Lead Data Scientist

Location: London - 2 days on siteSalary: Up to 67000 + 30 Days Holiday + Performance BonusSector: Independent National Standards & Research

They are seeking aLead Data Scientist to join a high-impact Directorate of Data Science and AI at the heart of Great Britain's national infrastructure. This is not a "typical" tech role; you will lead the development of digital products and decision-support tools that directly improve the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of a major national network.

As a senior practitioner, you will bridge the gap between technical delivery and senior leadership. You will be the technical heartbeat of the team - ensuring high-quality modelling practices while mentoring junior colleagues and modernising our AI capabilities.

• Technical Leadership: Act as a senior hands-on practitioner, leading the delivery of analytical and ML workstreams.

• Modernisation: Take an active interest in emerging tools (includingAgentic frameworks andGenerative AI) to strengthen the team's capability.

• Mentorship: Provide technical guidance, code reviews, and coaching to junior scientists to build a culture of excellence.

• Operational Excellence: Uphold best practices in coding, documentation, andReproducible Analytical Pipelines (RAP).

• Collaboration: Work closely with subject matter experts and architects to ensure outputs are robust and ready for real-world operational use.

They are looking for a candidate who valuesrigour as much as innovation. You likely have a background in thePublic Sector, Government (Grade 7 equivalent), or a highly regulated industry.

Essential Experience:

• End-to-End ML: Proven experience delivering applied data science projects from feature engineering to deployment.

• Python Mastery: Expert-level Python skills with a focus on code structure, testing, and version control.

• Governance: A deep commitment to reproducibility, model assurance, and secure data workflows.

• Agile Delivery: Experience working in iterative, sprint-based environments.

• Communication: The ability to tell a story with data to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Desirable:

• Experience deploying models withinAzure cloud environments.

• Familiarity withSafety-Critical environments (e.g., Transport, Energy, Healthcare).

• Experience with agentic frameworks or modern AI orchestration.

This organisation is renowned for its commitment to staff wellbeing and professional development.

• Work-Life Balance: 30 days annual leave (plus bank holidays), flexible core hours, and hybrid working.

• Health & Future: Private medical and dental cover, performance-related bonus, and a highly competitive pension scheme.

• Impact: Your work will have a tangible effect on the safety and sustainability of national infrastructure used by millions.