Data Scientist

We're looking for a self-starter with initiative and drive to join the team as Data Scientist.
 
You'll be responsible for leveraging data analytics to generate actionable insights that enhance educational programme outcomes and strategic decision-making. You'll also be responsible for developing and applying analytical models, managing and integrating diverse data sources and will provide data-driven support to various stakeholders within the organisation. As Data Scientist you'll play a key role in ensuring that Ambition Institute's initiatives effectively improve teacher performance and student achievement as well as working to achieve our charitable mission of helping educators serving children from disadvantaged backgrounds to keep getting better.

This role is an exciting opportunity as you'll provide our leadership, design and delivery teams with data-driven insights that enable effective decision making.

Who are Ambition Institute?
 

A great teacher changes the future every day. Especially for children who have had a tough start in life, a teacher can be the critical factor in their success.

At Ambition Institute we help schools tackling educational disadvantage to keep getting better and help their teachers and school leaders to become more expert over time.

That’s how we’ll make sure every child gets a great education and the best possible start in life.
 

• We train teachers and leaders at all levels to get better at the things that make the biggest difference: what you teach, how you teach it, and how you create the conditions for schools to thrive.
• We share what works. Everyone can benefit from evidence of how great teaching and leadership can improve schools and change lives, so we connect people to the latest research and best practice.
• We champion every teacher and school leader’s potential to develop, as the driving force for sustainable school improvement.

We would like you to:

• Lead the development and implementation of predictive models and algorithms to analyse and forecast the impact of our programmes.
   
• Present insights and findings to senior stakeholders in both one-to-one and larger cross-team meetings.
   
• Develop and maintain data pipelines and workflows to ensure efficient data collection, processing, and integration.
   

Working in a hybrid way, you’ll be attached to either our Birmingham, London or Manchester office and will report to the Data Science Lead.  In line with our current ways of working, you’ll be expected to be in the office at least 1 day a month, in addition to team days and this may be reviewed by Ambition. 
 

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

To succeed in this role, you'll be motivated by helping to foster a data-driven culture and will thrive in a culture of continuous improvement and shared learning.  You'll demonstrate curiosity and  willingness to learn and upskill. 

You also hold a relevant degree or equivalent work experience in data science, statistics, computer science, or a similar intensively quantitative field.

You'll have extensive experience of working with large datasets, undertaking complex predictive and regressive analysis, and deploying machine learning models. You'll also possess profound and advanced  knowledge of statistical and inferential methods and experience using statistical packages for analysing data.

Whilst knowledge of advanced machine learning techniques is desirable, it's not essential for applying to this role. 
 

What’s in it for you….?

• Competitive annual salary
• Professional development for all staff
• 25 days’ annual leave, plus bank holidays and 'winter shut down’ at the end of December/beginning of January
• Employer pension contribution of 11%
• Agile, hybrid working culture, so you can manage when and where you work
• Staff affinity networks that help keep equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of our work
• Blind recruitment process to ensure equality and fairness in our hiring
• Enhanced maternity pay after a year’s service
• Shared parental leave package
• Access to free, confidential 24/7 wellbeing and support line
• Comfortable and collaborative workspaces in the city centres of Manchester, Birmingham and London
• Work-from-home technology package to support hybrid working
• Interest free season ticket / bike loans

We don’t expect the person we hire to have all of the following, but this should give you a sense of what would enable you to thrive in this role and in our organisation:

You should apply for this role if:

• You care deeply about educational disadvantage and being part of an organisation that challenges inequality
• You have a good work ethic and strive to make a difference in the job you do
• You always give maximum effort to understand and meet the needs of our partners and participants
• You always have a great attitude so we “can do” for all our colleagues, partners and participants
• You are open to feedback and learning because we want to keep getting better
• You work with your initiative to bring new ideas and a fresh perspective
• You are well organised and can prioritise work that will have the greatest impact

You'll love working at Ambition if…

• You want a career with a person-centred organisation with a cause at its heart.
• You have a collaborative work ethos, bring warmth and good humour to work and constructive outlook to every situation
• You enjoy working in a fast-moving workplace, with a great support structure around you
• You would like to grow with an ambitious organisation as it progresses over time
• Want flexibility in how you work – splitting your time between one of our offices and remote working and managing your own working patterns to get the job done.

How to apply…

Applications will be considered for all office locations

All applications must be received by the closing date 23:59 on 10 September 2024. First stage interviews are expected to take place w/c  16 September. Please note when you click apply, you'll be taken to the Birmingham posting of the role. You can still apply via this posting as it won't determine your location if successful.

We are committed to the safeguarding of children and the most vulnerable in our society and, as such, we are unable to employ individuals with relevant convictions, including the following: a conviction for an offence involving violence or dishonesty, of a sexual nature or against minors, or for any other offence that is relevant to the nature of the services provided by our organisation.

As an employer, we have a responsibility to prevent illegal working in the UK by ensuring that our employees have the right to work in the UK. Therefore, as part of the recruitment process to verify your eligibility you will be required to produce relevant documentation.