Senior Data Scientist

• Working Pattern: This post is available on a full-time, part-time or job-share basis, and flexible working hours can be accommodated.
• Location: London

About the Team

The NISTA Data & Insight Team brings together data scientists, engineers, analysts and digital professionals who genuinely care about learning from each other, sharing ideas and making things happen. Together we turn rich, high-value project data into analysis, insights, and tools. These support people across government, from project delivery teams to top executives in HMT, the Cabinet Office, and No10. They help make decisions that develop how the UK delivers its biggest and most complex projects. Working with the Government Major Projects Portfolio, the 10‑year Infrastructure Pipeline and other project delivery data, your work will directly influence how major programmes are planned, delivered and improved.

Over the last two years, the team has undergone a significant transformation, digitising large‑scale project data collection and overhauling our digital and data infrastructure. This enables us to create high‑impact dashboards and analytics as well as drive the development of AI tools. It means we can develop and share quickly, resulting in rapid iterative development with our users. And we continue to evolve, improve our capability and cultivate our skills.

This position offers the chance to join an encouraging, inclusive, and collaborative environment. You can develop your skills, address meaningful challenges, and help shape the future of government delivery.

About the Job

In this role, you will:

• You will lead and develop products within our insights workstream. This includes maintaining and developing analytics solutions such as Python Plotly Dash apps, Next.js apps, and advanced ML and AI tools. You will also mentor and support junior colleagues.
• Work with a range of partners, including colleagues across multiple departments, to ensure our products are user‑centric from the outset.
• Working to expand and develop our advanced analytical offering for the Project Delivery Function, including building and embedding advanced AI tools across government
• Providing guidance to team members on best practices in coding, analysis, and usage of data, including use of Git for version control.

In the role of Senior Data Scientist at NISTA's Data and Insight group, you will combine technical expertise with strong communication skills. You will develop tailored data science products used across NISTA, HM Treasury, the wider UK government, and the private sector. Working closely with colleagues across NISTA's Data and Insight team, you will support junior team members, generate insight, and develop AI‑enabled capabilities.

You will bring strong technical expertise in developing data science products across their full lifecycle, from initial development through to deployment and maintenance. This includes strong coding ability in Python, a solid understanding of version control using Git, and the ability to model best practice in these tools for junior colleagues. You will also collaborate with Data Engineers and Infrastructure Engineers to deploy these products, ensuring they are robust and scalable.

You will collaborate directly with subject matter experts across NISTA, wider Treasury, and the Project Delivery Function. This ensures the insight products we generate are high quality, relevant, and user centric. This includes communicating the outputs clearly and engagingly, turning complex analysis into stories that help leaders make confident, evidence‑based decisions and increase the value we deliver to decision makers across government.

You will be embedded within a Data Science team, supervising the work of junior colleagues, providing advice and steer to help them develop their skills and improve our product offering. As part of this, you will actively encourage a culture of data science experimentation and learning, supporting innovation days and Python clubs to upskill more junior colleagues. The role also offers significant opportunity to deepen your own expertise, both technically and in developing your project management skills, within a supportive, ambitious and forward‑thinking environment.

About You

We’re looking for someone with Programming and build experience who can write sophisticated programs and scripts in Python, underpinned by best practice. They will be able to tackle problems creatively, applying innovative data science techniques and creating tools that align with organisational objectives. They will also have experience working in a multi‑disciplinary team, supporting the growth and development of less expert staff.

Some of the Benefits our people love!

• 25 days annual leave (rising to 30 after 5 years), plus 8 public holidays and the King’s birthday (unless you have a legacy arrangement as an existing Civil Servant). Additionally, we operate flexitime systems, allowing employees to take up to an additional 2 days off each month
• Flexible working patterns (part‑time, job‑share, condensed hours)
• Generous parental and adoption leave packages
• Access to a generous Defined Benefit pension scheme with employer contributions of 28.97%
• Access to a cycle‑to‑work salary sacrifice scheme and season ticket advances

If you need any reasonable adjustments to take part in the selection process, please tell us about this in your online application form.