Data Scientist

About the Role Outside IR35 £200 - £300 Initial 6 month contract - high possibility of 18 months Our client is hiring a Data Scientist – AI/ML Engineer to join our Core AI Services team. You’ll be at the forefront of designing and scaling cloud-native AI platform services and APIs that enable enterprise-wide AI adoption. Working within a collaborative Scrum team, you’ll help build secure, reliable, and production-grade AI solutions that are ethical, scalable, and future-ready. This is a unique opportunity to work on cutting-edge AI systems in a global R&D environment, contributing to the development of trustworthy AI services. What You’ll Do • Build scalable, fault-tolerant cloud-native services on Microsoft Azure, including Azure Functions, AKS, and API Management. • Develop secure, well-documented RESTful APIs and SDKs, managing their full lifecycle. • Deliver end-to-end data pipelines, orchestration, and service APIs. • Deploy and manage AI models and tooling for enterprise-scale adoption. • Embed security best practices around authentication, authorization, and data privacy. • Participate in design reviews, code reviews, and architecture discussions. • Use AI orchestration tools like AI Foundry or Semantic Kernel. • Apply prompt engineering and leverage tools like GitHub Copilot for development. • Ensure responsible AI practices aligned with NIST AI RMF, EU AI Act, and other ethical standards. • Mentor junior developers and foster a culture of continuous learning and innovation. Skills & Experience • 10+ years in software engineering, with strong experience building cloud-native or platform services using Microsoft and .NET. • 4+ years in a Data Scientist or AI/ML Engineer role. • Proficiency in Python, including libraries like pandas, scikit-learn, TensorFlow, and PyTorch. • Deep understanding of ML algorithms: regression, classification, clustering, and deep learning. • Hands-on experience with Large Language Models (LLMs) and techniques such as Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), agent orchestration, prompt engineering, and tool calling. • Familiarity with AI standards like Model Context Protocol (MCP) and Agent2Agent (A2A). • Experience with automated testing and validation of AI outputs. • Strong problem-solving mindset and ability to communicate technical concepts to non-technical audiences. • Agile team experience and a collaborative approach to leadership. What You’ll Gain • Be part of a team building cutting-edge AI systems at enterprise scale. • Work in a global, collaborative R&D environment with domain experts. • Contribute to the development of ethical and trustworthy AI services. • Competitive day rates with a contract Outside IR35.