Principal Data Scientist

Location/s: London, Cardiff, Bristol, Brighton, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Newcastle
Recruiter contact: Laura Kennedy

Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy with over 20,000 employees across more than 50 countries and 140+ offices.

We work across incredible global industries, delivering exciting work that is defining our future and making an important societal impact in the communities we serve. Our people power our performance – we succeed when they do. With countless opportunities to collaborate, learn, and grow, the possibilities for excellence are as varied as every individual.

Whether you want to grow as a subject matter expert or broaden your experience with roles across our international community, you’re surrounded by global specialists who want to combine their expertise and champion you to be your best. As a proudly employee-owned business, we benefit our clients, our communities, and each other, investing in creating the right space for everyone to feel empowered, included, and valued. Whatever your ambition, Mott MacDonald is where people come to be brilliant.

Overview of the role:

We are looking for a Principal Data Scientist to help shape the design, development and delivery of production-grade AI, machine learning and data science solutions across Mott MacDonald. The role will focus on turning complex business, engineering and environmental needs into scalable, reliable data products and AI services.

The successful candidate will bring technical experience across generative AI, large language models, retrieval augmented generation, machine learning, computer vision, geospatial data science and MLOps. They will work with multidisciplinary teams to identify valuable use cases, shape solution architecture, develop reliable models and ensure solutions are tested, monitored and improved in live use.

The role includes end-to-end AI and data science delivery; setting standards for model development, evaluation and deployment; building reusable internal AI services; coaching data scientists and engineers; contributing to AI governance; and translating technical opportunities into clear business value for project teams and senior stakeholders.

Candidate Specifications:

Essential:

• Experience delivering production data science, machine learning or AI in an enterprise environment.
• Practical experience in Python and modern machine learning frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow or Keras.
• Practical experience with generative AI, large language models, embedding models, retrieval augmented generation, AI agents, model evaluation and fine-tuning techniques.
• Experience designing and operating end-to-end MLOps workflows, including model training, deployment, monitoring, automation and continuous improvement.
• Ability to work across cloud and engineering environments, including tools such as Azure, Kubernetes, Docker, MLflow, GitHub Actions, Terraform or Databricks.
• Clear communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts in accessible business language.
• Experience coaching, mentoring or giving technical guidance to data scientists, machine learning engineers or data professionals

Desirable:

• Experience applying computer vision, geospatial data science or predictive modelling to engineering, infrastructure, environmental or asset management work.
• Knowledge of tools and methods such as LangChain, LLM orchestration, agentic tool use, segmentation foundation models, zero/few-shot visual understanding
• Experience developing reusable internal AI platforms, foundation-model services or automation capabilities for use by wider teams.
• Postgraduate qualification or equivalent research experience in data science, engineering, computer science, applied mathematics or a related discipline.
• Evidence of innovation, publication, award recognition or contribution to data science practice.

Please be advised that offers for this role are conditional upon obtaining the appropriate level of Security Clearance.

UK Immigration

Mott MacDonald Ltd. are not currently offering sponsorship to candidates under the Skilled Worker visa route in the UK. This decision is as a consequence of the changes made to the Skilled Worker route by the UK Government in April 2024. We continue to welcome applications from candidates who are eligible for alternative immigration routes in the UK, that do not require sponsorship as a Skilled Worker now or in future.

Agile working

At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team, and personal commitments. We offer a hybrid working policy that embraces your well-being, flexibility, and trust.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion

We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

Accessibility

We want you to perform your best at every stage in the recruitment process. If you are disabled or need any support to enable you to apply or attend an interview, please contact us at reasonable.adjustments@mottmac.com and we will talk to you about how we can support you.

We offer some fantastic benefits including:

Financial wellbeing

• We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%.
• Life assurance equal up to 4 x your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 x your salary.
• Our income protection scheme provides a financial benefit, as well as absence and return to work support due to long-term illness or injury.
• Flexible benefits, including increased life assurance cover, critical illness insurance, payroll saving and will writing.
• As an independently owned business we share the financial success of the business with all our colleagues in various ways including annual bonus schemes.

Employee Ownership

• Our employee ownership model means no external investors, just us, creating a culture of shared success.
• Our employees have a stake and a voice in our business, giving them a direct connection to our success through our personal and group performance bonuses.
• As your career grows, so does your stake, recognising your long-term impact and contribution.
• Your voice matters, with the opportunity to connect directly with senior leadership through formal channels to help shape our future.
• For our senior roles you will have a direct pathway towards ownership from day one.

Health and wellbeing

• Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues.
• Health cash plan to support you with every day health costs and treatments.
• Access to Peppy, providing free support from menopause experts for all UK colleagues.
• A variety of wellbeing support is available through our comprehensive wellbeing program, including access for you and your family.
• Ability to flex your salary to opt into a wide range of health benefits, many of which can be extended to your family too.

Lifestyle

• A minimum of 33-35 days holiday each year, inclusive of public holidays and dependent on level, with the ability to buy or sell leave through our flexible benefits programme.
• 10 days additional paid leave for Armed Forces Reservists and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers.
• Holiday entitlement increased to a minimum of 35 days after 5 years’ service.
• Variety of employee saving schemes and discounts from high-street retailers.

Enhanced family and carers leave

• Enhanced family leave policies, including 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave, and two weeks paid paternity/partner leave.
• Our shared parental leave matches maternity leave meaning we pay up to 24 weeks at full pay.
• Up to five additional days leave are provided for those with significant caring responsibilities, two of which are paid.
• We offer policies and dedicated support to help military families balance service life with career and wellbeing.

Learning and development

• Primary annual professional institution subscription.
• A broad range of opportunities to enhance both technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training, and self-development options.

Networks, communities, and social outcomes

• Join a wide range of groups including our Advanced Employee Networks which support our LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability, and parents/carers communities.
• We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and Gold Award holders in the MOD Employer Recognition Scheme, supported by our dedicated internal Armed Forces Network.
• Make a difference within our communities through our social outcomes.

Apply now, or for more information about our application process, click here.