Senior Data Scientist - Platform Economics & Simulation

Sony Playstation; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading gaming company in Greater London seeks a Senior Data Scientist to develop advanced machine learning models aimed at enhancing player engagement and value. The ideal candidate will possess strong technical skills in machine learning, experience with large datasets, and a proactive mindset to drive impactful decisions in an ambitious team environment. This position requires proficiency in Python and SQL, along with a relevant master's degree or PhD. The company promotes diversity and encourages innovative minds to apply.

Qualifications

• Proven industry experience delivering impactful machine learning solutions.
• Strong expertise in modern machine learning approaches.
• Ability to work with large, complex datasets.

Responsibilities

• Design and deliver advanced machine learning models.
• Own ambiguous problem spaces and define solutions.
• Mentor other data scientists and communicate results.

Skills

Machine learning

Python

Stakeholder management

Data analysis

SQL

Education

Master's or PhD in a technical or quantitative field

Tools

Tensorflow

PyTorch

MLlib

PySpark

Job description

PlayStation isn’t just the Best Place to Play — it’s also the Best Place to Work. Today, we’re recognized as a global leader in entertainment producing The PlayStation family of products and services including PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, PlayStation®VR, PlayStation®Plus, acclaimed PlayStation software titles from PlayStation Studios, and more.

PlayStation also strives to create an inclusive environment that empowers employees and embraces diversity. We welcome and encourage everyone who has a passion and curiosity for innovation, technology, and play to explore our open positions and join our growing global team.

The PlayStation brand falls under Sony Interactive Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation.

At PlayStation, Data Science plays a critical role in shaping how we invest in, retain, and delight our global player base. The CLV & Personalisation team focuses on understanding player behaviour and driving more effective engagement across the player lifecycle — from acquisition and onboarding through to retention, monetisation, and long-term value.

As a Senior Data Scientist, you will drive the development of advanced modelling and analytical approaches that influence key commercial and product decisions at scale and are evaluated based on their impact on commercial outcomes. You will work on complex and often ambiguous problems, helping define how we measure player value and how we deliver more personalised player experiences.

This role combines deep hands‑on modelling with ownership of problem definition, approach, and impact. You will work with a high degree of autonomy across ambiguous problem spaces, shaping how data informs strategy and decision‑making across the business.

What You’ll Do

• Design and deliver advanced machine learning models to drive player value, engagement, and growth across the lifecycle.
• Own ambiguous problem spaces, defining modelling approaches and breaking down complex business challenges into actionable solutions.
• Partner with senior stakeholders to shape strategies, and ensure Data Science drives high‑impact decisions.
• Apply advanced machine learning techniques, including deep learning and sequence modelling, where appropriate to capture complex player behaviours and improve model performance.
• Evaluate and select modelling approaches based on problem context, balancing performance, scalability, and interpretability.
• Work within cross‑functional teams, including engineering, product, and commercial stakeholders, to ensure solutions are scalable, production‑ready, and aligned with long‑term architecture.
• Mentor other data scientists and contribute to best practices across the team.
• Communicate complex modelling approaches, assumptions, and outcomes clearly to senior technical and non‑technical audiences.

What We’re Looking For

You combine technical depth in machine learning with a proactive, solution‑oriented mindset, and the ability to influence strategy and inspire others. You thrive on solving sophisticated problems that deepen PlayStation’s understanding of its players and you use this understanding to inform data‑driven decisions and strategies that drive player growth.

• Proven industry experience delivering impactful, production‑ready machine learning solutions in areas such as customer value, retention, or personalisation.
• Strong expertise in modern machine learning approaches, including applying techniques such as transformers, embeddings, or sequence‑based models to real‑world behavioural data.
• Ability to critically assess when advanced approaches are warranted versus simpler solutions.
• Experience owning projects end‑to‑end, including problem definition, navigating ambiguity, selecting modelling approaches, and delivering impactful solutions.
• Ability to work with large, complex datasets and translate them into scalable solutions.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence decisions and communicate results persuasively to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Proficiency in Python, SQL, and modern ML tooling (such as Tensorflow, PyTorch, MLlib, feature stores); experience with PySpark or equivalent distributed data processing tools.
• A strong academic background, typically a Master’s or PhD in a technical or quantitative field, specialising in Machine Learning.
• Experience deploying models into production and maintaining business‑critical or consumer facing models.

Nice to Have

• Background in gaming, e‑commerce, or subscription‑based businesses.
• Industry experience with experimentation frameworks and causal inference.
• Experience working in agile, fast‑paced environments

Please note, Sony Interactive Entertainment conducts background checks at the offer stage for all new employees (which may include criminal background checks for some roles) and will need to process personal information to support these checks.

Please refer to our Candidate Privacy Notice for more information about what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your data protection rights.

Equal Opportunity Statement:

Sony is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All persons will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender (including gender identity, gender expression and gender reassignment), race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, disability, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, maternity or parental status, trade union membership or membership in any other legally protected category.

We strive to create an inclusive environment, empower employees and embrace diversity. We encourage everyone to respond.

PlayStation is a Fair Chance employer and qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for employment.