Senior Data Scientist

• Opportunity to work flexibly in line with the demands of the role.
• 30 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
• Secondment/fixed term until 31^st March 2026 - Please discuss a secondment with your current Line Manager before applying and obtain their approval.

We are seeking a Senior Data Scientist to lead the development of AI-driven tools. The role focuses on applying cutting-edge AI within the Microsoft Azure ecosystem to deliver real-world impact. This is a unique opportunity to drive data science innovation in the public sector and improve outcomes for vulnerable children.

We’re working to improve the lives of people in Somerset – and you’ll be a key part of that. 

In this secondment/fixed-term position, you will design, implement, and refine generative AI models to produce high-quality outputs. You’ll collaborate with professionals across disciplines to align solutions with user needs and regulatory standards, while championing ethical data use and clear communication of insights.

Your day-to-day work will involve:

• Building AI models: You’ll design and refine generative AI models, including those that use Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), to produce high-quality, context-aware outputs.
• Engineering prompts: You’ll craft and optimize prompts that guide AI behavior, ensuring the outputs are relevant, accurate, and useful.
• Using Microsoft Azure tools: You’ll work within the Microsoft Azure ecosystem—using tools like Azure AI Foundry, Fabric Notebooks, and Azure Machine Learning—to build, test, and deploy your solutions.
• Collaborating across teams: You’ll work closely with professionals from education, IT, and data teams to understand their needs and translate them into AI solutions.
• Ensuring ethical AI use: You’ll implement data governance and ethical frameworks to protect sensitive information and ensure responsible AI deployment.
• Monitoring and improving performance: You’ll define success metrics, track model performance, and iterate based on feedback and new developments.

We offer ongoing support, training and guidance to help you be the best you can be.

You will need:

• Education: A bachelor’s degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Statistics, or a related field (or equivalent professional experience).
• Generative AI Expertise: Hands-on experience with large language models (e.g., GPT) and modern AI/ML techniques.
• Azure AI & Cloud Services: Proficiency in Microsoft Azure tools like Azure AI Foundry, Azure Machine Learning, and cloud-based ML workflows.
• Programming & Tools: Strong Python skills and familiarity with data science libraries, Jupyter or Fabric Notebooks, and VS Code.
• RAG & NLP: Solid understanding of Retrieval-Augmented Generation and natural language processing techniques.
• Prompt Engineering: Experience crafting and refining prompts to guide AI model behavior.
• Project Leadership: Proven ability to lead data science projects from concept to deployment.
• Communication: Ability to explain complex AI concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.

We’re proud to be here for the people of Somerset. And that means everyone in Somerset. An important part of this is ensuring that we are as diverse and inclusive as the people and communities we serve.

We welcome applications from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences to enrich our team. You can always contact the hiring manager for a chat if there’s anything you want to talk about before you apply.

We are proud to offer an environment that is supportive and rewarding, working as part of a team who are passionate about the work they do to improve the lives of people in Somerset.

We offer great training and development opportunities, with supportive management. As well as this, we have some fantastic employee benefits available:

• We promote a healthy work-life balance and offer flexible working arrangements wherever possible, including working from home.
• Generous annual leave allowance, with the opportunity to purchase additional leave
• Staff discounts in gyms.
• Employee Assistance for the times you may need some support and a variety of employee wellbeing services.
• Auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme and optional pension enhancement through our Additional Voluntary Contribution scheme.
• A Flexible Benefits Scheme via salary sacrifice to obtain a cycle for work and health screenings.
• My Staff Shop offering discounts in shops, online shopping, restaurants, cinema tickets, insurance benefits and more

The salary range for this role is £40,476 to £44,711 per annum.

For an informal chat about the role, you can contact:

Josh Pimm, Chief Data & Analytics Officer via email at Josh.Pimm@Somerset.gov.uk

Interviews will take place on include planned date/s for interviews here.

When completing your application/CV please provide your full employment history and ensure that any gaps in employment are explained. Please start with your current or most recent employment.

If you have all the information you need, just hit the apply button - we can’t wait to hear from you.