Senior Data Scientist - Operational Research, Simulation & ML

A career without limits

As the nation’s flag carrier, we take great pride in connecting Britain with the world and the world with Britain.

It’s something we’ve been doing for over 100 years, ever since we launched the world’s first international scheduled air service between London and Paris.

This originality has been in our blood since day one. It’s the spirit we share with the people that fly with us, our partners, and our colleagues.

So, whether you are a reassuring voice on the end of a phone, a smile at the door, under a wing keeping the turbines spinning or landing us gently in far-flung places, a job at British Airways is yours to make.

We know great things can happen when you’re inspired to think big and bring your ambition to work every day, which is why, at British Airways the sky is never the limit.

Senior Data Scientist – Operational Research, Simulation & ML Optimisation

Join the Operational Decision Support (ODS) team at British Airways and help shape the future of airline operations. We're looking for a curious and driven Senior Data Scientist with strong experience in simulation, optimisation, or machine learning — particularly when it comes to deploying models into production systems.

This is an opportunity to work on complex, high-impact projects where your work won’t sit on a shelf — it’ll be in the hands of the operation, driving real-world decisions every day.

What you’ll do:

• Develop and implement simulation, optimisation, and ML models that enhance operational efficiency and resilience.
• Contribute to the deployment of predictive and prescriptive analytics into real-world production systems.
• Collaborate with stakeholders and software engineers to bring data science products through to live deployment.
• Work alongside technical and operational stakeholders to design and iterate on decision support tools.
• Translate complex analytical insights into practical recommendations for use across the business.
• Play an active role in shaping the team’s delivery pipeline, including model testing, validation, and MLOps best practices.
• Stay on top of advancements in applied data science, bringing innovative thinking into our ways of working.

What you’ll bring to British Airways:

• Experience applying operational research, simulation, or machine learning techniques to real-world business challenges.
• Proficiency in Python (or similar), with hands-on experience building production-grade code and models.
• Familiarity with MLOps practices – model lifecycle, monitoring, reproducibility, versioning.
• Strong problem-solving mindset with the ability to take ownership of end-to-end project delivery.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex ideas to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• A collaborative approach – you’ll be working closely with data scientists, software engineers, and operational teams.

Your experience:

• A background in operational research, data science, engineering, applied mathematics, or a related field.
• Experience developing and deploying models that solve optimisation or forecasting problems at scale.
• A solid track record of delivering measurable business value through data-driven projects.
• Passion for building impactful solutions that go beyond experimentation and make a real-world difference.

What we offer:

We believe that all the people who work with us should feel valued for the part they play. It’s one of the reasons our rewards go far beyond a competitive salary.

From the day you join us, you’ll get access to brilliant staff travel benefits including unlimited basic and premium standby tickets on British Airways flights. You’ll also receive up to 30 discounted ‘Hotline’ airfares per year for yourself, friends, and family.

At British Airways you’ll have the chance to take on new challenges and move forward in a way that feels right for you. We encourage all those who work for us to consider opportunities right across our business to help you develop and progress.

We never stand still, and we don’t expect our people to either.

Inclusion & Diversity

At British Airways we all have a part to play in creating an inclusive place to work. Diverse representation among our people is really important to us and we recognise that all our colleagues are uniquely different and bring their own originality, creativity and identity to work.

Inclusion and diversity is a key driver of innovation and we’re committed to creating a culture where everyone feels that they can be themselves. We’re looking for people from all backgrounds and cultures to join us and be a part of our journey to become a Better BA as we continue to connect Britain with the world and the world with Britain.