At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the delivery of complex AI solutions and mentor a community of data scientists.
- Company: Join a leading digital technology consultancy with a focus on responsible AI.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid working, and a people-first culture.
- Other info: Be part of a pivotal growth moment in a 150-strong AI and Data Practice.
- Why this job: Influence the future of AI in major UK organisations and drive innovation.
- Qualifications: Proven track record in AI solutions and strong leadership skills.
The predicted salary is between 90000 - 130000 £ per year.
Senior AI leadership role at one of the UK's leading AI and Data businesses. Cutting-edge work across machine learning, generative AI and agentic AI at enterprise scale. Belfast based hybrid working with UK-wide client engagement. Salary £90,000 to £130,000. UK work authorisation required.
About the Company
Our client is a leading digital technology consultancy with a decade-long track record of delivering production-grade AI solutions across government, healthcare, defence and commercial sectors. Their 150-strong AI and Data Practice is trusted by Microsoft, AWS and others to deliver advanced solutions at citizen scale. Pioneers in responsible AI, this is a genuinely exciting practice to join at a pivotal moment in its growth.
The Role
A principal-level leadership position for a senior AI and Data Science professional who can operate with equal confidence in a technical deep-dive and a C-suite conversation. You will be accountable for large-scale AI solution delivery, help set the strategic direction for AI and data science across the business, and lead a community of data scientists and AI engineers. If you want to influence the future direction of AI in some of the UK's most important organisations, this is the role.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the delivery of complex, production-grade AI and ML solutions at scale across major client programmes.
- Provide technical and thought leadership to C-level and senior stakeholders, defining architectural principles and strategic direction.
- Drive adoption of scalable, cloud-native AI development practices and robust engineering standards.
- Lead, mentor and develop a community of data scientists, AI engineers and technical managers.
- Embed responsible AI principles, model interpretability and ethical considerations across all delivery.
- Shape commercial AI offerings, influence account strategies and support business development.
- Build enduring client relationships and develop new alliances with technology partners.
- Contribute to the wider AI community through thought leadership, research and industry engagement.
What You'll Need
Essential:
- Proven track record delivering complex, production-grade AI and ML solutions at scale.
- Deep expertise in advanced AI and ML models including time series, supervised and unsupervised learning, reinforcement learning, LLMs and agentic AI.
- Experience with modern AI engineering approaches including prompt engineering, RAG and agentic AI orchestration.
- Expertise in data engineering for AI, including large-scale, unstructured and multimodal data.
- Deep understanding of responsible AI principles with a track record of influencing policy and standards.
- Ability to communicate and negotiate with C-level stakeholders, translating technical concepts into business value.
- Experience shaping commercial AI offerings and driving business development.
- Demonstrated ability to build and lead high-performing data science teams and communities.
Desirable:
- Experience with PyTorch, TensorFlow, and fine-tuning or distillation of LLMs including GPT, Llama and Gemini.
- Experience with vector databases, semantic search and knowledge graphs.
- Active contribution to open-source projects, research publications or industry events.
- Familiarity with AI security, privacy and compliance standards including ISO 42001.
Why Apply?
- Salary of £90,000 to £130,000.
- Work at the cutting edge of AI and ML delivery on programmes at genuine national scale.
- Join a 150-strong AI and Data Practice at a pivotal moment in its growth.
- Pioneer in responsible AI with real influence over policy, standards and industry direction.
- People-first culture with a strong focus on innovation, continuous learning and engineering excellence.
- Hybrid working within a collaborative and ambitious practice.
Interested? For a confidential conversation about this opportunity, connect with Justin Donaldson on LinkedIn or submit your CV via the link below.
Principal Data Scientist employer: Ocho
Join a pioneering digital technology consultancy that is at the forefront of AI and Data solutions in the UK. With a strong focus on responsible AI, this company offers a people-first culture that prioritises innovation and continuous learning, alongside hybrid working arrangements that foster collaboration. As part of a 150-strong AI and Data Practice, you will have the opportunity to influence the future of AI across significant sectors while enjoying competitive salaries and professional growth.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Data Scientist
✨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 Ocho!
✨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 Principal Data Scientist at Ocho.
✨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 Ocho.
✨Apply Directly through Our Website
When you find a suitable opening like Principal Data Scientist at Ocho, 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!
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Data Scientist
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 Ocho, 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 Ocho. 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 Ocho
✨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 Ocho!
✨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.
