Associate Data Scientist

Are you a Data Scientist eager to make a real difference in the UK?

We're looking for Data Scientists to join us at the forefront of transforming the statistical landscape. This is your chance to apply your skills to solve complex challenges, leverage diverse data sources, and deliver insights that shape policy, enhance statistics, and drive innovation.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is the UK’s largest producer of official statistics, covering a range of key economic, social and demographic topics. These include measuring changes in the value of the UK economy, estimating the size, geographic distribution and characteristics of the population, and providing indicators of price inflation, employment, earnings, crime and migration.

Job description

Data science is a broad and fast-moving field spanning maths, statistics, software engineering and communications. Data scientists will often work as part of a multidisciplinary team, using data and analytics to inform and achieve organisational goals.

In these roles, you will lead teams that will:

• Be inquisitive

• Explore and visualise data

• Make recommendations to address complex problems and to inform strategic and operational decision making

• Use data ethically and appropriately

• Be innovative and adaptable

• Explore existing and new data using a range of statistical tools and techniques, such as machine learning, AI, and predictive analytics

• Find patterns in data and transform them into organisational insight

• Deliver analysis that is fit for purpose and appropriately assured

An associate data scientist is inquisitive, curious about data and keen to learn and develop.

Responsibilities

• Understand the basics of software development and analytical methods, and be able to develop and assure basic models

• Understand and be able to implement a range of data science techniques, including machine learning

• Collaborate with others to develop fit for purpose data science solutions and outputs supporting the organisation

• Prepare and manipulate data and perform analytics, all with appropriate quality assurance.

• Present and communicate effectively

• Be aware of project delivery methods

• Be able to create, interpret, and assure statistical outputs effectively.

• Be aware of ethical consideration

• Have knowledge of the technologies used

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• Programming & Build (data science)Write and test scripts and create basic models in one or more languages, collaborate on shared codebases, using a variety of methodologies. (this skill will be our LeadEssential Skills Criterion).

• Applied maths, statistics, and scientific practicesApply analytical methods including exploratory data analysis and statistical testing to a specific data set, to reach accurate and reliable conclusions. Understand and use different performance and accuracy metrics for model validation in data science projects, hypothesis testing and information retrieval. Compare selected applied mathematics and statistical methods and identify their differences access and use the statistical and scientific tools available within the organisation.

• Data EngineeringIdentify the appropriate engineering support to design and provide products for the organisation. Recognise the processes and tools for cleansing and preparing data, and put reusable processes and checks in place. Use different architectures, including cloud and on-premise, Use data manipulation and transformation tools.

• Understanding Product Delivery Show an awareness of the differences between delivery methods, such as Agile and waterfall, and can propose the most appropriate method to deliver each product, manage your contribution to tasks to fit in with the work of your wider team.

Please see role profile attached.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Working Together

• Delivering at Pace

• Managing a Quality Service

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Programming & Build (Data Science)

• Data Engineering - assessed via a presentation

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £34,587, Office for National Statistics contributes £10,019 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

The Office for National Statistics is part of the Civil Service, and as such we share a number of key benefits with other departments, whilst also having our own unique offerings to support our valued colleagues across the organisation.

Whether you are hearing about us for the first time or already know a bit about our organisation, we hope that our careers site will give you a great insight into the benefits and facilities available to our colleagues, and our fantastic working culture.

This role is part of the cross-government Government Digital and Data (formerly DDaT) profession framework. As a role within Government Digital and Data (formerly DDaT) at the ONS, we also offer benefits such as:

• Protected Learning Time to spend on your personal development and side-projects.

• A supportive and active Community of Practice which you will be expected to contribute to, helping ensure you and your colleagues get the training, development and opportunities you need to progress your careers.

We are committed to supporting our people’s wellbeing by offering flexible ways of working that support a healthy work life balance. We are happy to explore opportunities with you about working flexibly in line with our hybrid working policies.