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Natural England

Higher Data Scientist - ( Ref : 6301 )

On site

London, United kingdom

Full Time

04-11-2025

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Skills

Communication Python Data Analysis GitHub Version Control Quality Assurance Machine Learning Programming git Data Science

Job Specifications

East Midlands (England), East of England, London (region), North East England, North West England, South East England, South West England, West Midlands (England), Yorkshire and the Humber

Job Summary

This position is based Nationally

Job Description

Data Science Services (DSS) is part of the Analysis Directorate. We are a large, national team and have broad skills including data science, analysis and statistics. We are passionate about quality technical delivery and continuous improvement, using novel data science approaches to help everyone understand nature recovery. We are looking for a Higher Data Scientist who can lead data analyses and implement improvements across a range of projects, playing a key role in applying advanced analytical and machine learning techniques to complex problems. In addition, the post holder will be contributing to the development and improvement of data science across the team.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone with a passion for delivering quality data science outputs and seeking new personal development challenges.

Job Description

Key Tasks/Principal Accountabilities

Lead the end-to-end delivery of analytical, modelling and data science improvement projects.
Coordinate / undertake project planning and reporting so that projects are delivered efficiently, and progress, risks and issues are monitored
Ensure project data standards, processes and systems are followed to ensure outputs are high-quality and robust (including through good documentation and automation) so that customer decisions and advice can be based on sound evidence and outputs can be reproduced.
Engage with customers and partners to scope work and communicate progress.
Build capability in others in the team (and sometimes across NE as appropriate) to enable effective delivery and support resilience to absence and change.
Engage with customers and partners to identify and exploit opportunities for new or revised projects (inc. use of new technologies), or for developing projects to improve the evidence base, improve efficiency, build capability or generate funding.

How To Apply

We welcome and encourage applications from all communities. Natural England is accredited to the Disability Confident Scheme, which denotes organisations which have a positive attitude towards disabled people. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum requirements for the role at the shortlisting stage are guaranteed an invitation to interview.

If you require a reasonable adjustment at interview, or there is anything else you would like the panel to take into consideration, you should notify us of this at application stage where possible, or well in advance of your interview.

This vacancy uses competency-based assessment. We'll assess you against the competencies below during the selection process:

Technical Skills and Knowledge
Personal effectiveness
Creating resilient landscapes and seas
Work delivery

When completing the application form you should present relevant examples using the STAR format. Give us an example of how you have demonstrated the competency (which can be work related or from another area of your life) and tell us about the Situation, the specific Task you had to undertake, the specific Actions you took, and the Result (both immediate and in a wider context) of your doing so.

Please note that STAR format is not required when answering the Technical Skills & Knowledge competency. Examples should be given in no more than 250 words for each competency.

Competencies

Competence 1

Professional competency

Detail

Technical Skills and Knowledge

Description

Understanding of good practice, ethics, and quality assurance (verification, validation, analytical review) for data analysis
Good working knowledge of R and/or Python computer programming language for data science.
Experience of data analysis, statistics and modelling techniques which could include exploratory data analysis, statistical theory, data visualisation and data science techniques.
Competent in Git and GitHub for version control, collaborative development, and maintaining reproducible and well-documented code.

Competence 2

Professional competency

Detail

Personal effectiveness

Description

Apply new technology to improve the way we deliver our work (Practitioner)
Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience (Basic)

Competence 3

Professional competency

Detail

Creating resilient landscapes and seas

Description

Recognise environmental features and designations within their environmental context (This includes understanding terminology and context when working with data and information) (Basic)
Use and contribute to the evidence base on environmental and landscape change to support resilient landscapes and seascapes (Practitioner)

Competence 4

Professional competency

Detail

Work delivery

Description

Manage and deliver your work to meet agreed targets and deadlines (Prac

About the Company

Natural England is an Executive Non-departmental Public Body responsible to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Our purpose is to protect and improve England’s natural environment and encourage people to enjoy and get involved in their surroundings. Please note: we do not respond to queries on social media. Know more