Senior Data Scientist in Reading

As a Sr Data Scientist embedded within the MarketCast Data Science Product team, you will be a core builder of the data science capabilities that power our products. Your focus will be on designing, developing, and iterating the models, methodologies, and analytical frameworks that sit at the heart of what MarketCast takes to market. You will work at the intersection of data science and product development, translating complex analytical thinking into scalable, repeatable product solutions. You'll collaborate closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and Researchers to ensure that what we build is both technically rigorous and commercially compelling.

Key Responsibilities

• Product-Focused Model Development: Design, build, and validate statistical models, machine learning algorithms, and analytical frameworks that form the core of MarketCast's commercial product offerings. Take ownership of the data science layer within products, ensuring models are robust, scalable, and fit for real-world deployment across a diverse range of client use cases.
• Research Methodology & Innovation: Develop and refine the methodologies and measurement approaches that underpin our products, ensuring they reflect best-in-class data science practice. Proactively identify opportunities to introduce new techniques that meaningfully improve product performance and differentiation in the market.
• Product Collaboration & Roadmap Input: Work as an embedded data science partner within the wider product team, contributing to product strategy, roadmap prioritisation, and feature definition. Translate business and market requirements into clear data science specifications, and advocate for technically sound, evidence-based product decisions throughout the development lifecycle.
• Prototyping & Experimentation: Lead rapid prototyping and experimentation efforts to test and validate new product concepts and model approaches before they reach full development. Define and execute A/B tests, pilots, and benchmarking studies to measure the performance of new methodologies against existing solutions, using results to guide product iteration.
• Data Infrastructure & Scalability: Collaborate with engineering to ensure models and pipelines are built in a way that supports scalable, production grade deployment. Contribute to the design of data processing workflows, feature engineering pipelines, and model monitoring frameworks that enable consistent, reliable product performance at scale.
• Quality, Validation & Standards: Establish and uphold rigorous standards for model validation, testing, and quality assurance across all product data science work. Document methodologies clearly and thoroughly to ensure reproducibility, support knowledge sharing, and provide a foundation for ongoing product improvement and auditability.
• Internal Enablement & Thought Leadership: Act as an internal subject matter expert on the data science capabilities embedded in our products, supporting sales, client services, and research teams in understanding and communicating the value of what we've built. Contribute to white papers, internal training, and industry publications that showcase MarketCast's methodological leadership and build credibility in the market.
• Mentorship & Team Development: Provide technical guidance and mentorship to more junior data scientists, fostering a culture of rigour, curiosity, and continuous improvement. Help establish shared best practices, coding standards, and ways of working that raise the overall capability of the team.

It'll be helpful if you have:

• Master's or Ph.D. degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Economics, or a related quantitative field.
• 5+ years of experience in data science, with a track record of developing models or analytical products that have been deployed commercially or at scale.
• Strong proficiency in Python (scikit-learn, pandas, numpy, and related libraries), SQL and data pipeline tooling.
• Deep experience with machine learning techniques and Generative AI algorithms.
• Experience developing and validating data science solutions in a product or platform context.
• Solid understanding of experimental design, statistical inference, and model evaluation frameworks.
• Experience working with large datasets and cloud-based computing environments.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to non-technical stakeholders, including product managers, commercial teams, and senior leadership.
• Experience in the media, entertainment, or marketing research industry is a plus.
• Strong problem-solving instincts, intellectual curiosity, and a genuine passion for building things that make an impact.

Who We Are: MarketCast measures what moves people. Powered by AI, trained on decades of verified consumer response data, along with proprietary technology, MarketCast is the marketing effectiveness partner for the world's most ambitious brands, connecting emotional resonance to real-world business outcomes across advertising, sponsorships, content, brand health, and advanced analytics. With category-deep expertise spanning sports, entertainment, travel, automotive, and consumer brands, our team of seasoned industry strategists brings unmatched human intelligence to every engagement, turning complex data into decisive action so brands know exactly what's working, why it's working, and what to do next.

At MarketCast, we don't just accept difference - we embrace it, support it, and thrive on it for the benefit of our global culture and success. MarketCast is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.

Our Values:

• Move the Needle: We turn insight into action and action into impact, acting with urgency and intention at every level, anticipating what's needed, executing with discipline, and driving outcomes that are measured and meaningful.
• Client Success is Our Scoreboard: We win when our clients win. Delivering scaled, tech-enabled solutions that drive measurable impact and value to build lasting partnerships.
• Grow Every Day: Expertise is earned continuously by investing in our craft, our colleagues, and our company.
• Own It: Take responsibility for outcomes, not just outputs.

Benefits:

• Free movie tickets!
• 29 days annual leave PLUS Bank Holidays.
• Flextime with core hours between 10am and 3pm.
• 2 days’ work from home, per week.
• 4% match pension scheme.
• Enhanced maternity pay.
• Regular social events in both UK locations.
• Professional growth and career development including LinkedIn Learning.

In addition to your salary, MarketCast believes in providing a competitive total rewards package for its employees. All benefits are subject to eligibility requirements, and the terms of our official plan may be modified or amended from time to time.

GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION (UK GDPR) NOTICE: The organisation collects and processes personal data relating to its applicants, employees and former employees to manage pre-employment and employment relationships and post-employment obligations. The organisation is committed to being transparent about how it collects and uses that data and to meeting its data protection obligations. For further information on the information we collect, how it’s used, and how it's protected, please contact the MarketCast UK HR Team.