Lead Data Scientist
Division – Intelligence & Digital
Department – Advanced Analytics and Data Science Units
1. Salary: National (Edinburgh and Leeds) ranging from £59,100 to £80,233 and London from £64,900 to £88,100 (salary offered will be based on skills and experience)
2. This role is graded as:Lead Associate - Regulatory
3. Your recruitment contact isBenjamin via k Applications must be submitted through our online portal. Applications sent via social media or email will not be accepted.
About the FCA and team
We regulate financial services firms in the UK, to keep financial markets fair, thriving and effective. By joining us, you’ll play a key part in protecting consumers, driving economic growth, and shaping the future of UK.
The Data, Technology and Innovation (DTI) division enables the FCA to be a digital-first, data-led smart regulator by delivering a secure, agile, and cost-effective technology and data ecosystem that drives better decisions, transparency, and operational efficiency.
This role sits in a Data Science team which supports the FCA Enforcement and the Financial Crime agenda. In this role, you will be applying cutting-edge AI and advanced analytics to support the FCA in its fight against financial crime.
Role responsibilities:
4. Support and guide a team of data scientists through thoughtful mentorship, regular feedback and career development conversations that nurture individual growth
5. Cultivate a collaborative and curious team environment by encouraging exploration of new tools, techniques and approaches in data science.
6. Build strong relationships with internal partners to co-design data science projects that reflect regulatory priorities and contribute meaningfully to strategic goals
7. Take a proactive role in shaping and leading initiatives within the Enforcement & Financial Crime Data Science Unit, helping drive progress on impactful programmes
8. Work closely with data engineering and governance colleagues to ensure data pipelines are secure, scalableand designed to meet evolving needs.
9. Champion excellence in data science by promoting best practices, conducting supportive code reviews and contributing to efforts that enhance financial crime detection and enforcement
Skills required:
Minimum:
10. Experience in Python, R or other object-oriented languages, applying diverse data science techniques
11. Experience of leading key workstreams within complex, cross-functional projects, collaborating with stakeholders and ensuring appropriate resourcing to deliver outcomes
12. Experience of collaborating with data engineering and governance teams to maintain and optimise data pipelines
Essential:
13. Skilled in designing and delivering analytics projects using large, structured and unstructured datasets
14. Effective collaboration with technical and non-technical stakeholders to develop solutions
15. Experience in project leadership, managing, mentoring and developing junior data scientists
16. Clear communication of insights to stakeholders
Benefits:
17. 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
18. Hybrid model with up to 60% remote work
19. Non-contributory pension (8–12% depending on age) and life assurance at eight times your salary
20. Private healthcare with Bupa, income protection, and 24/7 Employee Assistance
21. 35 hours of paid volunteering annually
22. A flexible benefits scheme designed around your lifestyle
For a full list of our benefits, and our recruitment process as a whole visit our benefits page.
Our values & culture
Our colleagues are the key to our success as a regulator. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture: one that’s free from discrimination and bias, celebrates difference, and supports colleagues to deliver at their best. We believe that our differences and similarities enable us to be a better organisation – one that makes better decisions, drives innovation, and delivers better regulation.
If you require any adjustments due to a disability or condition, your recruiter is here to help - reach out for tailored support.
We welcome diverse working styles and aim to find flexible solutions that suit both the role and individual needs, including options like part-time and job sharing where applicable.
Disability confident: Our hiring approach
We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, and therefore, people or individuals with disabilities and long-term conditions who best meet the minimum criteria for a role will go through to the next stage of the recruitment process. In cases of high application volumes we may progress applicants whose experience most closely matches the role’s key requirements.
Useful information and timelines
Timeline:
23. Advert Closing Date: 9 November at 11:59pm
24. CV Review/Shortlist: 10-11November
25. Interviews: from 17th November
Your Recruiter will discuss the process in detail with you during screening for the role, therefore, please make them aware if you are going to be unavailable for any date during this time.
SC Clearance is required for this role (SC Guidance) - you will hold or will be required to obtain Security Check (SC) level vetting