Lead Data Scientist

Job Description

Job Title: Lead Data Scientist

Salary: £59,877 -£66,869 (plus allowance up to £9,000 per annum depending on technical assessment)

Location: Birmingham, Liverpool, Newport, Norwich

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: Full time, Compressed hours

Closing Date: 08/03/2026

Interview Date(s): W/C 23th March (subject to change)

From the 1st April, we will no longer be trading as Crown Commercial Service and will be trading as Government Commercial Agency. Please visit our website for further details.

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Job Summary

The Lead Data Scientist role is in the AI Impact and Assurance team, reporting to the Head of AI Impact and Assurance. This team leads the exploration and implementation of exciting data science techniques at CCS, including machine learning and artificial intelligence. The role is at the forefront of identifying, assessing, and implementing cutting-edge data science, collaborating across the organisation to optimise customer journeys, predict market trends, and automate internal workflows.

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• Technical Project Leadership: Lead the technical delivery of complex data science projects, encompassing data analysis, model development, and presenting clear outputs to both technical and non-technical audiences.
  
• Advanced Analytical Deployment: Deploy advanced analytical techniques, including machine learning, with a specific emphasis on Large Language Models (LLMs) and other Generative AI models, exploring novel datasets to drive insight and improve decision-making at CCS.
  
• Customer Journey Improvement: Contribute to improving CCSs understanding of customer journeys using unstructured data and developing sophisticated predictive algorithms.
  
• Code Production and Quality: Produce high‑quality production code in Python (other languages such as R or SQL might be used as needed).
  
• Development Best Practices: Promote best development practices, including regular code reviews to other team members, and identifying opportunities for standardisation and process improvement.
  
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Work collaboratively with key stakeholders across CCS, broader multi‑disciplinary teams (including a mix of delivery partners, internal colleagues, and colleagues from across government) to identify where data science and AI can strategically support the organisation and the government commercial agenda more widely.
  
• Platform Partner Capabilities: Review and understand product capabilities from native AI within existing platform partners, and proactively identify opportunities to exploit these tools effectively, navigating inherent ambiguities and dependencies.
  
• Data Science Capability Champion: Champion building out the data science capability across the department supporting analysts, thinking about how we can embed data science across all areas of the business and supporting CCS goals to be using data in innovative ways.
  

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• A degree in data science OR a quantitative subject with professional training and experience in data science.
  
• Can demonstrate an in‑depth understanding of a wide range of data science techniques, such as machine learning and natural language processing, with detailed knowledge of at least one specialism.
  
• Significant experience with Large Language Models (LLMs) and other Generative AI models, including understanding their capabilities, limitations, and practical application.
  
• Significant experience delivering data science projects as part of a team and experience of shaping and leading analytical projects.
  
• Substantial ability and experience of coding in Python and/or R.
  
• Proven experience collaborating effectively as part of broader multi‑disciplinary teams, including working with delivery partners, internal colleagues, and cross‑government teams.
  

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• Delivering at Pace
  
• Communicating and influencing
  
• Making Effective Decisions
  

Applied maths, statistics and scientific practices,

Data engineering and manipulation,

Programming and build (data science)

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• Competitive salary
  
• Generous pension scheme
  
• A discretionary non‑contractual performance related bonus
  
• Working remotely in addition to working in advertised office location
  
• Flexi time scheme (available for B1‑B6)
  
• Minimum 25 days annual leave to a maximum service related 30 days excluding bank holidays
  

Explore fully how we will reward your work.

Want to make a difference? Find out more about the rewarding work that we do in our candidate pack.

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.

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