quantitative discipline, or equivalent advanced specialist experience.
• Continuing professional development in data science, advanced analytics, programming or related methods.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex analytical projects end to end across problem definition, data specification, modelling, validation and monitoring.
• Select proportionate advanced statistical, data science and operational research methods.
• Analyse population need, inequalities, demand, capacity and outcomes to support planning and commissioning.
• Apply analytical methods to option appraisal, population segmentation, targeting and pathway redesign.
• Lead data science components of multidisciplinary evaluations of services and interventions.
• Develop, validate and implement analytical products with clear performance assessments and bias checks.
• Work with large, linked health and care datasets, ensuring data quality and authorised access.
• Produce transparent, reproducible analyses in R, Python and SQL with version control and automated reporting.
• Translate findings into actionable recommendations for commissioners, clinicians and decision-makers.

Skills

Advanced analytics

R/Python programming

SQL

Problem solving

Education

Master's-level qualification in a quantitative discipline

Tools

R

Python

SQL

Job description

This senior technical specialist post sits in the Strategic Value Unit at NHS Central East ICB, working across the combined Strategic Value Unit and Population Health Unit function. The postholder leads complex analytical projects that apply advanced data science methods to strategic commissioning, population health management and evaluation. Work follows standards set by the Lead Data Scientist, with peer review, reproducible practice and technical supervision of colleagues. Fit depends on a Master's-level quantitative qualification or equivalent specialist experience, with strong NHS data and R, Python or SQL skills.

What the job involves

• Lead complex analytical projects end to end, from problem definition and data specification through modelling, validation, implementation and monitoring, managing priorities, risks and dependencies
• Select proportionate advanced statistical, data science and operational research methods
• Analyse population need, inequalities, demand, capacity and outcomes to support planning and commissioning
• Apply analytical methods to option appraisal, population segmentation, targeting and pathway redesign
• Lead the data science components of multidisciplinary evaluations of services, programmes and interventions
• Develop, validate and implement analytical products, assessing performance, uncertainty, limitations and bias across population groups
• Work with large, linked health and care datasets, assessing quality and provenance and securing authorised access
• Produce transparent, reproducible analysis in R and/or Python and SQL, using version control, testing and automated reporting
• Translate findings into clear, actionable recommendations with commissioners, clinicians and other decision-makers
• Communicate methods and limitations to technical and non-technical audiences, challenging unsupported methods
• Support stakeholders to implement analytical products, monitor and recalibrate them, escalation material concerns and assess benefit
• Provide technical supervision, coaching and peer review to analytical colleagues, and contribute reusable code and shared standards

Qualifications

• Master's-level qualification in a relevant quantitative discipline, or equivalent advanced specialist experience
• Continuing professional development in data science, advanced analytics, programming or related methods

Experience

• Significant experience applying advanced data science, statistical or operational research methods to complex health, care, public-sector or comparable problems
• Experience independently leading complex analytical projects with multiple stakeholders and data sources
• Experience analysing large, complex or linked person-level datasets, including their quality, provenance and limitations
• Experience designing, validating and implementing advanced analytical models, including assessing performance, uncertainty, bias and ongoing monitoring needs
• Experience providing technical supervision, peer review, mentoring or development support to analytical colleagues

Skills & knowledge

• Strong knowledge of NHS data, including primary and secondary care data
• Advanced programming in R and/or Python with strong SQL, applying structured code, version control, testing, documentation and peer review
• Translating complex health and care questions into clearly defined analytical problems and selecting proportionate methods
• Interpreting complex findings, assessing assumptions and limitations, and drawing defensible conclusions from imperfect data

Nice to have

• Relevant professional registration, or evidence of wider contribution to the data science or analytical profession
• Experience designing or delivering quantitative evaluations of services, programmes or interventions
• Experience applying systems modelling or operational research methods
• Experience deploying analytical models in operational environments or developing shared assets with cloud-based or modern analytical engineering tools

What’s offered

• Flexible working options, open to discussion
• Carer-friendly working environment
• Support for wellbeing