Senior Data Scientist
Location: Bristol(hybrid, up to 3 days a week onsite)
Salary: £80,000 – £95,000 base depending on experience
NOTE: Due to the nature of the client's work, you must be a sole British national and eligible for SC clearance.
We are seeking an experienced Senior Data Scientist to lead high-impact projects within the defence and national security sector. This is a rare opportunity to work on complex, mission-critical challenges while applying cutting-edge data science methods in a secure, technically rigorous environment.
What You'll Be Doing
* Lead end-to-end delivery of bespoke data science projects across the defence and national security space
* Define the data science strategy and design the supporting software architecture for client engagements
* Scope new projects with internal commercial teams, ensuring technical feasibility and alignment with client goals
* Engage directly with clients, shaping the direction of current and future work through trusted technical guidance
* Collaborate with engineers and designers to inform product development and ensure seamless deployment
* Mentor and support the professional development of junior data scientists through both structured mentoring and hands-on project guidance
* Represent the business externally via speaking engagements, roundtables, open-source contributions, or client training sessions
* Contribute to internal learning through teaching and mentoring on in-house data science programs
* Work with secure infrastructure and advanced tooling to deliver production-ready, scalable AI solutions
What We’re Looking For
* Significant experience in a senior data science or quantitative academic position
* Strong Python programming skills, with the ability to write production-grade code
* Proficiency in core data science libraries (e.g. NumPy, Pandas, Scikit-learn) and familiarity with at least one deep learning framework (e.g. TensorFlow, PyTorch)
* A solid understanding of the full range of data science techniques, including supervised and unsupervised learning, Bayesian methods, NLP, time-series analysis, and SQL querying
* Ability to scope, design, and lead delivery of innovative data science solutions
* High level of mathematical and statistical competence
* Demonstrated ability to lead teams and mentor others, fostering both technical growth and a collaborative culture
* Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills; comfortable interfacing with clients and presenting technical content to varied audiences
* Commercial awareness and the ability to translate business problems into data-driven solutions
* Experience managing project timelines, technical feasibility assessments, and delivery schedules
Security Requirements: Due to the sensitive nature of the work, only sole British nationals (no dual nationality) who are eligible for SC clearance can be considered for this position.
If you're a technically capable, mission-driven data scientist ready to take on meaningful projects in a secure and collaborative setting, we’d love to hear from you.