Senior Data Scientist

Job summary

Do you have experience working within multi-disciplinary teams to deliver data science projects to achieve organisational goals?

Have you applied data science or artificial intelligence to deliver high-quality research or analysis to support policy development?

Do you enjoy turning complex data into meaningful insights that directly influence national transport policy and real-world outcomes?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

Active Travel England is dedicated to enabling safer, more accessible streets so more people can walk, wheel, and cycle. Bringing together expertise in data science, economics, social research, and digital delivery, the organisation provides evidence to inform transport policy and investment. Within the Data and Analysis directorate, you will join a collaborative team developing data-driven insights using geospatial analysis, statistics, and machine learning. This work supports decision-making, improves street design, and helps build healthier, more inclusive communities.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King’s birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at ATE:

Active Travel England roles: Active Travel England - Department for Transport Careers

Job description

As a Senior Data Scientist, you will apply advanced statistical and computational methods to address complex challenges related to the impact of investment in walking and cycling. Using tools such as Python, R, GitHub, and GCP BigQuery, you will develop robust analytical solutions and contribute to data-driven insights. You will also collaborate closely with data engineers to design and build efficient data pipelines supporting data science and machine learning activities.

Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:

• Lead the end-to-end design, development, and deployment of high-impact data science products, using geospatial data, machine learning, and advanced statistical methods to generate new insights into active travel behaviours and outcomes.
• Support the data science team to acquire and integrate new and emerging large data sources (i.e. active travel sensors), ensuring contract terms allow suitable access to data and the resulting datasets are robust and fit for analytical use.
• Write moderate to complex programs and scripts (using Python, R) and show a good understanding of testing methodologies and version control (GitHub), and the use of cloud platforms to ensure work is robust, reproducible, and scalable.
• In close collaboration with the data engineering function, help design and provide robust and scalable data pipelines required to support complex analytics and machine learning workflows.

For further information on the role, please read the role profile.Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

Person specification

Required experience:

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

1. Experience working within multidisciplinary project teams to help define requirements and deliver data science products that meet the needs of the organisation or business priorities.
2. Experience in Python and SQL used to write moderate to complex, scalable data science solutions and apply coding best practices for the team
3. Proven experience using modern software development practices, including version control (e.g., GitHub), continuous integration, and designing systems for
   reproducibility and scalability – ideally with cloud infrastructure (i.e. BigQuery).
4. Experience identifying and addressing data ethical issues and their implications for data science projects, ensuring solutions are responsible and fair.

Additional Information

The role is part of the Government Digital and Data (or Government Security Profession Career Framework) profession and utilises an enhanced Capability–Based Pay Framework which provides access to a Digital and Data allowance.

The base pay is £44,241. In addition to this the role includes a Digital and Data allowance of up to £14,756.

The value of allowance awarded will be based on an assessment of your skills and experience as demonstrated through the selection process. Here are more details on the pay framework.

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week.

Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 30 hours per week.

This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.

The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location/visiting stakeholders. Your designated workplace will be your contractual place of work. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.

You will be required to attend a meeting with the analytical team in the York office on Tuesdays each week.

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that we do not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker Licence sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship. Candidates must ensure they have the appropriate rights to work in the UK before application.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Applied maths, statistics and scientific practices
• Data engineering
• Programming and build (data science)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,241, Active Travel England contributes £12,816 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions