Lead Data Scientist

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.

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 role

This is an exciting opportunity to work on Faculty’s product Frontier, working as a Lead Data Scientist in our Customer Development team. You’ll have a crucial opportunity to shape the technical vision for how we deliver our flagship Frontier product to customers and guide the senior and junior data scientists on your team.

You will oversee project teams that configure Frontier for our customers by designing and building bespoke computational twins – our AI-powered digital twins. Maintaining ownership of the data science approach, you will own the technical vision for these complex deployments, partner directly with clients to shape strategy, and play a vital part in mentoring the next generation of data science talent at Faculty.

What you'll be doing

Project Leadership:

• Guide the technical delivery of Frontier deployments for clients, from initial discovery through to the build and productionisation of computational twins.

• Own the end-to-end data science approach, designing and implementing the optimal techniques – from EDA and classic machine learning to deep learning – to create high-performing computational twins within the Frontier platform.

• Partner with our commercial team and clients to build strong, lasting relationships, acting as a trusted technical advisor on how AI & Frontier can solve their most complex problems.

• Articulate intricate technical concepts, model design choices, and strategic decisions clearly and effectively to diverse audiences, from client-side engineers to C-suite executives.

Team Mentorship:

• Formally manage and mentor a number of data scientists, taking direct responsibility for their career progression and professional growth.

• Provide targeted technical support and learning opportunities for the data scientists on your project teams, ensuring they are developing their skills in applied data science and on the Frontier platform.

• Contribute to sustaining our culture by creating an atmosphere of collaboration and setting a high standard for performance and technical excellence within the team.

Technical Leadership:

• Establish a distinct and differentiated data science vision for building computational twins, driving best practices and innovative approaches for configuring the Frontier product.

• Partner with our commercial and product teams to ensure potential projects are appropriately scoped and resourced, balancing client delivery, colleague wellbeing, and commercial imperatives.

• Keep abreast of the latest technical and technology advancements in AI, share these with others in the organisation, and identify how they can be incorporated into the Frontier product and our delivery workflows.

Who we're looking for

• You have deep technical expertise in machine learning and a command of diverse methodologies, with a solid grasp of data science and statistical techniques (e.g., supervised/unsupervised machine learning, model cross-validation, Bayesian inference, time-series analysis).

• Strong Python programming skills and an excellent proficiency of the basic libraries for data science (e.g., NumPy, Pandas, Scikit-Learn) and familiarity with a deep-learning framework (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch).

• You possess proven experience leading data science projects and making key decisions on technical direction, model selection, and architecture.

• You are an exceptional communicator, capable of building rapport with clients, translating complex business problems into a mathematical framework, and presenting technical solutions persuasively to senior audiences.

• You have a strategic, product-oriented mindset, with an ability to understand the core needs of users and connect them to the value delivered by a technical product like Frontier.

• You are passionate about developing people and have experience formally managing or mentoring other technical professionals.

• Commercial experience is essential, particularly if it involved client-facing work, project management, or consulting. You are motivated to work alongside our clients to ensure the successful delivery of innovative work to strict timelines.

#LI-PRIO

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.

Some of our standout benefits:

• Unlimited Annual Leave Policy

• Private healthcare and dental

• Enhanced parental leave

• Family-Friendly Flexibility & Flexible working

• Sanctus Coaching

• Hybrid Working (2 days in our Old Street office, London)

If you don’t feel you meet all the requirements, but are excited by the role and know you bring some key strengths, please do apply or reach out to our Talent Acquisition team for a confidential chat - [email protected] Please know we are open to conversations about part-time roles or condensed hours.