Senior Data Scientist
Job summary
The Senior Data Scientist is a senior technical specialist within the Strategic Value Unit, working across the integrated Strategic Value Unit and Population Health Unit function. The postholder will independently lead complex analytical projects using advanced data science methods to support strategic commissioning, population health management and evaluation.
Working within the professional standards and assurance arrangements established by the Lead Data Scientist, the postholder will develop robust analytical products, translate complex findings into practical insight and support their implementation. They will work across disciplines and contribute to peer review, reproducible practice, technical development and capability building.
Proposed Interview Dates: 19th - 20th November
Main duties of the job
The Senior Data Scientist will independently lead substantial analytical projects from problem definition and data specification through modelling, validation, interpretation, implementation and monitoring. They will select proportionate methods, work within established professional standards and ensure that findings are transparent, reproducible and appropriately interpreted.
The role will:
- lead complex analytical projects supporting strategic planning, commissioning, population health management and evaluation;
- apply appropriate advanced statistical, data science and operational research methods;
- develop, validate and implement analytical products, assessing performance, uncertainty, limitations and potential bias;
- apply established standards for reproducible programming, documentation, peer review and model lifecycle management;
- translate complex analysis into clear recommendations and support stakeholders to implement analytical products;
- contribute to technical supervision, shared analytical assets and development of data science capability.
About us
We are committed to promoting equal opportunities to achieve equity of access, experience and outcomes and to recognising and valuing people's differences. We are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity; we see this as a strength and part of our founding mission, values and behaviours. We know through experience that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create a stronger and more creative work environment that delivers patient outcomes.
We are committed to creating the best place to work, where your contribution is valued, your wellbeing is supported and all our colleagues can reach their full potential. We welcome and encourage applications from all areas of the community, who meet the criteria for the role, regardless of their protected characteristic. We work to ensure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible to everyone, including making adjustments for people who have a disability or long-term condition and support with the recruitment process for people with lived experience.
We are happy to discuss flexible working options for all roles.
We operate a Carer friendly working environment that is supportive and inclusive. We actively encourage Carers to self-identify themselves.
We are a Disability Confident Employer and commit to shortlisting suitable applicants who meet the essential criteria for an interview. Please inform us of any adjustments you may require.
Job description
Job responsibilities
A. Advanced analytics and modelling
Independently lead complex analytical projects using appropriate statistical, data science and operational research methods.
Select proportionate methods that reflect the decision context, data quality, implementation requirements and limitations of the evidence.
Provide technical advice on analytical methods and interpretation within own areas of expertise.
B. Strategic commissioning, population health and evaluation analytics
Lead advanced analysis of population need, inequalities, demand, utilisation, capacity, outcomes and variation to support strategic planning and commissioning.
Apply analytical methods to option appraisal, population segmentation, targeting, pathway redesign and neighbourhood-level decision-making.
Lead defined data science components of evaluations and contribute to multidisciplinary evaluation of services, programmes and interventions.
Integrate quantitative findings with clinical, public health, economic, operational and qualitative evidence.
C. Analytical products, data and quality assurance
Develop, validate and implement analytical products supporting strategic and operational decisions, clearly defining their intended use, population, outcomes, assumptions and limitations.
Apply proportionate validation, sensitivity analysis, peer review and documentation; assess performance and potential bias across population groups.
Work with large, complex and linked health and care datasets, assessing quality, provenance, linkage and fitness for purpose and working with relevant colleagues to secure authorised access.
Use R and/or Python, SQL, version control, structured code, testing and automated reporting to produce transparent and reproducible analysis.
Support monitoring, review and recalibration of operational products, escalating material concerns and contributing reusable code, templates and analytical assets.
D. Insight, communication and implementation
Work with commissioners, clinicians and other decision-makers to define analytical questions and translate findings into clear, actionable recommendations.
Communicate methods, assumptions, uncertainty and limitations clearly to technical and non-technical audiences, particularly where analysis may influence significant service or resource decisions.
Provide constructive technical challenge where methods or interpretations are unsupported, and support stakeholders to implement analytical products and assess their benefit.
E. Professional contribution and project delivery
Undertake peer review and quality assurance in line with standards established by the Lead Data Scientist.
Provide technical supervision, coaching and support to analytical colleagues and contribute to shared methods, standards and resources.
Manage priorities, risks and dependencies within assigned projects and support delivery of the wider data science work programme.
Promote reproducibility, transparency, inclusion, methodological rigour and continuous learning.
Person Specification
Qualifications
- Master's-level qualification in a relevant quantitative discipline, or equivalent advanced specialist experience.
- Continuing professional development in data science, advanced analytics, programming or related methods.
- Relevant professional registration or evidence of wider contribution to the data science or analytical profession.
Knowledge & experience
- Significant experience applying advanced data science, statistical or operational research methods to complex health, care, public-sector or comparable problems.
- Experience independently leading complex analytical projects involving multiple stakeholders and data sources.
- Strong knowledge of NHS data, including primary and secondary care data, and experience analysing large, complex or linked person-level datasets, including their quality, provenance and limitations.
- Experience designing, validating and implementing advanced analytical models, including assessing performance, uncertainty, limitations, potential bias and requirements for ongoing monitoring.
- Experience providing technical supervision, peer review, mentoring or development support to analytical colleagues.
- Experience designing or delivering quantitative evaluations of services, programmes or interventions.
- Experience applying systems modelling or operational research methods.
- Experience deploying analytical models in operational environments or developing shared analytical assets using cloud-based or modern analytical engineering tools.
Skills
- Advanced programming expertise in R and/or Python and strong SQL skills, applying structured code, version control, testing, documentation and peer review to large datasets.
- Ability to translate complex health and care questions into clearly defined analytical problems and select proportionate methods.
- Ability to interpret complex findings, assess assumptions and limitations, draw defensible conclusions from imperfect data and communicate actionable recommendations to technical and non-technical audiences.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer details
Employer name
NHS Central East ICB
Address
Gemini House
Ely
CB7 4EA
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.centraleast.icb.nhs.uk/