Data ScientistNHS
Job summary
Data Scientists play a key role in using data, stats & machine learning to solve problems & improve decision-making. They will develop & evaluate statistical & machine learning approaches, focus on applications such as population health analysis, risk stratification, forecasting, segmentation & predictive modelling. Bringing together complex datasets, identifying appropriate modelling approaches, evaluating performance & ensuring outputs & limitations are understood. Strong focus on moving data science beyond one-off analysis. Develop reproducible analytical pipelines & production-ready analytical workflows, working with engineering colleagues to integrate models & analytical capabilities into data products & operational services. Use modern collaborative development practices including Git, automated testing, DevOps pipelines & CI/CD, helping ensure analytical code & models can be developed, tested, deployed & updated in a controlled & reproducible way. Emphasis placed on discovery, experimentation & rapid prototyping, testing hypotheses & modelling approaches early, evaluating whether they provide meaningful value & iterating based on evidence & user feedback. Ensure solutions are robust, reproducible, explainable & appropriately validated, consideration given to model performance, uncertainty, bias, clinical & ops context, info gov & the implications of using predictive models.
Main duties of the job
Work to understand complex problems & user needs, translate these into appropriate data science questions, hypotheses & analytical approaches. Develop, test & evaluate risk stratification & predictive models to support population health management, service planning & operational decision-making. Apply appropriate statistical & machine learning techniques. Explore, manipulate, link & analyse complex health & care datasets, assessing data quality, completeness, bias, suitability & limitations. Undertake discovery, experimentation & rapid prototyping, testing different modelling approaches & using evidence to determine which ideas are developed. Evaluate models using appropriate statistical & machine learning techniques, considering performance, generalisability, uncertainty, bias, explainability & potential impact within the clinical or operational context. Develop reproducible analytical pipelines (RAP) & automated analytical workflows, ensuring analysis can be reliably repeated, tested & maintained. Use development practices, produce well-structured, documented, reusable analytical code, participating in code review & quality assurance. Develop practices for data science, automating appropriate testing, validation & deployment processes so that analytical models & code can move from development to production.
Job description
Please also refer to attached Job Description.
The post holder will deliver high-quality analytical and technical support to the Data Science function within the Cluster.
They will develop, implement, and validate statistical models, machine learning algorithms, and automated analytical processes to generate insight that inform operational planning, population health management, and service improvement initiatives.
The role involves working closely with senior data scientists, data engineers, business intelligence teams, clinicians, and operational managers to translate business requirements into analytical solutions.
They will ensure analytical outputs are accurate, reproducible, and compliant with NHS information governance, data security, and methodological standards.
The post holder will support continuous improvement by applying best-practice analytical methods, contributing to team knowledge sharing, and assisting in embedding data-driven approaches within operational and improvement activities.
About us
Under the Model ICB Blueprint and the 10 Year Health Plan, ICBs will adopt a more strategic commissioning role, focusing on population needs, reducing inequalities, and delivering the three shifts as defined in the 10 year health plan, all while operating within strict financial limits.
The new organisation will operate on a larger scale with a revised vision and purpose, managing a commissioning budget of around £8 billion. Our role as a strategic commissioner is to transform our local NHS through exceptional commissioning and build an innovative health system fit for the 21st century that truly meets our communities needs. Informed by high quality data and insights, we will radically re-imagine how we operate, making sure that every pound in our system delivers the best possible value for everyone we serve.
We will encourage and support our people to grow and develop new skills and embrace new agile ways of working. Everyone is encouraged to contribute ideas, seek feedback, and take part in creating a listening and learning culture where insight leads to improvement.
We will work as a team of teams, collaborating across services and professions to deliver the best outcomes for our communities. You will be encouraged, and expected to model inclusive behaviours, valuing diverse perspectives and helping to create a workplace where everyone feels respected, supported, and able to thrive.