Overview
In this role you shape data-driven decision-support software for airline operations, embedding ML and optimization to improve performance. You’ll own production-grade modules within a data science product and collaborate with stakeholders across the business. You’ll prototype, deploy and maintain end-to-end solutions that inform critical operational decisions. This is a hands-on, impact-driven position in a fast-moving, cross-functional squad.
Pay / Benefits
- staff travel benefits including unlimited basic and premium standby tickets
- up to 30 discounted ‘Hotline’ fares per year
- opportunities for progression and internal mobility
- inclusion and diversity commitments
- values-driven culture
- competitive salary (implied)
Responsibilities
- Develop and embed industrialised decision-support software using machine learning and optimisation techniques
- Act as technical owner of production-grade data science modules
- Understand operational problems end-to-end and identify optimisation opportunities
- Conduct analysis and visualization to identify valuable opportunities and assess trade-offs
- Drive modelling and technical approach decisions balancing speed, performance, debt and value
- Rapidly prototype ML and optimisation models in Python
- Deliver production-grade ML and optimisation modules with software engineering best practices
- Build robust data ingestion, cleaning and processing pipelines
- Contribute to software orchestration and cloud-based CI/CD deployment
- Drive system design decisions with software architects
- Ensure robustness through logging, error handling and automated testing
- Harden algorithms against edge cases and quantify adoption and value
- Engage with stakeholders to gather requirements and feedback
- Contribute to feature prioritisation and roadmap discussions
- Support integration of products into operational processes
- Communicate modelling approaches and results to stakeholders
- Mentor junior team members
- Contribute to agile practices including Git, code reviews and delivery predictability
Key requirements
- Experience solving real-world problems using applied ML, optimisation and operational research techniques
- Strong Python capability and experience with data science and optimisation libraries
- Experience delivering production-quality data science software
- Familiarity with cloud platforms, CI/CD pipelines and modern orchestration tooling
- Strong software engineering discipline including testing, logging and version control
- Ability to structure complex problems and propose pragmatic solutions
- Confidence communicating advanced concepts to technical and non-technical audiences
- Systems-thinking mindset with attention to detail
- Curious, proactive and resilient approach
- Collaborative working style with focus on continuous improvement
- Commitment to delivering measurable business value
- Curious and proactive
- Resilient and detail-oriented
- Collaborative and communicative
- Python
- Machine learning
- Optimization
Senior Product Data Scientist in Heathrow employer: British Airways
British Airways is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration in the heart of the aviation industry. As a Lead Product Data Scientist, you will have access to cutting-edge technology and significant opportunities for professional growth, all while contributing to impactful projects that enhance operational efficiency. With a commitment to employee development and a focus on delivering measurable business value, British Airways provides a rewarding environment for those looking to make a difference in their careers.
