Principal Data Scientist

Principal Data Scientist

London, UK (Hybrid)

Up to £135,000

About the Company

We’re working with a next-generation private markets firm that is redefining value creation by combining deep industry expertise with advanced AI and data science. This is a unique opportunity to join a company that partners directly with portfolio companies to drive measurable operational and financial performance—powered by data.

They’re now hiring a Principal Data Scientist to lead high-impact analytics and machine learning projects across a wide variety of real-world domains - from manufacturing to customer experience and commercial optimisation. Working closely with a multidisciplinary team, you’ll have the autonomy to shape technical approaches while staying closely tied to commercial outcomes.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys solving complex, ambiguous business problems using data science, and wants to work at the intersection of technology, investment, and strategy.

Key Responsibilities

• Translate complex business problems into measurable data science solutions that deliver commercial value
• Lead the design, development, and deployment of predictive and optimisation models across multiple industries
• Own the end-to-end ML pipeline: data exploration, feature engineering, modelling, evaluation, and deployment
• Collaborate with data engineers and MLOps professionals to ensure scalable, production-grade solutions
• Conduct rigorous A/B testing and performance measurement to validate impact
• Act as a technical lead within project teams, mentoring mid-level data scientists and guiding model design choices
• Communicate findings and strategic insights to both technical and non-technical stakeholders

About You

You’re an experienced data scientist with a proven track record of using machine learning to solve real-world business challenges. You’re just as comfortable in Python as you are in a boardroom, and you’re motivated by measurable impact, not just model accuracy.

Requirements:

• 5+ years of experience applying data science in commercial settings
• Proven ability to lead data science projects from concept to production
• Strong Python skills (including libraries like Pandas, NumPy, Scikit-learn); experience with other languages is a plus
• Deep understanding of statistical modelling, predictive analytics, and optimisation techniques
• Comfortable working with cross-functional teams, including engineers, product leads, and client stakeholders
• Experience with A/B testing and causal inference methodologies
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a quantitative field (e.g., Mathematics, Physics, Engineering, Computer Science)
• Excellent communication skills and a collaborative mindset

Example Projects You Might Work On

• Optimisation models to increase manufacturing throughput
• Predictive models for asset maintenance and downtime reduction
• Customer churn prediction and retention modelling
• Sales optimisation through next-best-action models
• Geospatial analysis to inform store or facility network decisions