At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead data optimisation and analysis to enhance market oversight and regulatory insights.
- Company: Join the FCA, a key player in UK financial regulation.
- Benefits: Generous salary, 25 days leave, private healthcare, and flexible working.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for professional growth and meaningful contributions.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on UK finance while developing your data science skills.
- Qualifications: Advanced data science experience in financial markets and strong SQL/Python skills.
The predicted salary is between 60700 - 78000 £ per year.
Division: Enforcement & Market Oversight
Department: Market Oversight, Data & Intelligence
Salary: National (Edinburgh & Leeds) ranging from £60,700 to £78,000 and London ranging from £66,600 to £86,000 (salary offered will be based on skills and experience)
This role is graded as: Lead Associate – Regulatory
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 finance services.
The Market Oversight Directorate oversees conduct in UK primary and secondary markets through the listing, prospectus, and market abuse regimes, aiming to promote trusted, orderly, and efficient markets via its four departments: Listing, Primary Market Oversight, Secondary Market Oversight, and Market Oversight Data & Intelligence.
Sitting within the Market Oversight Directorate, the Market Oversight Data and Intelligence (MODI) Department, formed in 2024, drives data‑led regulation by delivering specialist services, intelligence, and casework across UK markets, supporting innovation, insight, and effective oversight through advanced analytical and technical capabilities.
Role Responsibilities
- Leading the optimisation of high‑performance pipelines of trading and position data, transforming millions of daily records into model‑ready datasets for risk and market analysis.
- Owning the design and insights from interactive dashboards and web apps, turning unique regulatory markets data into system‑wide views across fixed income, commodities, FX and equities helping stakeholders build a detailed understanding of firm and sector risks through flow and exposure data.
- Leading analysis on diverse and stimulating issues, empowering market abuse, policy and supervisory teams to make informed, timely decisions whilst gaining exposure to a broad range of markets and financial products.
- Supporting colleagues and growing your technical skills to impactful challenges and play a key role in shaping how data are harnessed to monitor and supervise firms and markets.
Minimum Skills required
- Demonstrable and advanced data science and engineering experience within a financial markets context, able to design efficient SQL (Redshift) and Python code for complex ETL pipelines and feature engineering.
- Substantial experience with joining, analysing, manipulating commercial and regulatory data for visualisation (Tableau) and apps.
- Demonstrable experience in utilising data analytics tools and libraries (Pandas, PySpark, etc).
Essential
- Understanding of financial markets.
- Experience in applying machine learning techniques to market data.
- Experience in developing user‑friendly analytical products, e.g. self‑service tools, or web applications.
- Ability to effectively engage with a range of stakeholders.
Benefits
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
- Non‑contributory pension (8–12% depending on age) and life assurance at eight times your salary.
- Private healthcare with Bupa, income protection, and 24/7 Employee Assistance.
- 35 hours of paid volunteering annually.
- Hybrid model where employees work a minimum of 40% in the office each month (expectation of 50% for senior leaders); changing from September to a minimum of 50% in the office each month (expectation of 60% for Directors and Executive Directors).
- A flexible benefits scheme designed around your lifestyle.
Security Clearance
SC Clearance is required for this role (SC Guidance) – you will hold or will be required to obtain Security Check (SC) level vetting.
Disability confidence
We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. 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.
Markets Data Scientist in Edinburgh employer: Financial Conduct Authority
The FCA is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in the heart of Edinburgh or Leeds, where you can contribute to the integrity of UK financial markets. With a strong focus on employee growth, we provide extensive training opportunities, a generous benefits package including private healthcare and a non-contributory pension, and a commitment to work-life balance through our hybrid working model. Join us to be part of a forward-thinking team that values innovation and collaboration while making a meaningful impact on consumers and the economy.
Contact Details:
Financial Conduct Authority Recruitment Team
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