Research Data Scientist
Role details
Job location
Tech stack
Job description
As a Research Data Scientist, you'll have the opportunity to work across several research themes from gathering data and building pipelines, through analysis and modelling, to visualising and presenting findings to a range of audiences. You'll deliver research and build tools and workflows, including AI-enabled solutions and numerical models, to tackle both research and organisational challenges. You'll operate as part of a wider cross-disciplinary team, combining your skills to deliver against challenging technical problems.
Responsibilities
Delivery of quantitative research and data science
The Data Science Lab delivers and supports wider organisational use of quantitative research and data science. The primary role of research data scientists is to support the delivery of data science and quantitative analysis work in support of both research and wider organisational functions such as finance and HR. You will operate as part of a team to deliver data science outputs ranging from statistical analysis, machine learning, data visualisation and data collection activities.
In your role you'll be expected to perform the core functions of a data scientist:
- Collect, process and clean data for analysis.
- Conduct data analysis.
- Visualise data to communicate the findings of your research.
- Use a range of tools including programming languages (R or Python) to conduct your work.
As well as core data science responsibilities, you'll have the opportunity to develop your skills on more advanced projects featuring supervised and unsupervised machine learning, regression modelling, natural language processing, stock-and-flow modelling, and survey data analysis, depending on project requirements.
As well as conducting data science activities, you will have a supporting role in ensuring data science, quantitative research and artificial intelligence are integrated into research proposals, identifying opportunities to enhance RAND Europe's research.
Supporting the organisation and your colleagues
The Data Science Lab has the role of a centre of excellence for quantitative research, data science and AI use. As a research data scientist, you will support colleagues in the wider research groups or within the operational aspects of the business in applying quantitative research techniques and guide them in the use of such methods in their research. Through your work, you will ensure RAND Europe's research is underpinned by robust analysis and data. You will also be required to support colleagues operating as part of a larger data science team to meet the demands of larger projects.
Support innovation
As a research data scientist, you will be responsible for using data science techniques-including AI, model building, data visualisation, applied statistics and data collection-to overcome a range of challenges faced by the organisation. You'll participate in a range of innovative development projects to:
- Create solutions to research problems.
- Create new data and AI products.
- Improve business processes and driving efficiency.
- Improve accessibility of research and policy design.
- Embed data science into wider policy research.
Driving standards
The Data Science Lab fulfils the function of setting best practices and standards across the organisation. As a Research Data Scientist you will follow the best practices and standards in the organisation including:
- Data handling processes.
- Writing reproducible, well-documented code.
- Working within version-controlled repositories,
- Producing outputs suitable for peer review or client delivery.
- Work with researchers across the organisation to help them identify areas where they can improve their own research using statistics, AI and wider data science techniques.
Requirements
Essential Skills:
- Experience conducting quantitative research, from designing an approach to a problem through to delivering analysis.
- An enthusiasm to learn and solve complex problems.
- Proficiency with writing clean, reproducible code for data processing and analysis (Python or R).
- Experience handling data, including cleaning, manipulation, and linking.
- Ability to visually represent data.
- Ability to communicate findings and approaches to research, both written and verbal and able to account for different audiences.
- Ability to work as part of a team.
- An analytical mindset and attention to detail.
- Proficiency in Microsoft tools such as Outlook, Teams, Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
Desirable (not essential) Skills:
- Experience using Git.
- Proficiency in other languages and tools such as SQL, Stata, C++, Power BI and others is advantageous.
- Experience with LLMs, prompt engineering, or AI evaluation frameworks.
- Familiarity with cloud environments (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP) and containerisation tools such as Docker or Podman.
- Experience in Linux/Unix environments.
- Working understanding of the end-to-end ML development process.
- Published works in data science, statistics or other numerical disciplines., * Postgraduate degree in a quantitative field or equivalent practical experience.
Benefits & conditions
Starting from £33,000 per annum Benefits
- Pension - 8% Employer contribution;
- 33 days holiday allowance, including the Bank Holidays;
- Annual salary review;
- BUPA medical insurance;
- Generous company sick pay;
- Enhanced family friendly policies;
- Group income protection scheme;
- Group life assurance;
- Compassionate leave;
- Flexible working arrangements;
- Learning and development opportunities;
- Employee wellbeing training and support;
- Fresh fruit every day;
- Free on-site parking;
- Cycle to work scheme;
- Access to company bikes;
- Service awards.
