Senior Data Scientist

Data sits at the heart of our work at the FSA. It guides our approach to keeping food safe, ensuring that it is what it says it is, and that it is increasingly healthy and more sustainable.
We are looking for two Senior Data Scientists who can join our team and help to deliver data science solutions to stakeholders across the organisation, from traditional analysis and reports to bespoke apps., You will apply a range of techniques to datasets of varying size and complexity, to deliver robust data products and pipelines that have a real impact on the important work that the FSA does. The FSA believes the data has an important role to play in guiding our work and ensuring we deliver the most effective service we can as we seek to protect public wellbeing. You’ll be a champion of this approach and will role-model development best practice while helping colleagues throughout the organisation to make the most of their data opportunities.
This will mean being a confident communicator who can deliver clear messages to technical and non-technical audiences alike, ensuring that colleagues understand both what is possible and where our limitations are.
If you’re a flexible team player with relevant experience and a strong drive to learn and develop, we’d love to receive your application.
Please read before applying
This post is a temporary Fixed Term/Loan appointment until 22/06/25 with the possibility, but no guarantee, of extension or permanency.
Candidates that are already established Civil Servants or from non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will come to the FSA on a Loan basis and will need to request permission from their Home Department for the Loan prior to applying for this vacancy.
Note for FSA employees
You must seek approval from your substantive manager before applying for any non-permanent vacancy, this includes applying for a new post during an existing temporary posting. Please note that if applying for a temporary post within the FSA or elsewhere on promotion, successful appointment will not automatically result in a permanent promotion - you will revert to your current substantive grade at the end of the Fixed Term or Loan period (unless funding has been approved to make the post permanent)., You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application or used during interview, including your CV and any statements or examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.
Expected Timeline
Advert closes: 22/10/24
Sift: Expected to take place w/c 23/10/24
Final panel interview: Expected to take place w/c 04/11/24
Interviews will be held remotely via MS Teams. (If you do not have the Microsoft Teams application installed on your computer, you can join on the web without installing the application).
Please note that indicated dates may be subject to change.
Childcare Vouchers
Any move to the Food Standards Agency from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare.
Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
Reserve List
A reserve list will be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.
Candidates that do not pass the interview but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.
Visa Sponsorship
Please note that the FSA does not hold a licence to sponsor any visa applications and we are unable to provide any advice about visas.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
+ UK nationals
+ nationals of the Republic of Ireland
+ nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
+ individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
+ Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

+ Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
+ Programming and build (data science)
+ Ethics and Privacy (data science), + Lead criteria: Experience of successfully delivering innovative data-driven solutions on large or complex datasets, using core data science techniques (e.g. predictive analysis, text analysis, web scraping); including gathering and manipulating the data, applying analytical techniques and visualising results.
+ Experience of successfully managing a range of stakeholders in the delivery of challenging outcomes.
+ Experience of delivering data science projects using R or Python
+ Experience of version control and collaboration using Git and GitHub.
Desirable criteria (Desirable criteria will only be assessed in the event of a tie between candidates).
Experience
+ Experience of extracting data from SQL databases
+ Experience with using Docker
Lead Criteria An initial sift will take place on the Lead Criteria.
In the event that we receive a large number of applications, the minimum pass mark for the Lead Criteria may be raised at shortlisting stage. Candidates who apply under the DCS, GPTW or RIS schemes and meet the minimum requirements will be unaffected by the pass mark raise.
Interview
If successful at shortlisting stage, you will be invited to a final interview in which we will assess you against the following Experience and Technical requirements of the role and Civil Service Behaviours Level 3.
Behaviours
+ Seeing the Big Picture
+ Communicating and Influencing
Full details of the positive indicators being assessed for each Behaviour can be found in the Candidate Pack.
Technical
+ Programming and build (data science)
+ Ethics and Privacy (data science)
Experience
Experience of successfully delivering innovative data-driven solutions on large or complex datasets, using core data science techniques (e.g. predictive analysis, text analysis, web scraping); including gathering and manipulating the data, applying analytical techniques and visualising results.
Assessment exercise
As part of the interview process, you will be asked to prepare a seen presentation. Further information will be provided to you on the day / invitation to interview email.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is a non-ministerial department of over 1400 people. We play a critical role in protecting public health and consumers’ wider interests in food across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Our vision is an important one - to drive change, delivering “food you can trust” and working towards a healthier and more sustainable food system.

Alongside your salary of £41,964, Food Standards Agency contributes £12,156 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Our candidate pack details the benefits that the FSA has to offer. Please also refer to the attached Terms and Conditions statement.