Data Scientist in Bristol

Location: Bristol / Hybrid, with occasional travel to customer and Leidos sites.

Clearance: Applicants must have (or be able to obtain) UK SC clearance.

Role Overview

We are seeking a Data Scientist to join us on a permanent basis. You will apply advanced analytical, statistical, and machine‑learning techniques to support major UK Government programmes and the wider enterprise, working across multidisciplinary teams throughout the UK. You will collaborate with delivery managers, engineers and architect stakeholders to design, develop, and operationalise data‑driven solutions that deliver meaningful impact. This role offers the opportunity to deepen your expertise, contribute to high‑value projects, and help shape the analytical capability within one of the strongest teams in the business.

Your Responsibilities Will Include:

• Designing, developing, and validating statistical models and machine‑learning solutions
• Conducting exploratory data analysis and feature engineering to uncover insights and support decision‑making
• Working closely with data engineers to ensure high‑quality, scalable data pipelines for modelling
• Translating analytical findings into clear, actionable recommendations for technical and non‑technical audiences
• Supporting the development of analytical roadmaps, risk identification, and mitigation planning
• Contributing to the operationalisation and monitoring of models in production environments

Required Skills:

• Experience in data science, machine learning, or applied analytics
• Proficiency in Python and common ML libraries (pandas, NumPy, scikit‑learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch)
• Experience designing, training, and evaluating machine‑learning models
• Solid understanding of statistical methods, predictive modelling, and experimental design
• Experience working in an agile delivery environment
• Strong problem‑solving skills and attention to detail

Desired Skills:

• Ability to communicate analytical concepts clearly to non‑technical stakeholders
• Experience working with large or complex datasets, including data cleansing and feature engineering
• Experience with cloud‑based ML services (AWS SageMaker, Azure ML, Databricks)
• Familiarity with MLOps practices and model lifecycle management
• Experience with NLP, deep learning, or computer vision
• Knowledge of data visualisation tools (Power BI, Tableau)
• Exposure to big‑data technologies (Spark, Hadoop)
• AWS certifications
• Experience supporting government or highly regulated environments

Clearance Requirements:

• Clearance to Start BPSS
• Clearance for Role SC
• Applicants must have (or be able to obtain) SC clearance

Benefits:

Pay Range: £47,600.00 - £61,000.00. We provide an employment package that includes a contributory pension scheme, private medical insurance, 33 days annual leave (including public and privilege holidays), a flexible working scheme, and other flexible benefits such as health schemes, gym memberships, and cycle‑to‑work schemes.

Commitment to Diversity:

We welcome applications from every part of the community and are committed to a truly diverse and inclusive culture. We foster a sense of belonging, welcoming all perspectives and contributions, and providing equal access to opportunities and resources for everyone. If you have a disability or need any reasonable adjustments during the application and selection stages please let us know, and we will respond in a way that best fits your needs.

Commitment to Non‑Discrimination:

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.