Data Scientist / Software Engineer

Joining the company, the company’s purpose, shared values and collaborative approach have set us apart for 80 years, guiding how we shape a better world. Our Transport Modelling and City Modelling Lab teams bring together transport modellers, data scientists, software engineers and multidisciplinary specialists to solve complex urban challenges. We use data, modelling, visualisation and modern software engineering practices to help clients understand how people move, how cities function, and how future transport systems can be planned more effectively.

The Opportunity: We have opportunities for an experienced and ambitious Data Scientist with strong software engineering skills to join our collaborative and creative Transport Modelling and City Modelling Lab team in London. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to cutting‑edge projects in agent‑based and activity‑based modelling, working alongside transport modellers, software engineers, and multidisciplinary teams across the UK and internationally. As a Data Scientist within our Transport Modelling team, you will play a key role in developing innovative, data‑driven solutions to complex urban transport challenges. Combining advanced analytics, modelling, software development and visualisation techniques, you will help shape sustainable transport outcomes for our clients and communities.

You will design and build robust, scalable and reusable software solutions, applying industry best practices and embracing our collaborative "Pragmatic Programmer" culture. Working across the full development lifecycle, you will contribute to open‑source projects, develop and maintain CI/CD pipelines, implement automated testing frameworks, and deploy cloud‑based infrastructure using Infrastructure as Code principles. The role also involves supporting transport scheme assessments and mitigation testing through rigorous data analysis, interpreting model outputs, and communicating technical insights to clients and stakeholders through both traditional and innovative reporting methods. You will produce clear documentation, maintain high coding standards, participate in code reviews, and support the development of junior team members through mentoring and knowledge sharing.

This is an exciting opportunity to work at the intersection of transport, data science and software engineering, contributing to projects that have a real impact on the future of mobility. At the company, you belong to an extraordinary collective – in which we encourage individuality to thrive. Our strength comes from how we respect, share and connect our diverse experiences, perspectives and ideas. You will have the opportunity to do socially useful work that has meaning – to the company, to your career, to our members and to the clients and communities we serve.

Essential Skills and Knowledge:

• Strong proficiency in Python with experience in software engineering best practices
• Experience with Git/GitHub workflows including pull requests, code reviews, and collaborative development
• Familiarity with automated testing frameworks (pytest, unittest, etc.)
• Understanding of CI/CD principles and experience with deployment pipelines
• Strong data visualisation skills
• Ability to present complex data clearly and effectively
• Excellent interpersonal and client-facing communication
• Comfortable working independently and within a team

Desirable Skills and Knowledge:

• Active contributions to open-source projects (GitHub profile demonstrating collaborative development)
• Cloud computing experience with AWS, GCP, or Azure
• Infrastructure as Code experience (Terraform, CloudFormation, etc.)
• Containerisation experience (Docker, Podman, etc.)
• Experience with agent‑based modelling (e.g. MATSim, etc.)
• Experience programming in Java a plus
• Familiarity with population synthesis best practices and relevant tools (e.g. PopulationSim)
• Understanding of data engineering
• Agile/Scrum/Kanban/XP methodology experience

What we offer you:

At the company, we care about each member’s success, so we can grow together. Guided by our values, we provide an attractive total reward package that recognises the contribution of each of our members to our shared success. As well as competitive, fair and equitable pay, we offer a career in which all of our members can belong, grow and thrive – through benefits that support health and wellbeing, a wide range of learning opportunities and many possibilities to have an impact through the work they do. We are owned in trust on behalf of our members, giving us the freedom, with personal responsibility, to set our own direction and choose work that aligns with our purpose and adds to the company’s legacy. Our members collaborate on ambitious projects to deliver remarkable outcomes for our clients and communities.

Profit Share is a key part of our reward, enabling members to share in the results of our collective efforts. We also provide private medical insurance, life assurance, accident insurance, and income protection cover. In addition, you’ll have access to flexible benefits to help you look after all aspects of your wellbeing and give you the freedom and flexibility to find the best solutions for you, your family, and your individual needs.

Different people, shared values: the company is an equal opportunity employer that actively promotes and nurtures a diverse and inclusive workforce. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of age (within legal limits), gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, neurotype or mental health, race or ethnicity, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and whether you’re pregnant or on family leave. We are an open environment that embraces diverse experiences, perspectives, and ideas – this drives our excellence. Guided by our values and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, we create and contribute to equitable spaces and systems, while cultivating a sense of belonging for all. Our internal employee networks support our inclusive culture: from race, ethnicity and cross-cultural working to gender equity and LGBTQ+ and disability inclusion – we aim to create a space for you to express yourself and make a positive difference.

We are committed to making our recruitment process and workplaces accessible to all candidates. Please contact hr@unitedstatesdigital.space to let us know if you need any assistance or reasonable adjustments throughout your application or interview process, and/or to perform the essential functions of the role. We will do everything we can to support you.

Recruitment Agencies: We have a Preferred Supplier List of trusted partners to assist us when required and do not acknowledge any speculative CVs or unsolicited candidate introductions from agencies not on the list. Stay safe online – the company will never ask for your bank details as part of our recruitment process.

Closing Date: 17.08.2026. We may close the role earlier than the advertised date should we receive a large number of applications, so please ensure you apply early.