Senior Data Scientist - Public Sector

<h1><span class="emphasis-3">Join Kainos and Shape the Future </span></h1><p>At Kainos, we’re problem solvers, innovators, and collaborators - driven by a shared mission to create real impact. Whether we’re transforming digital services for millions, delivering cutting-edge Workday solutions, or pushing the boundaries of technology, we do it together.</p><p><br>We believe in a <b>people-first culture</b>, where your ideas are valued, your growth is supported, and your contributions truly make a difference. Here, you’ll be part of a diverse, ambitious team that celebrates creativity and collaboration.</p><p><br>Ready to make your mark? <b>Join us and be part of something bigger.</b></p><div><div><p><b><span>J</span></b><b><span>OB<span> </span></span></b><b><span>P</span></b><b><span>ROFILE DESCRIPTION</span></b><span> </span></p></div><div><p><span> </span></p></div><div><p><span><span>Kainos is recognised as one of the UK’s leading AI and data businesses, with a decade-long<span> </span></span><span>track record</span><span><span> </span>of delivering impactful, production-grade AI solutions for clients across government, healthcare,<span> </span></span><span>defence,</span><span><span> </span>and commercial sectors. Kainos is at the forefront of AI innovation</span><span>,<span> </span></span><span>trusted by Microsoft,<span> </span></span><span>AWS,</span><span><span> </span>and<span> </span></span><span>others<span> </span></span><span>to deliver advanced AI<span> </span></span><span>and data<span> </span></span><span>solutions at<span> </span></span><span>citizen<span> </span></span><span>scale.</span></span><span> </span></p></div><div><p><span> </span></p></div><div><p><span><span>Our 150-strong AI and Data<span> </span></span><span>Pr</span><span>actice<span> </span></span><span>brings</span><span><span> </span>together deep<span> </span></span><span>expertise</span><span><span> </span>in machine learning, generative AI, agentic<span> </span></span><span>AI</span><span><span> </span>and data</span><span>. We are pioneers in responsible AI, having authored the UK government’s AI Cyber Security Code of Practice implementation guide</span><span><span> </span></span><span>and we partner with leading organisations to ensure AI is deployed ethically, securely and with measurable business value. Our teams are at the<span> </span></span><span>c</span><span>utting edge</span><span><span> </span></span><span>of AI research, and delivery, it is truly an exciting team to join Kainos as we further grow our AI capability.</span></span><span> </span></p></div><div><p><span> </span></p></div><div><p><b><span>M</span></b><b><span>AIN PURPOSE OF THE ROLE<span> </span></span></b><b><span>&</span></b><b><span><span> </span>RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE BUSINESS</span></b><b><span>:</span></b><span> </span></p></div><div><p><span> </span></p></div><div><p><span><span>As a<span> </span></span><span>Senior</span><span><span> </span></span><span>Data Scientist</span><span><span> </span>at Kainos, you will<span> </span></span><span>be building<span> </span></span><span>advanced AI solutions<span> </span></span><span>leveraging</span><span><span> </span></span><span>state-of-the-art</span><span><span> </span>machine learning</span><span>,<span> </span></span><span>generative<span> </span></span><span>and agentic<span> </span></span><span>AI technologies. You will drive the adoption of modern AI frameworks,<span> </span></span><span>AI</span><span>Ops best practices</span><span><span> </span></span><span>and scalable cloud-native architectures. Your role will involve hands-on technical<span> </span></span><span>delivery, collaborating with customers to translate business challenges into trustworthy AI solutions and ensuring responsible AI practices throughout.</span><span><span> </span>As a technical mentor, you will foster a culture of innovation, continuous<span> </span></span><span>learning,</span><span><span> </span></span><span>and engineering excellence.</span></span><span> </span></p></div><div><p><span> </span></p></div><div><p><span><span>It is</span><span><span> </span>a fast-paced<span> </span></span><span>environment,</span><span><span> </span>so it is important for you to make sound, reasoned decisions.<span> </span></span><span>You will</span><span><span> </span>do this whilst learning about<span> </span></span><span>new technologies</span><span><span> </span>and approaches, with talented colleagues that will help you to develop and grow</span><span>. <span> </span></span><span>You will support your colleagues and more junior developers, providing direction support as you solve challenging problems together.</span></span><span> </span></p></div><div><p><span> </span></p></div><div><p><b><span>M</span></b><b><span>INIMUM<span> </span></span></b><b><span>(</span></b><b><span>ESSENTIAL</span></b><b><span>)</span></b><b><span><span> </span>REQUIREMENTS</span></b><span><span>:</span></span><span> </span></p></div><div><p><span> </span></p></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>A minimum of a 2.1 degree in Computer Science, AI, Data Science, Statistics or in a similar quantitative field.</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Have a deep understanding<span> </span></span><span>and developing<span> </span></span><span>of AI/ML models, including time series, supervised/unsupervised learning, reinforcement learning and LLMs.</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div></div><div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Experience with the latest AI engineering approaches such as<span> </span></span><span>prompt engineering, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG</span><span>),</span><span><span> </span>and agentic AI</span><span>.</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Strong Python skills with a grounding in software engineering best practices</span><span><span> </span>(CI/CD, testing, code reviews etc)</span><span>.</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Expertise</span><span><span> </span>in data engineering for AI: handling large-scale, unstructured, and multimodal data</span><span>. </span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Understanding of responsible AI principles, model<span> </span></span><span>interpretability,</span><span><span> </span></span><span>and ethical considerations.</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Strong interpersonal skills and team working.</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><p><span> </span></p></div><div><p><span> </span></p></div><div><p><b><span>D</span></b><b><span>ESIRABLE</span></b><b><span>:</span></b><span> </span></p></div><div><p><span> </span></p></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Demonstrable experience with modern deep learning frameworks (e.g.</span><span><span> </span></span><span>PyTorch</span><span>, TensorFlow), fine-tuning or distillation of LLMs (e.g., GPT, Llama, Claude, Gemini), machine learning libraries (e.g. scikit-learn,<span> </span></span><span>XGBoost</span><span>).</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Experience with data storage for AI, vector databases, semantic<span> </span></span><span>search,</span><span><span> </span>and knowledge graphs.</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Actively contributes to open-source AI projects, research<span> </span></span><span>publications,</span><span><span> </span>and industry events/websites. </span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p><span><span>Familiarity with AI security, privacy, and compliance standards e.g. ISO4200</span><span>1</span><span>.</span></span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div></div><h1><span class="emphasis-3"><b>Embracing our differences  </b> </span></h1><p>At Kainos, we believe in the power of diversity, equity and inclusion. We are committed to building a team that is as diverse as the world we live in, where everyone is valued, respected, and given an equal chance to thrive.   We actively seek out talented people from all backgrounds, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or any other characteristic that makes them who they are.   We also believe every candidate deserves a level playing field.  <br></p><p>Our friendly talent acquisition team is here to support you every step of the way, so if you require any accommodations or adjustments, we encourage you to reach out.  <br></p><p>We understand that everyone's journey is different, and by having a private conversation we can ensure that our recruitment process is tailored to your needs.</p><p></p><p> </p>

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Common Interview Questions And Answers

1. HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR DAY?

This is what this question poses: When do you focus and start working seriously? What are the hours you work optimally? Are you a night owl? A morning bird? Remote teams can be made up of people working on different shifts and around the world, so you won't necessarily be stuck in the 9-5 schedule if it's not for you...

2. HOW DO YOU USE THE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS?

When you're working on a remote team, there's no way to chat in the hallway between meetings or catch up on the latest project during an office carpool. Therefore, virtual communication will be absolutely essential to get your work done...

3. WHAT IS "WORKING REMOTE" REALLY FOR YOU?

Many people want to work remotely because of the flexibility it allows. You can work anywhere and at any time of the day...

4. WHAT DO YOU NEED IN YOUR PHYSICAL WORKSPACE TO SUCCEED IN YOUR WORK?

With this question, companies are looking to see what equipment they may need to provide you with and to verify how aware you are of what remote working could mean for you physically and logistically...

5. HOW DO YOU PROCESS INFORMATION?

Several years ago, I was working in a team to plan a big event. My supervisor made us all work as a team before the big day. One of our activities has been to find out how each of us processes information...

6. HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE CALENDAR AND THE PROGRAM? WHICH APPLICATIONS / SYSTEM DO YOU USE?

Or you may receive even more specific questions, such as: What's on your calendar? Do you plan blocks of time to do certain types of work? Do you have an open calendar that everyone can see?...

7. HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE FILES, LINKS, AND TABS ON YOUR COMPUTER?

Just like your schedule, how you track files and other information is very important. After all, everything is digital!...

8. HOW TO PRIORITIZE WORK?

The day I watched Marie Forleo's film separating the important from the urgent, my life changed. Not all remote jobs start fast, but most of them are...

9. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A MEETING AND PREPARE A MEETING? WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING DURING THE MEETING?

Just as communication is essential when working remotely, so is organization. Because you won't have those opportunities in the elevator or a casual conversation in the lunchroom, you should take advantage of the little time you have in a video or phone conference...

10. HOW DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY ON A DAILY BASIS, IN YOUR WORK AND FOR YOUR PLEASURE?

This is a great question because it shows your comfort level with technology, which is very important for a remote worker because you will be working with technology over time...