At a Glance
- Tasks: Transform complex data into actionable insights and drive business decisions.
- Company: Join Leonardo, a global leader in Aerospace, Defence, and Security.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous leave, and a comprehensive benefits package.
- Other info: Be part of an inclusive team that values diversity and innovation.
- Why this job: Make a real impact with advanced analytics and shape the future of data-driven decision-making.
- Qualifications: Strong SQL, Python or R skills, and experience with predictive modelling required.
Salary Range: £53,000 - £65,000
Your impact
Are you passionate about turning complex data into powerful business decisions? Join our team and help shape the future of data-driven decision-making by delivering advanced analytics, predictive modelling, and business intelligence solutions that influence strategic and operational outcomes across the organisation. This role offers the opportunity to work with diverse stakeholders, modern analytics technologies, and large-scale datasets to unlock valuable insights and drive measurable business impact.
What you will do as a Data Scientist
You will play a key role in transforming data into actionable intelligence, helping the business identify opportunities, mitigate risks, and make informed decisions. Key responsibilities include:
- Developing and implementing predictive models and machine learning algorithms to support strategic and operational decision-making.
- Analysing large volumes of structured and unstructured data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities.
- Validating, monitoring, and optimising analytical models to ensure accuracy, reliability, and business value.
- Collaborating with stakeholders across product, operations, technology, and business functions to shape and deliver data-driven solutions.
- Designing, building, and maintaining interactive dashboards and automated reporting solutions.
- Extracting, transforming, and integrating data from multiple sources while ensuring data quality and integrity.
- Translating business challenges into analytical approaches, selecting the appropriate methodologies, tools, and techniques.
- Delivering descriptive, diagnostic, and predictive analysis to support management and business decision-making.
- Applying data science and analytics best practices, including documentation, governance, and reproducibility.
What you'll bring
We're looking for a data professional with strong technical and analytical expertise who can transform complex datasets into meaningful business outcomes. Essential skills and experience:
- Strong experience using SQL and business intelligence platforms such as Power BI, Tableau, or Qlik.
- Proficiency in Python or R for data analysis, statistical modelling, and predictive analytics.
- Experience developing, deploying, validating, and maintaining predictive models and machine learning solutions.
- Strong understanding of ETL processes, data integration, and data quality management.
- Experience working with large, complex structured and unstructured datasets.
- Knowledge of statistical analysis techniques and their application to real-world business problems.
- Understanding of data architecture principles and the processes required to support effective data delivery and reporting.
- Proven ability to translate business requirements into analytical solutions and actionable insights.
- Experience creating dashboards, self-service reporting, and visualisations that support decision-making.
Desirable:
- Experience with data governance, model management, and analytics best practices.
- Professional certifications in data management, analytics, business intelligence, or related disciplines (e.g. DAMA International or equivalent).
This is an excellent opportunity to use advanced analytics and data science techniques to influence business strategy, improve operational performance, and deliver meaningful outcomes across the organisation.
Security Clearance
This role is subject to pre-employment screening in line with the UK Government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). An additional range of Personnel Security Controls referred to as National Security Vetting (NSV) may apply, this could include meeting the eligibility requirements for The Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV).
Why join us
At Leonardo, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We offer a comprehensive, company-funded benefits package that supports your wellbeing, career development, and work–life balance. Whether you're looking to grow professionally, care for your health, or plan for the future, we’re here to help you thrive.
- Time to Recharge: Enjoy generous leave with the opportunity to accrue up to 12 additional flexi-days each year.
- Secure your Future: Benefit from our award-winning pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution.
- Your Wellbeing Matters: Free access to mental health support, financial advice, and employee-led networks championing inclusion and diversity.
- Rewarding Performance: All employees at management level and below are eligible for our bonus scheme.
- Never Stop Learning: Free access to 4,000+ online courses via Coursera and LinkedIn Learning.
- Refer a friend: Receive a financial reward through our referral programme.
- Tailored Perks: Spend up to £500 annually on flexible benefits including private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech & lifestyle discounts, gym memberships and more.
- Flexible working: Flexible hours with hybrid working options.
For a full list of our company benefits please visit our website.
Leonardo is a global leader in Aerospace, Defence, and Security. Headquartered in Italy, we employ over 53,000 people worldwide including 8,500 across 9 sites in the UK. Our employees are not just part of a team—they are key contributors to shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety.
At Leonardo we are committed to building an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming workplace. We believe that a diverse workforce sparks creativity, drives innovation, and leads to better outcomes for our people and our customers. If you have any accessibility requirements to support you during the recruitment process, just let us know.
Be part of something bigger - apply now!
Primary Location: GB - Edinburgh
Additional Locations: GB - Basildon, GB - Bristol - Coldharbour Lane, GB - Luton - Cap. Green 300, GB - Newcastle, GB - Southampton
Contract Type: Permanent
Hybrid Working: Hybrid
Data Scientist in Edinburgh employer: Leonardo
Leonardo is an exceptional employer that prioritises employee experience and inclusion, offering a dynamic work culture in the heart of Edinburgh. With flexible hybrid working arrangements, generous leave policies, and comprehensive mental health support, employees are empowered to thrive both personally and professionally. The company fosters growth opportunities, ensuring that every team member can develop their skills and advance their careers in a supportive environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Data Scientist in Edinburgh
✨Get Involved in Data Science Meetups
Tap into local data science meetups or workshops to connect with fellow enthusiasts and professionals. These events are goldmines for networking, and sometimes even lead directly to job openings at companies like Leonardo!
✨Show Off Your Projects
Start building a public portfolio showcasing your data science projects on platforms like GitHub or personal websites. Highlight unique analyses or models you've developed. This not only demonstrates your skills but also gets your name out there for roles like Data Scientist at Leonardo.
✨Leverage Professional Networks
Join professional bodies related to data science, like the Data Science Society or similar organisations. Getting involved can lead to mentorship opportunities and insider knowledge about full-time positions at companies like Leonardo.
✨Apply Directly through Our Website
When you find a suitable opening like Data Scientist at Leonardo, make sure to apply directly through our website. It gives you an edge and shows you're keen to join our team. Plus, who doesn’t love a direct application? It’s easier than navigating through job boards!
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Projects:In the world of data science, your projects can speak volumes about your skills. Make sure to showcase a few key projects in your CV or portfolio, especially those that highlight your ability to work with data sets, build models, or use relevant tools like Python, R, or SQL. Don’t forget to include links to any GitHub repositories if applicable!
Quantify Your Achievements:Employers love numbers! When drafting your CV, highlight your achievements with quantifiable results. For instance, mention how your data analysis led to a certain percentage increase in efficiency or revenue at a previous job or project. These details can really make your application pop!
Craft a Tailored Cover Letter:For a full-time role at Leonardo, your cover letter should reflect your passion for data science and your excitement about the specific projects or values of the company. Dive into why you’re a good fit, how your skills align with their needs, and any unique perspectives you can bring to the team.
Stand Out with Relevant Courses and Certifications:Although experience talks, relevant courses or certifications can be your ticket to impressing hiring managers at Leonardo. Mention any standout courses you've completed that equipped you with essential skills, such as machine learning certifications or data visualisation courses. This shows your commitment to continuously developing your skills in the field!
How to prepare for a job interview at Leonardo
✨Brush Up on Your Statistics
For a data science role, we need to seriously sharpen our statistics skills. Get ready to tackle technical questions on probability distributions, hypothesis testing, and regression analysis. These are often the bread and butter of data science interviews, so don't just skim over them!
✨Showcase Your Projects
Prepare a killer portfolio showcasing your data science projects. We should include details about the datasets used, the tools and techniques applied, and the impact of your findings. If we can walk them through a particularly challenging project or a cool visualisation that had real-world implications, it’ll really make us stand out!
✨Get Comfortable with Python and R
Most data science positions require us to be proficient in programming languages like Python and R. We should practice common libraries like pandas, NumPy, and scikit-learn, and be ready for live coding exercises or algorithm questions. Showing off our coding chops can really impress the interviewers at Leonardo!
✨Prepare for Case Studies
Expect to encounter real-world case studies during the interview. We might be asked how we’d approach a data problem or analyse a dataset to extract insights. It's essential to think out loud and demonstrate our problem-solving process so that the interviewer can see our logical thinking in action.
