As our Senior Data Scientist, you'll play a central role in shaping how Working Age Services uses data to improve digital products used by millions of citizens. You'll work closely with product teams, engineers, analysts and designers to make sure every feature – from small improvements to major redesigns – is backed by robust insight. You'll help set direction for data science within your portfolio, including supporting colleagues you don't directly line‑manage, and ensuring the best use of skills across teams. That means advising when Data Science is the right approach – and when it isn’t. You'll bring clarity to messy problem spaces, especially where data quality or requirements aren't as clear as they need to be. Your work could include anything from discovering new features, designing experiments and success measures, evaluating changes, improving data reliability, to developing models that support service improvements. You’ll use your leadership to influence decisions, prioritise workloads, and keep teams focused on high‑value opportunities. This role is perfect for someone who thrives in imperfect real‑world data environments, enjoys cutting through complexity, and knows how to communicate the value of Data Science to a wide range of digital and non‑technical stakeholders. You’ll help build a culture where data professionals of all types are understood, valued and used effectively. Your impact will be felt across the DWP and across society: improving services for claimants, supporting colleagues, and helping shape the future of digital welfare services in the UK.
Key Qualifications
* Deep experience building data transformation products, using code to turn raw data into something accurate, useful and repeatable.
* Write clean, efficient and well‑documented code that follows a specification and can be maintained by others.
* Confident using R or Python, SQL and PySpark to process, analyse and transform data at scale.
* Know how to create automated data pipelines and reusable workflows that handle both structured and unstructured data.
* A degree or higher in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) is essential for this role.
Disability Confident. A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. In certain recruitment situations such as high‑volume, seasonal and high‑peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non‑disabled people.
As a Senior Data Scientist, you’ll join the Data Science Team within the DWP's Working Age Services (WAS) – the area responsible for the digital services behind Universal Credit and other key benefits. You’ll work with some of the largest datasets in the UK, helping to transform how citizens manage their accounts online, how legacy benefits move to a multi‑benefit platform and how our colleagues deliver services more efficiently. This is a leadership role where your expertise will help shape product development, guide technical direction and ensure that data science is used in the right way, at the right time, for maximum public value. You’ll champion best practice, influence strategic decisions and bring clarity to complex environments where data and requirements are often imperfect.
Pay & Benefits
Salary up to £75,493 plus a 28.97% employer pension contribution. Flexible hours and hybrid working are available.
We offer a competitive pay range of £57,946 to £68,205 plus a Digital Allowance of up to £7,288 per annum for senior data scientists, subject to assessment of your capability at interview.
Leave package starts at 26 days, rising to 31 days over time. You can also take up to 3 extra days off a month on flexi‑time.
* Flexible working including flexible hours and flex‑friendly policies
* Time off volunteering and charitable giving
* Bring your authentic self to work with 'I Can Be Me in DWP'
* Discounts and savings on shopping, fun days out and more
* Interest‑free loans to buy a bike or a season ticket – making it easier to get to work and start making a difference
* Sports and social activities
* Professional development, coaching, mentoring and career progression opportunities
* Our organisation has been recognised as the 2024 Diversity Employer of the Year at the Computing Women in Tech Excellence awards, the 2024 Digital Leaders Awards for Diverse and Inclusive Leadership, the 2025 Women In Tech Employer Awards for Best Public Sector Employer and the 2025 Computing Digital Technology Leaders awards for Best Place to Work in Digital category.
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