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Lead Data Scientist

BBC
Salford
1 day ago
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Job Details

Job Reference: 23234
Band: E
Salary: £91,000 – £97,000 (based on skills, knowledge and experience)
Contract type: Permanent, Full‑time
Location: Glasgow, London, Salford, Newcastle (hybrid – office and home)


We welcome flexible working arrangements. Specify your preference in the application; discussion will occur at offer stage.


Purpose of the Role

The BBC is evolving to deliver more personalised content and experiences. Data Science is central to this transformation. As Lead Data Scientist you will head the Authoring & Curation Data Science team within the Product Group, enriching our ML/AI product suite, driving automated metadata and authoring tooling, and leading the delivery of generative‑AI initiatives.


Why Join the Team

As a leader you will influence product strategy, grow a talented cross‑functional team, and shape a high‑impact, innovation‑driven culture during a period of significant transformation.


Interview Process

  • Screening call (approx 20 min)
  • Two‑part interview – 1.5 h total
  • Case study task – 45 min (10 min presentation + 30 min Q&A)
  • Competency‑based interview – 45 min

Your Key Responsibilities and Impact

  • Lead a diverse team of data scientists, setting direction and priorities aligned with Product Group strategy.
  • Collaborate with product, engineering, architecture, and delivery teams.
  • Champion best practice in ML product delivery, model evaluation, and responsible AI.
  • Build partnerships across the BBC to identify and realise data‑science opportunities that deliver audience and editorial value.

Your Skills and Experience

  • Passion for coaching and mentoring; skilled at developing team members.
  • Strong technical grounding in data science and ML, with product delivery experience at scale.
  • Excellent communication and stakeholder‑management, bridging technical and non‑technical perspectives.
  • Strategic mindset focused on measurable impact and continuous improvement.

Essential Criteria

  • Experience leading and managing data‑science teams (bonus).
  • Track record of delivering value with data and ML products in production at scale.
  • Proficiency in working with multi‑disciplinary teams.
  • Understanding of the technical landscape of data science and ML in industry.
  • Ability to collaborate with domain experts and stakeholders to uncover new opportunities.

Desired (but Not Required)

  • People‑leadership and hiring‑manager experience.
  • Experience applying ML or generative AI in media, publishing or creative domains.
  • Experience in large product or public‑service organisations.
  • Familiarity with NLP and metadata automation.

If you can bring some of these skills and experience, along with transferable strengths, we’d love to hear from you and encourage you to apply.


Notice

Before your start date, you may need to disclose any unspent convictions or police charges in line with our Contracts of Employment policy. Failure to disclose may result in withdrawal of your offer.



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