Data Scientist

Role Summary

• Responsibilities: You will shape and advance our data science service offerings, lead initiatives across teams, expand services using machine learning and AI and manage databases to solve business problems
• Salary: £48,000 to £55,000 per annum, depending on your previous experience (please note that we have established salary bands that are determined by your level of educational attainment to ensure a fair and consistent approach for all applicants, eliminating the need for individual negotiations)
• Benefits: Discretionary profit share bonuses paid twice per year, hybrid and flexible working options, generous holiday allowance, private medical insurance, critical illness cover, income protection, full funding for external training and more
• Role Type: Full-time or part-time (minimum 22.5 hours per week), permanent or 1 year fixed-term contract
• Start Date: We are currently recruiting for start dates throughout 2025, and you will be asked to state your availability on your application form
• Application Deadlines: Whilst there are no set application deadlines, we strongly recommend applying as early as possible. The role will close when a suitable candidate is found
• Location: This role is available in our Global Headquarters in Cambridge, as well as our London office

About the Role

This is a newly created role for our first Data Scientist to join our wider Evidence Development team, where you will have responsibility for shaping and driving forward our Data Science service offering to clients.

This role will be cross-functional, working predominantly with our Statistics, Literature Reviews, Technical Innovation and Development (TechDev) and Real-World Evidence (RWE) teams on a variety of project types. As the only Data Scientist at the company, you will be responsible for applying your expertise to our projects to suggest data science solutions to business problems.

Your key responsibilities will include:

1. Leading Data Science Initiatives:

• Setup and implementation of data science techniques across various business applications

2. Expanding Service Offerings:

• Use machine learning to explore and develop new types of projects for our clients
• Introduce new methods for evidence synthesis using AI
• Support with data processing on RWE projects, which utilise data from a variety of sources (EHR, disease registries, claim databases etc.)
• Provide visualisation of healthcare data

3.    Building and Managing Databases:

• Collaborate with the RWE team to create an internal data directory
• Develop databases and tools to facilitate data management
• Work with the TechDev team to build a literature management platform

Our standard working week is 37.5 hours, Monday to Friday, however, we can also consider applicants looking for part-time hours of at least 22.5 hours per week.

Hybrid Working Policy: We believe that having face-to-face time in the office holds many benefits and is central to ensuring that the community we have created, where people have a workplace they belong to and feel part of, is never lost. At the same time, we recognise that homeworking can improve work life balance, reduce commuting times and costs, and provide the opportunity to juggle personal commitments.

Therefore, we offer flexible working arrangements that allow our colleagues who have passed probation to work from home for up to half of the time, measured across a 2-week rolling period. During your probationary period (normally the first 6 months of the role) you will be able to work from home for 1 day per week.

Career Profile

We offer many opportunities for personal and professional development at Costello Medical. Please click below to read firsthand accounts from our colleagues about their time with the company: https://www.costellomedical.com/careers/working-at-costello-medical/

About Costello Medical

Costello Medical is a rapidly growing global healthcare agency specialising in medical communications, market access and health economic and outcomes research. We work with a wide range of clients, including the industry’s most successful pharmaceutical and medical technology companies, patient and public health bodies and charitable organisations. We have been listed on the Top 100 Best Companies to Work For list since 2017, as well as receiving B Corporation Accreditation in 2022. Please click here to learn more about us, our work and our mission: https://www.costellomedical.com/ 

About You

In this role, it is essential to transform ideas into actionable business benefits, both for Costello Medical and our clients. As this is a standalone role within the company, you need to demonstrate the initiative and responsibility for driving ideas forward, whilst considering the benefits of the outcome. 

Essential technical requirements for the role are:

• 2 years of experience working in a professional data science role in the healthcare sector. Candidates with 3 or more years postdoctoral research experience in the health data science field may also be considered
• Expertise in programming languages (e.g. Python, R, SQL)
• Experience with the application of machine learning models and algorithms
• Knowledge and application of natural language processing techniques
• Excellent data visualisation skills
• A degree level or higher qualification in a scientific discipline (minimum 2.1)

Essential non-technical requirements for the role:

• A passion for working in, and making a difference to, the healthcare sector
• Strong business acumen
• The ability to collaborate effectively with key stakeholders to understand their technical needs, propose tailored solutions, and to ensure project success and stakeholder satisfaction
• Experience in implementing new processes and systems to support the integration and application of data science approaches

Desired requirements for the role are:

• Experience working with sophisticated data visualisation libraries such as Matplotlib and Plotly in Python
• Experience in a consultancy role
• Experience with data science related tools (e.g. Shiny, D3, AWS, dbt) 
• Experience with statistical/analytical methodologies and algorithms (e.g. classification, regression, clustering, feature selection/engineering, deep learning, time-series analysis, network analysis, hypothesis testing)

What We Offer

Alongside our award-winning company culture, where every team member is celebrated, respected, and has their voice heard, we are proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes:

• £48,000 to £55,000 per annum, depending on your previous experience, as well as a discretionary profit share bonus paid twice per year. Please note that we have established salary bands that ensures a fair and consistent approach for all applicants, eliminating the need for individual negotiations
• 25 days’ annual leave plus bank and public holidays, as well as a holiday buy and sell scheme
• Flexible working hours and the chance to work from home for up to half of your working time after passing probation
• Flexible benefits scheme offering cash payments, additional pension contributions and more
• Private Medical Insurance which offers comprehensive cover on a “medical history disregard” basis
• Paid study leave and funding for external qualifications
• Critical Illness Cover, Income Protection and Life Assurance
• Paid and unpaid sabbaticals based on length of service

Please click here to learn about our full reward package and the other benefits of working for Costello Medical: https://www.costellomedical.com/careers/benefits-package-in-the-uk/

The Application Process

You are required to submit your CV and a cover letter via our online application form. In your cover letter, you must explain why you think you would be suited to the role and why you would like to join Costello Medical, with examples to support both. Your CV should clearly state the dates of all qualifications and grades achieved where applicable.

Our recruitment process includes a telephone or video interview, followed by a technical assessment for you to complete in your own time. If successful, you will be invited to a final interview with the hiring managers. Our standard recruitment process lasts around 1 month, however, this can be adapted if necessary.

As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce and, throughout the recruitment process, there are a number of reasonable adjustments we can provide. Please click here to read more about this and contact the People Team via recruitment@costellomedical.com should you require reasonable adjustments at any stage.

Please note that, whilst we embrace AI to innovate and improve processes, your role may involve confidential data that cannot be uploaded to AI. Therefore, it is important for us to assess your own skills and abilities, so we recommend that you do not rely solely on this technology to generate any application materials.

Visa Sponsorship

We can provide visa sponsorship for eligible candidates for our Data Scientist role. You will be asked to provide details of your right to work in the UK within your application, however this will have no impact on the processing of your application.