Lead Data Scientist

Salary: £66,229 plus capability allowance of up to £18,291 pending assessment

Location: Croydon (hybrid with 60% office attendance)

Advert Closes: 26th January 2026 11:55 pm

The Automation & Innovation (A&I) function is the Home Office’s strategic partner for automation, AI, and innovation delivery, operating within the Chief Technology Office. Automation & Innovation delivers secure, value driven solutions that remove manual effort, improve operational efficiency, and enable smarter ways of working across the department. Our AI as a Service platform is a critical enabler for AI delivery across the department.

This trailblazing multi-cloud service is creating secure, scalable and reusable AI microservices to enable teams across the Home Office to harness AI to transform public services. The successful candidate for this role will join our growing AI as a Service team.

As a Lead Data Scientist, you will provide technical guidance and support to delivery teams, specialising in advanced Data Science techniques. You’ll oversee high-profile projects and engage with senior stakeholders to advocate for Data Science. You’ll work with technical teams to develop analytical models into scalable automated solutions. You’ll also mentor junior staff, managing their development, and contribute to the wider Data Science community, promoting best practice in the adoption of cutting-edge analysis methods.

You’ll get to work with some of the largest and most varied datasets around, and benefit from a wealth of continuous professional development resources and career opportunities. You’ll play a key role in delivering joined-up, intelligent services that unlock the value from data and deliver better outcomes for the UK.

Lead Data Scientists are experienced Data Scientists who provide detailed technical advice, support and guidance to project teams.

As a Lead Data Scientist, you will inspire best practice and be a recognised authority on a number of data science specialisms within government, with the ability to understand, teach and supervise a wide range of cutting-edge analysis techniques.

You will provide oversight of several workstreams within AIaaS including the discovery, development and customisation of a range of AI microservices. You will stay abreast of emerging technologies and conduct experimentation to inform future strategy of the Platform. This will involve projects of high political exposure, value and complexity, and engaging with senior stakeholders to champion the value of data science. You will work to develop scalable AI solutions.

You will be a thought leader within the Data Science community and manage the development of junior staff.

• Designing, coding, testing, correcting and documenting moderate to complex programmes and scripts from agreed specifications and subsequent iterations, using agreed standards and tools.
• Developing knowledge of cutting-edge techniques and sharing knowledge of data science across the organisation.
• Presenting analysis and visualisations in a clear way to communicate complex messages to a wide range of technical and non-technical audiences.
• Building data pipelines at scale using a range of tools and technologies and advising on data engineering best practices across industry.
• Identifying future areas of innovation and showing how it can be applied to the organisation and wider government.
• Defining best practice to evolve data governance and ensure both project teams and users of the products apply core Data Science ethical frameworks in their business area.

As a Lead Data Scientist in Automation and Innovation you’ll have a demonstrable passion for Data Science, with the following skills or some experience in:

• Effectively deliver innovative, data driven solutions on large or complex data sets including gathering disparate data, extensive data manipulation, iteration of analytics techniques and visualisation of results.
• Demonstrating software or data engineering essentials, such as producing repeatable data pipelines, version control, testing and performance optimisation, while proactively solving problems with curiosity and engaging senior stakeholders to understand and align with their strategic goals and needs.
• Confidently communicating technical / analytical findings and recommendations that inform wider decisions in a compelling way to senior technical and non-technical audiences.
• Using a range of data science techniques (e.g. machine learning, network analysis, data matching, information retrieval, text analytics) in a real-world setting.
• Demonstrating a deep understanding of data privacy, data protection and the ethical implications of Data Science.
• Leading a/several teams and setting best practice to develop programming and analysis skills of self and others.
• A civil service pension with employer contribution rates of at least 28.97%.
• In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
• The ability to potentially adopt flexible working options that suit your work/life balance, plus the opportunity in future to take a career break.
• 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service.
• Eight days public holidays, plus one additional privilege day.
• 26 weeks maternity, adoption or shared parental leave at full pay, followed by 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks’ unpaid, after qualifying service.
• Maternity and adoption support leave (also known as paternity leave) of two weeks full pay, after qualifying service.
• Paid leave for fostering approval processes, support when a child is substantively placed with you plus a foster to adopt policy.
• Support for guardians and kinship carers.
• Corporate membership of ‘Employers for Carers’ providing additional information and advice for carers, plus a ‘Carer’s Passport’ to discuss workplace needs and underpin supportive conversations.
• Time off to deal with emergencies and certain other unplanned special circumstances.