Principal Data Scientist Consultant

We are looking for an ambitious Principal Data Science Consultant to join our UK-based Data Science team (30+) of smart, curious minds. We are looking for someone who loves to solve problems, delight customers, and inspire their teammates.  

About Us    
We are Ascent! and we help our customers solve problems, elevate operations, and enhance existing practices. We are on a mission to help our customers connect data, software, and purpose to create extraordinary outcomes. You could say we are a digital transformation business.  
We specialise in software product development, analytics, data science, IoT solutions, machine learning, DevOps optimization, and modernisation of applications, data, and platforms.  
We work with incredible clients in all types of industries such as smart home devices, space exploration, beer manufacturing, finance, ecology, and logistics. We work with some of the sharpest minds in the brightest businesses and we employ the sharpest minds too!  
At Ascent, we also believe in fostering a vibrant office community where collaboration thrives and connections flourish. With our hybrid approach, we prioritize hiring individuals who reside in close proximity to our offices. Our aim is to cultivate a positive atmosphere and sense of belonging by facilitating easy access to the office. However, we welcome applicants from all other areas in the indicated countries, as we value diversity and recognize the unique perspectives each individual brings to our team. Join us in shaping a workplace where proximity enhances collaboration while inclusivity strengthens our community.  

About the role 
As Principal Data Scientist Consultant you will report to the Head of Data Science and support them in pre-sales, customer engagement and project delivery. You will also help to identify emerging trends, advocate for the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and methods and take part in market facing thought leadership marketing.  
Additionally, you will lead cross-functional initiatives, mentor teams, and promote a culture of excellence and continuous improvement, and ultimately deliver value to our customers. 
 
Responsibilities

• Presales Solutions: 
  • Meet with customers to understand their needs and requirements, run workshops, bring insight and help them define the right solutions for them.  
  • Collaborate with the Ascent sales and solutioning teams to design and present solutions that meet customer needs. 
• Customer Engagement: 
  • Lead large-scale customer engagements in a strategic role, driving the successful implementation of data science solutions. Leading Ascent and customer teams where needed.  
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with customers, understanding their business challenges and providing tailored solutions. 
• Data Science Expertise: 
  • Apply diverse data science techniques across multiple industries and use cases, including machine learning, data visualization, natural language processing (NLP), application development (e.g. Shiny), MLOps, and generative AI (GenAI). 
  • Develop and deploy advanced data science models and algorithms to solve complex business problems. 
  • Mentor and guide junior data scientists, fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation. 
• Industry Expertise and Innovation: 
  • Serve as an industry vertical expert such as the financial sector, pharmaceuticals, retail, and FMCG. 
  • Acquire insights to help shape capability development and drive innovation within the organization. 
  • Network with industry professionals and thought leaders to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing. 
  • Contribute to the development of go-to-market strategies and thought leadership pieces, leveraging industry insights to position the company as a leader in data. 

Skills and Experience

• 10+ years of Data Science experience;
• Proficient in Python, R and SQL;
• Proven track record of applying diverse data science techniques across multiple industries and use cases;
• Experienced in leading and managing large customer engagements;
• Experienced in deploying workloads on Cloud infrastructure;
• Familiar with software development best practices;
• Extensive experience in machine learning, data visualisation, NLP, application development, MLOps, and GenAI;
• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills;
• Excellent communication and presentation skills;
• Certifications: Azure Data Scientist Associate DP-100 (nice to have AI-102, DP-203, AZ-400, Databricks Certified Machine Learning Professional);
• Right to work in UK and/or EU;

Working at Ascent 
At Ascent we promote a healthy work-life balance by offering flexibility in where you work.  We also promote well-being and provide access to Well Being Coaches. 
Your development and learning will be taken seriously, and we’ll support your professional development with training and certification, with regular feedback and review. It is a fun, supportive and modern workplace where we really live by our company values of Empathy, Energy and Audacity! Ascent also offers a variety of benefits in each of our countries. 
Ascent is an equal opportunities employee. We take intentional steps to ensure inclusion and belonging are something real here, not just something we talk about. No person will be treated less favourably because of their gender, pregnancy, and maternity status, marital or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, race, nationality, ethnic origin, age, religion or belief, or disability status. If you require any reasonable accommodation, please let us know when you apply.