Principal Data Scientist & Machine Learning Researcher

Raytheon Technologies Corp; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defence and aerospace technology company in the UK is seeking a Principal Data Scientist & Machine Learning Researcher. The successful candidate will work within a specialized team to develop innovative AI solutions for mission-focused problems. You will lead projects autonomously and engage with customers and stakeholders. This full-time permanent role offers competitive salaries, flexible working hours, and significant opportunities for professional development.

Benefits

25 days holiday + statutory public holidays

Contributory Pension Scheme

Company bonus scheme

Enhanced family-friendly policies

Private Medical Insurance

Qualifications

• Multiple years of experience delivering novel ML solutions.
• Experience writing technical project proposals.
• Ability to produce high-quality scientific writing.

Responsibilities

• Support the Head of Data Science & Machine Learning in strategy.
• Work autonomously to develop complex data science solutions.
• Provide technical leadership across multiple projects.

Skills

Python

Machine Learning

AI algorithms

Agile principles

MLOps

Education

BSc in Machine Learning, Data Science, Computer Science, or Mathematics

Tools

Docker

AWS

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Job description

Principal Data Scientist & Machine Learning Researcher

Join to apply for the Principal Data Scientist & Machine Learning Researcher role at Raytheon UK.

Date posted: 2025-11-05
Country: United Kingdom
Location: Gloucester, 18b Ley Court, Barnwood Industrial Estate, Barnwood, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL4 3RT
Hybrid role: Must be prepared to work from a Raytheon or customer site depending on demand. Average of 3 days a week on-site.
SC Required: Must already hold or be able to gain an eDV clearance.
Duration: Permanent
Hours: Fulltime 37 hrs

Raytheon UK is a leader in defence and aerospace technology, dedicated to fuelling innovation, nurturing talent, and fostering a culture of excellence. Joining our team means working on projects that shape the future of national security while enjoying a collaborative environment, abundant opportunities for professional development, and a profound sense of purpose.

About the role

The role is within the Strategic Research Group (SRG), a team of Data Science, Machine Learning and AI specialists developing novel AI solutions to mission‑focused problems. In this position you will work with high levels of autonomy, design, plan and provide technical leadership on multiple AI/ML projects, and help set the group’s technical and strategic direction. You will support customer and stakeholder engagement and deliver technical solutions on both internal and external projects.

Requirements

• BSc in Machine Learning, Data Science, Computer Science, Mathematics or a related field.
• Multiple years of experience delivering novel ML solutions to customers and internal stakeholders.
• Excellent coding practice using Python and associated ML packages (HuggingFace, TensorFlow, PyTorch), following best practices.
• Experience developing robust ML pipelines with MLOps tools for model training, monitoring and deployment.
• Experience with version control and environment management (e.g., venvs, Docker).
• Experience writing technical project proposals.
• Experience managing teams, including technical leadership or line management.
• Experience leading teams following agile principles.
• Expert knowledge of AI/ML algorithms for different data types and tasks including Generative AI, NLP and computer vision, sufficient to propose research beyond existing literature.
• Experience training and developing AI models, including Large Language Models.
• Ability to produce high‑quality scientific writing for internal & external stakeholders and academic publications.
• Ability to work with high levels of autonomy, with awareness of appropriate business policies and strategy to guide actions.

Desirable

• PhD or Master’s degree highlighting experience of academic research.
• Experience deploying AI models in a scalable way for external users.
• Experience developing supporting systems for AI deployments (e.g., backend databases, front‑end UIs).
• Working knowledge of Linux systems and command‑line tools (AWS CLI, Docker CLI, ssh, ls, cd).
• Experience working in cloud environments, especially AWS but also GCP or Azure.
• Research publications in peer‑reviewed journals.
• Experience delivering AI/ML projects in defence or government.
• Existing network of contacts across defence and government.

Responsibilities

• Support the Head of Data Science & Machine Learning in strategy and stakeholder engagement.
• Bring ideas for novel research that will drive competitive advantage within our customer community.
• Work autonomously to develop complex, novel data science solutions.
• Support triage and response to opportunities, aligning with group and business strategies.
• Design and deliver data‑centric solutions across disciplines.
• Technical delivery of research and applied AI/ML tasks on customer and internal projects.
• Provide technical leadership across multiple projects.
• Manage junior team members across the SRG.
• Deliver AI/ML/Data Science solutions to a broad range of problems in defence.
• Collaborate with customers and stakeholders to determine technical approaches and perform required development.
• Excellent communication skills, with ability to present practical demonstrations to senior stakeholders and at conferences.

Benefits and Work Culture

• Competitive salaries.
• 25 days holiday + statutory public holidays, with option to buy/sell up to 5 days.
• Contributory Pension Scheme (up to 10.5% company contribution).
• Company bonus scheme (discretionary).
• 6× salary ‘Life Assurance’ with pension.
• Flexible Benefits scheme with extensive salary‑sacrifice options, including Health Cashplan, Dental, and Cycle‑to‑Work.
• Enhanced sick pay.
• Enhanced family‑friendly policies (maternity, paternity, shared parental leave).
• Car/Car allowance (dependant on grade/role).
• Private Medical Insurance (dependant on grade).

Work Culture

• 37‑hour working week; hours may vary depending on role and site‑specific arrangements.
• Early finish on Friday (1.30 pm).
• Remote, hybrid, and site‑based working opportunities, depending on your needs and role requirements.
• Flexible working culture focused on output rather than desk time.
• Up to 5 paid days volunteering each year.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

RTX adheres to the principles of equal employment. All qualified applications will be given careful consideration without regard to ethnicity, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation or identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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