Research Scientist jobs in United Kingdom

Job Description

Senior Data Scientist

Location: Bristol(hybrid, up to 3 days a week onsite)

Salary: £80,000 – £95,000 base depending on experience

NOTE: Due to the nature of the client's work, you must be a sole British and eligible for SC clearance.

We are seeking an experienced Senior Data Scientist to lead high-impact projects within the defence and security sector. This is a rare opportunity to work on complex, mission-critical challenges while applying cutting-edge data science methods in a secure, technically rigorous environment.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead end-to-end delivery of bespoke data science projects across the defence and security space
• Define the data science strategy and design the supporting software architecture for client engagements
• Scope new projects with internal commercial teams, ensuring technical feasibility and alignment with client goals
• Engage directly with clients, shaping the direction of current and future work through trusted technical guidance
• Collaborate with engineers and designers to inform product development and ensure seamless deployment
• Mentor and support the professional development of junior data scientists through both structured mentoring and hands-on project guidance
• Represent the business externally via speaking engagements, roundtables, open-source contributions, or client training sessions
• Contribute to internal learning through teaching and mentoring on in-house data science programs
• Work with secure infrastructure and advanced tooling to deliver production-ready, scalable AI solutions

What We’re Looking For

• Significant experience in a senior data science or quantitative academic position
• Strong Python programming skills, with the ability to write production-grade code
• Proficiency in core data science libraries (e.g. NumPy, Pandas, Scikit-learn) and familiarity with at least one deep learning framework (e.g. TensorFlow, PyTorch)
• A solid understanding of the full range of data science techniques, including supervised and unsupervised learning, Bayesian methods, NLP, time-series analysis, and SQL querying
• Ability to scope, design, and lead delivery of innovative data science solutions
• High level of mathematical and statistical competence
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams and mentor others, fostering both technical growth and a collaborative culture
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills; comfortable interfacing with clients and presenting technical content to varied audiences
• Commercial awareness and the ability to translate business problems into data-driven solutions
• Experience managing project timelines, technical feasibility assessments, and delivery schedules

Security Requirements: Due to the sensitive nature of the work, only sole British nationals (no dual ) who are eligible for SC clearance can be considered for this position.

If you're a technically capable, mission-driven data scientist ready to take on meaningful projects in a secure and collaborative setting, we’d love to hear from you.