Senior Data Scientist - Financial Services - Outside IR35

Senior Data Scientist
Hybrid: Once per week into London

We are seeking a Senior Data Scientist to provide oversight and hands-on expertise for the build of an AI Agent within an automated insurance workflow. The project involves prompt engineering of LLMs, API development and integration, and deploying solutions in line with a defined solution design. The successful contractor will also provide day-to-day oversight and mentorship to a junior Data Scientist on the project.
Role & Responsibilities The Senior Data Scientist will be responsible for:

• Designing, building, and deploying AI Agent solutions within an insurance workflow.
• Developing and refining prompt engineering approaches for large language models (LLMs).
• Building, testing, and integrating API calls to meet solution design specifications.
• Deploying containerised applications in Azure (or other cloud environments).
• Providing technical leadership, support, and oversight to a junior Data Scientist.
• Collaborating with solution architects, developers, and stakeholders to ensure seamless integration.
• Preparing performance evaluation reports and recommendations for next-phase development.

Skills & Experience Essential:

• Strong expertise in Python for AI/ML development.
• Hands-on experience with Large Language Models (LLMs) and prompt engineering.
• Experience deploying solutions in Azure (or equivalent cloud platforms).
• Demonstrated ability to deliver AI/ML solutions from design through to deployment.
• Proven ability to provide technical oversight and mentorship.

Desirable:

• Experience within Financial Services / Insurance environments.
• Familiarity with API-first solution architectures.
• Prior exposure to containerisation (Azure Container Apps, Kubernetes, Docker).