Data Scientist – Intelligence Innovation

Defence Science Technology Laboratory (Dstl) is the science and technology arm of the Ministry of Defence. We improve the front-line capability of the UK Armed Forces helping keep our country safe.  

The Intelligence Innovation Group within Cyber and Information Systems (CIS) are made up of multi-disciplinary scientists, analysts, engineers and consultants, We research novel Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Science applications and help deploy them directly with Defence and Security partners (e.g. Defence Intelligence, UK Special Forces, F-35 project teams), partners across UK Government, and internationally (especially in the 5-Eyes community). 

The Group aims to support Defence in developing capabilities in the AI and Data Science, Sensor Exploitation and Space research. To achieve this aim, the Group wants technical specialists from traditional academic or industry roles because your numeracy and statistical skills make excellent foundations for developing contemporary Data Scientists and Data Engineers.

These specialists will lead on the delivery of research to address tough new challenges to work on our complex, classified and fascinating datasets you simply cannot access anywhere else.

Dstl recognises the importance of diversity and inclusion as people from diverse backgrounds bring fresh ideas. We are committed to building an inclusive working environment in which each employee fulfils their potential and maximises their contribution.

In this role you will:

• Bring your experience of academia or industry to the group’s core projects.
• Use your background and thinking to guide the research of novel techniques and capabilities
• Make a real difference to the direction of defences driving research programmes
• Represent the Group at technical forums and conferences both in the UK and abroad.
• Work alongside academia, industry, across government and the front line commands
• Work on the successful delivery of work packages and complex projects ranging from research to direct operational support.
• Form links across Government, industry and academia.
• Support Group wide technical activities such as technical forums, meetings and lightning talks and the mentoring of junior staff.

We are looking for someone who has:

The primary requirements for the role are the ability work on a variety of problems. You may not necessarily be the experts in the field but Ideally you will have a good level of academic success to lean on particularly in the following specific areas. The group implements a variety of traditional engineering, numerical and statistical approaches together with state-of-the-art machine learning and deep neural networks to a huge variety of applications, including: 

• Statistical rigour, critical thinking and creative problem solving to a variety of data sets
• Programming in modern languages and solid understanding of architectures.
• Experience in applying AI, ML and Data Science techniques to complex problems.
• Image and video analytics
• Text analytics and natural language processing
• Radar, radio frequency and acoustics analysis
• Computer network and host log analysis
• Data collection, processing, fusion and visualisation
• Big data engineering and data flow orchestration

For deployed roles, a willingness and ability to work domestically and overseas, sometimes in operational environments

In addition to the above, the candidate will ideally have an understanding of defence capability and an enthusiasm for science and technology

Important Information:

Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners.

This role will require full UK security clearance and you should have resided in the UK for the past 5 years. For some roles Developed Vetting will also be required, in this case you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years.

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working Together

Benefits 

Dstl’s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes:

• Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution (find out more here). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme.

• Flexible working: Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours (e.g. working a 4 day week/ 9 day fortnight), job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only).

• Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month.

• Where you work: Depending on your role, blended working may be available including remote working to suit you and your team. This can be discussed at interview.

• Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum.

• Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid

• Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning.

• Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.

This job is not open to candidates who hold a dual nationality.

Job contact :

• Name : Dstl Recruitment
• Email : dstlrecruitment@dstl.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : dstlrecruitment@dstl.gov.uk