Lead Data Scientist

WHY FACULTY?

We established Faculty in 2014 because we thought that AI would be the most important technology of our time. Since then, we’ve worked with over 350 global customers to transform their performance through human-centric AI. You can read about our real-world impact here https://faculty.ai/impact.

We don’t chase hype cycles. We innovate, build and deploy responsible AI which moves the needle - and we know a thing or two about doing it well. We bring an unparalleled depth of technical, product and delivery expertise to our clients who span government, finance, retail, energy, life sciences and defence.

Our business, and reputation, is growing fast and we’re always on the lookout for individuals who share our intellectual curiosity and desire to build a positive legacy through technology.

AI is an epoch-defining technology, join a company where you’ll be empowered to envision its most powerful applications, and to make them happen.

ABOUT THE TEAM

Our Public Services Business Unit is committed to leveraging AI for the benefit of individual citizens and the public good.

From our work informing strategic government decisions, to optimising our NHS, through to reducing bureaucratic backlogs - we know that AI offers opportunities to drive improvements at every level of Government and we are proud to lead on some of the most impactful work happening in the sector.

Because of the nature of the work we do with our Government clients, you may need to be eligible for UK Security Clearance (SC) and willing to work on site with these clients from time to time.

ABOUT THE ROLE

As a Senior Data Scientist, you will lead high-impact AI projects and shape the technical direction of bespoke solutions. This role requires hands-on technical excellence combined with crucial team leadership.

You will define data science approaches, design robust software architectures, mentor junior colleagues, and ensure delivery rigour across projects all while building deep client relationships and solidifying our reputation as a leader in practical, measurable AI.

#LI-PRIO

WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING

• Leading project teams that deliver bespoke algorithms and high-stakes AI solutions to clients across the sector.
• Conceiving the core data science approach and designing the associated robust software architecture for new engagements.
• Mentoring a small number of data scientists and supporting the professional growth of technical team members on projects.
• Partnering with commercial teams to build client relationships and shape project scope for technical feasibility.
• Contributing to Faculty’s thought leadership and reputation through delivering courses, public speaking, or open-source projects.
• Ensuring best practices are followed throughout the project lifecycle to guarantee high-quality, impactful delivery.

WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR

• You possess senior experience in a professional data science position or a quantitative academic field.
• You demonstrate strong programming skills, with the ability to be a fluent Python programmer, using core libraries (NumPy, Pandas) and a deep-learning framework (e.g., PyTorch).
• You have a deep expertise in core data science paradigms (supervised/unsupervised, NLP, validation), demonstrating a proficiency across the standard data science toolkit, including the ability to develop new, innovative algorithms.
• You bring a leadership mindset, focused on growing the technical capabilities of the team and nurturing a collaborative culture.
• You exhibit commercial awareness, with experience in client-facing work and the ability to translate business problems into a rigorous mathematical framework.
• You are skilled in project planning, assessing technical feasibility, estimating delivery timelines, and leading a team to deliver high-quality work on a strict schedule.

OUR INTERVIEW PROCESS

1. Talent Team Screen (30 minutes)

2. Take Home Technical Assessment

3. Technical Interview (90 minutes)

4. Commercial Interview (60 minutes)

OUR RECRUITMENT ETHOS

We aim to grow the best team - not the most similar one. We know that diversity of individuals fosters diversity of thought, and that strengthens our principle of seeking truth. And we know from experience that diverse teams deliver better work, relevant to the world in which we live. We’re united by a deep intellectual curiosity and desire to use our abilities for measurable positive impact. We strongly encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, religions and sexual orientations.

If you don’t feel you meet all the requirements, but are excited by the role and know you bring some key strengths, please don't hesitate in applying as you might be right for this role, or other roles. We are open to conversations about part-time hours.

A note on AI: we're happy for you to use it for research and interview prep, but please don't use it to generate answers during live interviews. We also use an AI note-taker (Metaview) in interviews so interviewers can stay present (which you can opt out of just let us know,) and every application is reviewed by a human, never decided by AI.