Data Scientist – MLOps & Machine Learning Engineering

Location: London Grade: Senior Associate Employment Type: Fixed Term Contract REQ003158 About XPS Group This Is a hybrid working role and the expectation is for 2 days in our London office. XPS Group is a prominent and growing UK consultancy and administration firm within the pensions and insurance sectors. As a FTSE 250 company with over 2000 employees, we leverage expertise alongside advanced technology to serve over 1,400 pension schemes and their sponsors. Our goal is to foster a workplace where diverse talents thrive. About The Team We are now approaching the one‑year anniversary of our dedicated insurance arm, which has grown rapidly since its launch. To support this momentum, we are seeking a Data Scientist with MLOps experience to join one of our offices with hybrid or remote UK working. This role will suit someone with proven experience in designing, deploying and monitoring machine learning solutions in commercial environments. Familiarity with Azure ML is essential. Experience in financial services, and insurance in particular, is strongly advantageous. Key Responsibilities • Model development. Work collaboratively with actuarial analysts to develop proxy models for insurance, using machine learning and statistical techniques to approximate complex actuarial models. Identify appropriate algorithms and approaches to produce accurate and efficient proxies, supporting faster risk assessments, scenario testing, and decision-making processes. • Machine Learning Operations. Responsible for designing, deploying, maintaining and refining statistical and machine learning models using Azure ML. Optimise model performance and computational efficiency. Implement and maintain monitoring of model drifts, data-quality alerts, scheduled re-training pipelines. • Data Management and Preprocessing. Collect, clean and preprocess large datasets to facilitate analysis and model training. Implement data pipelines and ETL processes to ensure data availability and quality. • Investigate the modelling potential of the latest LLM models. • Stay abreast of new trends and technologies in Data Science technologies and insurance to identify opportunities for innovation. • Interpret and explain machine learning concepts and findings to other members of the insurance team and non-technical stakeholders within XPS. Essential Your Profile: • Previous experience in designing, building, deploying and managing machine learning models using Azure ML. Other cloud experience also valued. • Experience with Python machine learning libraries such as scikit-learn, PyTorch, TensorFlow. • Strong knowledge of core Python programming concepts including data manipulation (NumPy, pandas); data visualisation; software engineering best practices such as modular code, version control and testing; and familiarity with ML lifecycle tools e.g. MLflow. • Good written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to convey technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders. • Strong organisational skills with the ability to work independently and manage competing priorities. • Curiosity and strong problem-solving skills, with a proactive approach to exploring new methods and technologies. Desirable • Exposure to insurance or similar regulated financial services industry. • Familiarity with model governance, explainability, and regulatory compliance requirements for machine learning in financial services. • Experience in working within a multidisciplinary team would be beneficial. What We Offer Enjoy a competitive salary, annual discretionary bonus, and 25 days’ holiday with buy/sell flexibility. Benefits include pension matching, healthcare plans, life assurance, and retailer discounts. We support our team with a flexible benefits scheme, employee assistance, and digital GP service. Participating in volunteering events is encouraged with paid volunteer days available. Referral bonuses are offered for introducing suitable candidates to XPS. How To Apply Interested candidates should submit applications below or contact recruitment@xpsgroup.com. Join XPS Group and contribute to a dynamic and inclusive workplace. Equal Opportunity Statement XPS Group is committed to diversity and equal opportunities. We welcome applications from all candidates, irrespective of sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion, or belief. As a Disability Confident employer, we ensure accessible and supportive work settings for all employees. Eligibility Any employment offer made will be conditional upon you satisfying DBS Disclosure checks, Employment or educational references, Satisfactory credit checks and eligibility to work in the UK before an offer can be made. XPS Group is not able to provide sponsorship to employees. Who Are We To find out more please visit: www.xpsgroup.com