Data Scientist - SC Cleared at Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Remote/Southampton, 6 Months, £Contract Rate

An active SC Clearance is an essential requirement for this role, as a minimum you must be willing & eligible to undergo checks. (Please note, due to the exceptional requirements of this position (short-term nature of this role and speed at which we require a postholder in situ) preference may be given to candidates who meet all of the essential criteria and hold active security clearance.) 

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency are seeking an experienced Data Scientist to develop and apply advanced statistical, mathematical and computational techniques to solve complex operational challenges. You will design and deliver data science solutions that support evidence-based decision-making, applying experimentation, exploratory analysis, feature engineering, statistical modelling and optimisation techniques to identify patterns, generate insights and evaluate potential interventions.

Your key stakeholders will be:

•    Executive team for direction and strategy.

•    Senior leaderships teams across the agency, gaining approval and sign off of new products

•    Head of Data Governance, Head of Data Engineering, Head of Data Science.

•    Subject matter experts on data systems, databases, and operational business logic processes

A significant focus of the role will be the development of Genetic Algorithms and optimisation models to support operational planning. You will translate complex operational requirements into cost and fitness functions, designing optimisation models that balance competing priorities, constraints and trade-offs. Experience of Genetic Algorithms, evolutionary computing frameworks (such as DEAP) and fitness function development is highly desirable.

You must have strong Python programming skills and experience working with large and complex datasets in Databricks using PySpark and Spark SQL. You should demonstrate expertise in applied statistics, hypothesis testing, data quality assessment, data linkage and the development of mathematical, machine learning or decision-support models.

Beyond technical capability, we are seeking someone who can mentor junior colleagues and influence multidisciplinary teams, working collaboratively with data professionals, subject matter experts and senior stakeholders to shape analytical approaches and deliver successful outcomes. The successful candidate will be able to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences, build consensus across diverse groups, and lead data science projects from discovery through to implementation. 

Key Responsibilities

•    Develop and maintain analytical solutions using Python, SQL, and cloud-based data platforms, applying software engineering best practices to create robust, scalable, and reusable code.

•    Analyse, cleanse, transform, and model complex datasets to support operational and strategic decision-making across the Agency.

•    Apply a range of data science, statistical, optimisation, machine learning, and analytical techniques to solve real-world business problems, selecting the most appropriate approaches for each use case.

•    Design, develop, and improve analytical models, algorithms, and decision-support tools that provide actionable insights and support evidence-based planning.

•    Build and maintain data pipelines and analytical workflows within the MCA Data Platform, ensuring data is accessible, reliable, and fit for analytical use.

•    Communicate complex technical findings to both technical and non-technical audiences, presenting insights in a clear, compelling, and actionable manner.

•    Engage with stakeholders across the organisation to understand business challenges, translate requirements into analytical solutions, and promote data-driven decision making.

•    Contribute to continuous improvement of analytical methods, tools, coding standards, and development practices to enhance the quality and efficiency of data science delivery.

•    Work closely with Data Engineering, Data Governance, and Architecture teams to ensure analytical solutions align with organisational standards and best practice.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.