Be at the heart of actionFly remote-controlled drones into enemy territory to gather vital information.

Apply Now

Data Team Lead

Searchlight Cyber
Portsmouth
8 months ago
Applications closed

Related Jobs

View all jobs

Data Analyst

Lead Data Scientist

AWS Data Engineer - Permanent

Data Engineer

Analytical Data Engineer

Data Engineer

WHO ARE WE?

Searchlight Cyber provides organisations with relevant and actionable dark web threat intelligence, to help them identify and prevent criminal activity.


Founded in 2017 with a mission to stop criminals acting with impunity on the dark web, we have been involved in some of the world’s largest dark web investigations and have the most comprehensive dataset based on proprietary techniques and ground-breaking academic research.


Today we help government and law enforcement, enterprises, and managed security services providers around the world to illuminate deep and dark web threats and prevent attacks.


ABOUT THE POSITION

Our Engineering Managers serve as key people leaders here at Searchlight. In our Engineering teams they serve as the translators, organisers and motivators - bridging the gap between technical and commercial, enabling our developers to create the best possible tools to fight crime on the dark web.


This role functions as a Team Lead, looking after a team of talented Python developers, ensuring their work meets agreed goals around timescales and quality, but also their welfare. Ensuring they are motivated, supported and progressing in their career with us in whatever direction they choose.


This role isn’t expected to require much hands-on coding work, however it does require a strong technical background as you’ll be supporting developers with code reviews, scoping and planning sprints with the Product team as well as contributing to our strategic roadmap.


You’ll have a strategic focus, working to manage our projects and ensure a smooth delivery - removing any blockers as needed. You’ll be responsible for the data teams activities, improving process and best practice to help the team deliver more work at a higher standard


WHAT WILL I DO?

  • Lead and line manage a team of Python developers, overseeing projects focused on data gathering, machine learning and other related fields
  • Working closely with our product team, you’ll own projects from a strategic level - from the planning stages and scoping through to overseeing testing and eventual delivery.
  • Work with our Head of Software Engineering to create a technical roadmap which improves and increases our data collection and processing capabilities
  • In conjunction with our Head of Infrastructure and Security, you’ll ensure our infrastructure allows us to handle the volumes of data we ingest on a daily basis
  • Work with the Talent Manager to recruit a team of world class python developers, scaling the team to meet demand and budget.
  • Work with peers to foster a strong engineering culture which values continuous learning, collaboration and innovation.
  • Determine your team’s need for training and talent development


WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

  • Strong python background, with knowledge in areas such as web scraping, machine learning or natural language processing being useful, but not essential
  • Technical knowledge covering SQL, Elastic or other database tools would be useful
  • Familiarity with Docker, Kubernetes, Linux and related technologies
  • Experience leading a team of developers, with a focus on helping them develop new skills and refine existing ones
  • Experience working with the Agile methodology, overseeing sprints and other ceremonies, you’ll ensure projects stay on track and meet relevant deadlines and milestones
  • Excellent communication skills, able to translate complex technical concepts into business language, and vice versa
  • Formal certifications aren’t needed for this role, however a degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field would be useful. As would project management, Agile, Scrum etc.


WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?

Job satisfaction; working for a company that is genuinely making people's lives better and helping to reduce the impact of internet based crime. You will have the opportunity to grow your career with the company in a very exciting industry.


On top of a generous salary in line with your experience, you’ll receive a great benefits package, a learning and development plan to help ensure your career always moves in the right direction and enter into a company wide bonus scheme.


We’re a committed team of professionals all from diverse backgrounds - software, data, security, sales and more. We all come together with a real passion for technology and a drive to make a difference - we’re committed to protecting society from threats and actors who use and abuse the dark web.


You’ll be challenged with interesting projects that will help you think outside the box and have plenty of opportunities to learn and practise new skills. You’ll be a key member of the team, directly contributing to our customer and supplier relationships and helping business goals. We believe in training & development, having fun and a great work life balance.


Your benefits package will include:

  • 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
  • Entry into company pension scheme
  • Private healthcare from Axa, including dental and vision coverage
  • You’ll receive a Perkbox membership, offering a range of high street discounts and other rewards
  • We offer both TechScheme and Cycle2Work
  • Comprehensive training and support to develop your career, including a training budget
  • A range of office perks, including free fresh fruit daily, a bean to cup coffee machine and more
  • Regular team building and reward events


INTERVIEW PROCESS

  • Screening Call with our Talent Manager
  • Short Technical test (if required)
  • 2 stage interview process with line manager and senior management
  • We’d love to meet you in person for an interview, but are happy for a video call too!
  • Offer and onboarding

Subscribe to Future Tech Insights for the latest jobs & insights, direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.

Industry Insights

Discover insightful articles, industry insights, expert tips, and curated resources.

Why the UK Could Be the World’s Next Machine Learning Jobs Hub

Machine learning (ML) is becoming essential to industries across the globe—from finance and healthcare to retail, logistics, defence, and the public sector. Its ability to uncover patterns in data, make predictions, drive automation, and increase operational efficiency has made it one of the most in-demand skill sets in the technology world. In the UK, machine learning roles—from engineers to researchers, product managers to analysts—are increasingly central to innovation. Universities are expanding ML programmes, enterprises are scaling ML deployments, and startups are offering applied ML solutions. All signs point toward a surging need for professionals skilled in modelling, algorithms, data pipelines, and AI systems. This article explores why the United Kingdom is exceptionally well positioned to become a global machine learning jobs hub. It examines the current landscape, strengths, career paths, sector-specific demand, challenges, and what must happen for this vision to become reality.

The Best Free Tools & Platforms to Practise Machine Learning Skills in 2025/26

Machine learning (ML) has become one of the most in-demand career paths in technology. From predicting customer behaviour in retail to detecting fraud in banking and enabling medical breakthroughs in healthcare, ML is transforming industries across the UK and beyond. But here’s the truth: employers don’t just want candidates who have read about machine learning in textbooks. They want evidence that you can actually build, train, and deploy models. That means practising with real tools, working with real datasets, and solving real problems. The good news is that you don’t need to pay for expensive software or courses to get started. A wide range of free, open-source tools and platforms allow you to learn machine learning skills hands-on. Whether you’re a beginner or preparing for advanced roles, you can practise everything from simple linear regression to deploying deep learning models — at no cost. In this guide, we’ll explore the best free tools and platforms to practise machine learning skills in 2025, and how to use them effectively to build a portfolio that UK employers will notice.

Top 10 Skills in Machine Learning According to LinkedIn & Indeed Job Postings

Machine learning (ML) is at the forefront of innovation, powering systems in finance, healthcare, retail, logistics, and beyond in the UK. As organisations leverage ML for predictive analytics, automation, and intelligent systems, demand for skilled practitioners continues to grow. So, which skills are most in demand? Drawing on insights from LinkedIn and Indeed, this article outlines the Top 10 machine learning skills UK employers are looking for in 2025. You'll learn how to demonstrate these capabilities through your CV, interviews, and real-world projects.