Data Scientist (AI) | National Security - eSC/eDV Required

International Business Machines Corporation; United States; Remote; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Private medical insurance

Maternity leave and returners scheme

Job summary

IBM Consulting FutureNow seeks experienced Data Scientists to translate business challenges into practical AI solutions. You will collaborate with engineers, architects, and client stakeholders to design, develop and operationalise AI-driven outcomes in highly regulated environments.

Strong Python and data science tooling experience, plus expertise in Generative AI, MLOps, and cloud platforms, are required to deliver real business value across client engagements.

Qualifications

• Experience with Python and data science tooling (Pandas, NumPy).
• Proven record designing, building and deploying AI/ML solutions.
• Experience with Generative AI tech (LLMs, RAG, semantic search).
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).

Responsibilities

• Design, develop and deploy AI/Data Science solutions across multiple client engagements.
• Translate business problems into practical analytical AI-driven approaches.
• Support deployment and operationalisation of AI solutions on cloud platforms.

Skills

Python

Data science tooling

Generative AI

Machine learning

AI engineering

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

OpenAI

Azure OpenAI

LangChain

Databricks

Job description

Introduction

At IBM Consulting UK FutureNow, you’ll build a career at the forefront of hybrid cloud and AI, working with leading clients across the public and private sectors.
You’ll collaborate with top industry professionals, gain hands on experience with cutting edge technologies, and deliver solutions that create real business impact. From day one, you’ll work on meaningful, high profile programmes that stretch your skills and accelerate your growth.
We invest heavily in you—supporting continuous learning, in demand skills development, and long term career progression. You’ll thrive in a flexible, inclusive environment that values curiosity, encourages reinvention, and recognises what makes you unique.
We offer:

• Tools and policies to support your work-life balance from flexible working approaches, sabbatical programs, paid paternity leave, maternity leave and an innovative maternity returners scheme
• More traditional benefits, such as 25 days holiday (in addition to public holidays), private medical, dental & optical cover, online shopping discounts, an Employee Assistance Program, life assurance and a group pension plan through salary sacrifice.

In this role, you'll work in one of our IBM Consulting Client Innovation Centers (Delivery Centers), where we deliver deep technical and industry expertise to a wide range of public and private sector clients around the world. Our delivery centers offer our clients locally based skills and technical expertise to drive innovation and adoption of new technology.

Your role and responsibilities

At IBM Consulting FutureNow, our Artificial Intelligence practice helps clients solve complex business and mission challenges using Data Science, Machine Learning, Generative AI and Large Language Models.

We're looking for experienced Data Scientists (AI) to join our growing Hybrid Cloud & Data service line, working alongside engineers, architects, data specialists and client stakeholders to design, develop and operationalise AI-driven solutions within highly regulated and security-conscious environments.

This is a hands-on consulting role requiring practitioners who can translate business challenges into practical AI solutions whilst balancing innovation, governance, security and measurable outcomes.

Successful candidates will combine strong analytical capability with modern AI engineering practices, helping clients unlock value from traditional Machine Learning, Generative AI, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), semantic search, agentic workflows and advanced analytics.

Key Responsibilities

As a Consulting Data Scientist, you will:

• Design, develop and deploy AI and Data Science solutions across multiple client engagements.
• Translate complex and often ambiguous business problems into practical analytical and AI-driven solutions.
• Deliver Generative AI use cases including Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), semantic search, knowledge retrieval, intelligent assistants and agentic workflows.
• Apply machine learning, statistical analysis and predictive modelling techniques to structured and unstructured datasets.
• Conduct exploratory data analysis, feature engineering, model development, evaluation and validation activities.
• Evaluate, fine-tune and optimise AI models to improve performance, reliability, explainability and business value.
• Work closely with Data Engineers, Architects, Product Owners and client stakeholders throughout the delivery lifecycle.
• Support the deployment and operationalisation of AI solutions through cloud platforms, APIs, MLOps practices and modern integration approaches.
• Communicate technical findings and recommendations to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Contribute to best practices across AI engineering, governance, responsible AI and secure-by-design delivery.
• Support and mentor junior practitioners where appropriate.

Required education

None

Preferred education

Bachelor's Degree

Required technical and professional expertise

We're looking for experience across several of the following areas:

• Strong proficiency in Python and modern Data Science tooling including Pandas, NumPy, Scikit-learn, PyTorch, TensorFlow or similar libraries.
• Commercial experience designing, building and deploying Data Science, Machine Learning or AI solutions.
• Practical experience working with Generative AI technologies including one or more of:
  - Large Language Models (LLMs)
  - Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)
  - Agentic AI workflows
  - Prompt Engineering
  - Embeddings and Semantic Search
  - AI Evaluation Frameworks
• Experience using AI ecosystems and frameworks such as:
  - OpenAI
  - Azure OpenAI
  - Anthropic
  - LangChain
  - LangGraph
  - DSPy
  - Similar technologies
• Experience working with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure or GCP.
• Strong understanding of model evaluation, experimentation, data quality and AI governance considerations.
• Experience collaborating with stakeholders to define requirements and shape analytical approaches.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience delivering solutions from discovery through to deployment and adoption.
• Experience working within Agile delivery teams.

This role is subject to pre-employment screening in line with the UK Government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). An additional range of Personal Security Controls referred to as National Security Vetting (NVS) may apply, this could include meeting the eligibility requirements for The Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV).

Preferred technical and professional experience

One or more of the following would be advantageous:

• Experience deploying and operationalising AI solutions within production environments.
• Experience with vector databases, GraphRAG, knowledge graphs, semantic retrieval architectures or entity resolution techniques.
• Experience with MLOps, model monitoring, observability and AI platform engineering.
• Experience working within National Security, Defence, Public Sector, Financial Services or other highly regulated environments.
• Familiarity with secure-by-design principles and responsible AI frameworks.
• Experience contributing to AI governance, model risk management or AI assurance activities.
• Knowledge of SQL and modern data platforms such as:
  - Databricks
  - Microsoft Fabric
  - Snowflake
  - Synapse
• Equivalent cloud-native analytics platforms
• Experience working in a consulting environment and engaging directly with clients.
• Active UK Security Clearance.

Successful candidates will typically demonstrate:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability.
• Curiosity and enthusiasm for emerging AI technologies.
• A consultative approach to client engagement.
• The ability to balance innovation with governance, security and operational requirements.
• Confidence working directly with stakeholders and multidisciplinary delivery teams.
• A desire to continually learn and develop across the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

ABOUT BUSINESS UNIT

IBM Consulting is IBM’s consulting and global professional services business, with market leading capabilities in business and technology transformation. With deep expertise in many industries, we offer strategy, experience, technology, and operations services to many of the most innovative and valuable companies in the world. Our people are focused on accelerating our clients’ businesses through the power of collaboration. We believe in the power of technology responsibly used to help people, partners and the planet.

YOUR LIFE @ IBM

In a world where technology never stands still, we understand that, dedication to our clients success, innovation that matters, and trust and personal responsibility in all our relationships, lives in what we do as IBMers as we strive to be the catalyst that makes the world work better.

Being an IBMer means you’ll be able to learn and develop yourself and your career, you’ll be encouraged to be courageous and experiment everyday, all whilst having continuous trust and support in an environment where everyone can thrive whatever their personal or professional background.

Our IBMers are growth minded, always staying curious, open to feedback and learning new information and skills to constantly transform themselves and our company. They are trusted to provide on-going feedback to help other IBMers grow, as well as collaborate with colleagues keeping in mind a team focused approach to include different perspectives to drive exceptional outcomes for our customers. The courage our IBMers have to make critical decisions everyday is essential to IBM becoming the catalyst for progress, always embracing challenges with resources they have to hand, a can-do attitude and always striving for an outcome focused approach within everything that they do.

Are you ready to be an IBMer?

ABOUT IBM

IBM’s greatest invention is the IBMer. We believe that through the application of intelligence, reason and science, we can improve business, society and the human condition, bringing the power of an open hybrid cloud and AI strategy to life for our clients and partners around the world.

Restlessly reinventing since 1911, we are not only one of the largest corporate organizations in the world, we’re also one of the biggest technology and consulting employers, with many of the Fortune 500 companies relying on the IBM Cloud to run their business.

At IBM, we pride ourselves on being an early adopter of artificial intelligence, quantum computing and blockchain. Now it’s time for you to join us on our journey to being a responsible technology innovator and a force for good in the world.

IBM is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, pregnancy, disability, neurodivergence, age, or other characteristics protected by the applicable law. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.

OTHER RELEVANT JOB DETAILS

IBM wants you to bring your whole self to work and for you this might mean the ability to work flexibly. If you are interested in a flexible working pattern, please talk to our recruitment team to find out if this is possible in the current working environment.