Lead Innovation as Principal Data Scientist at Forge Holiday Group! Why Forge Holiday Group? Join a tech-driven powerhouse uniting four top holiday brands Sykes Holiday Cottages, Forest Holidays, UKCaravans4Hire, and Bachcare in New Zealand, with one mission: delivering exceptional holiday experiences powered by cutting-edge technology. We are a group of over 1,700 passionate professionals, driven by four values: One Business, Keep it Simple, Grow & Learn, Sustainable Impact. Your Mission: Shape the Future of Data Science As our Principal Data Scientist, you’ll be the visionary leader driving our most complex, high-impact AI and ML projects from concept to production. You'll craft scalable, robust solutions that shape business strategy and create real-world impact, mentoring teams, influencing stakeholders, and pioneering advanced AI responsibly. This role demands a blend of deep technical mastery, strategic thinking, and inspiring leadership. What’s in It for You? Competitive Salary – £70,000 to £80,000 per annum per year Hybrid Flexibility – We value collaboration, so we ask for at least 2 days a week at our Chester HQ A Culture That Gets It – Curious minds, open collaboration, and a genuine appetite for new ideas. Here, your voice matters. Analytics With Purpose – Build data products, dashboards, and pipelines that aren’t just ‘nice to have’, they directly shape key business decisions. Serious Career Growth – From hands-on experience with cutting-edge tools to clear career pathways, structured training, and mentorship, we’ll give you the environment and support to innovate, grow, and lead. What You’ll Own: Lead and deliver mission-critical data science initiatives with measurable business impact Architect scalable ML systems with strong lifecycle management, monitoring & CI/CD practices Serve as a trusted expert, shaping technical direction and championing ethical AI & model governance Collaborate closely across engineering, product, and analytics teams to drive strategic innovation Mentor and grow the next generation of data scientists, fostering a culture of learning & experimentation Drive the roadmap for data science tools, tech, and methodologies that future-proof our platform If You’ve Got: ✅ Proven track record designing, deploying, and maintaining production-grade ML/AI systems ✅Deep expertise in statistical modeling, classic ML (logistic regression, XGBoost) & modern DL (transformers, reinforcement learning) ✅Advanced Python, SQL skills, plus strong ML engineering & MLOps experience ✅Leadership in technical strategy and cross-team collaboration ✅Passion for ethical AI, explainability, and model governance …then we’d love to hear from you! Bonus points: AWS SageMaker experience, PhD/MSc in a quantitative field, public contributions or thought leadership in data science Forge Holiday Group Benefits Annual STIP Bonus Scheme - up to 10% of your salary 33 days holiday (incl. bank hols) extra days for long service Your birthday off 2 paid volunteering days Enhanced Maternity & Paternity leave (24 weeks maternity, 3 weeks paternity at 100% pay) B Corp certified – we care about people & planet Exclusive holiday discounts for you, friends, and family Wellbeing perks, gym access at HQ, health cash plan Hybrid working & on-site parking Training & development to keep you growing We’re all about diversity, inclusion, and bringing your authentic self to work. Need adjustments for the recruitment process? Just ask. Ready to Turn Data into Decisions? Apply today and be the driving force behind smarter, faster growth at Forge Holiday Group!