Senior Data Scientist (AI/ML Production)

What we’re looking for

Great AI and machine learning capability only creates value once it runs reliably in the real world. This role exists to bridge that final, critical gap—taking the AI/ML solutions developed within our Data Science team from promising prototypes to robust, scalable production systems that our teams and customers depend on every day.

Sitting within Data Science, this is at heart a backend and AI/ML platform engineering role. You will be the key partner working hand in hand with Engineering, DevOps and Infrastructure teams to bring our models and systems into production—owning the technical journey of making AI/ML systems live, stable, secure and performant at scale. The primary focus will be on Generative AI applications, with scope to support the broader range of machine learning models and pipelines across the business. You will not be building models—you will be making them work in production.

As a senior member of the Data Science team, you will set the standard for production readiness, act as the bridge between data science and the wider engineering organisation, drive delivery across teams, and mentor colleagues. Your work will directly determine how quickly and confidently Argus can bring new AI/ML capabilities to life.

What will you be doing

Delivery & Engineering

• Design and build robust, secure APIs and backend components that power AI/ML and GenAI applications.

• Integrate LLM and ML systems with data sources, tools, and business workflows.

• Drive systems from prototype to production, owning reliability, scalability, and operational readiness.

• Raise code quality, structure, and production readiness across the AI/ML stack.

• Debug and resolve issues across APIs, environments, and integrations, ensuring rapid response times and minimal disruption.

Collaboration & Partnership

• Act as the primary technical partner between Data Science and the Engineering, DevOps and Infrastructure teams, taking solutions from development through to live deployment.

• Advise and support colleagues across the business whose systems integrate with AI/ML components.

• Proactively resolve technical ambiguity to reduce delivery friction and rework, ensuring a smooth handover from prototype to production.

Technical Leadership & Enablement

• Establish and evolve engineering standards for productionising AI/ML, including testing, observability, versioning, and release management.

• Mentor and guide data scientists and engineers, providing code reviews and hands-on technical support.

• Champion a culture of disciplined engineering, continuous improvement, and operational excellence within Data Science.

Skills and Experience

Education

• A Master's (MSc) or PhD in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Software Engineering, Data Science, or a related technical discipline.

Essential Experience & Skills

• Exceptionally strong Python programming skills, with a deep grasp of object-oriented design, clean code, and core software engineering principles (e.g. SOLID, design patterns, modularity, testability).

• Strong backend / API engineering experience, ideally in Python (e.g. FastAPI, or similar).

• Hands-on experience building and operating solutions in AWS environments.

• Proficiency with Docker, GitHub, and CI/CD pipelines.

• Proven ability to partner with and work across teams to drive delivery into production.

• Strong problem-solving, debugging, and performance optimisation skills.

• Solid software engineering foundations, including version control, automated testing, and monitoring.

Desirable

• Experience with GenAI / LLM systems in a production context.

• Exposure to MCP (Model Context Protocol).

• Familiarity with agentic workflows or tool-based systems.

• Experience with real-time / streaming systems.

• Experience deploying and operating machine learning models / MLOps pipelines (e.g. model serving, monitoring, retraining workflows).

What’s in it for you

Our rapidly growing, award-winning business offers a dynamic environment for talented, entrepreneurial professionals to achieve results and grow their careers. Argus recognizes and rewards successful performance and as an Investor in People, we promote professional development and retain a high-performing team committed to building our success.

• Competitive salary and company bonus scheme

• Group pension scheme

• Group healthcare and life assurance scheme

• Hybrid working environment (currently three days in office)

• 25 days annual holiday with incremental increase up to 30 days

• Subsidised gym membership

• Season ticket travel loan

• Cycle to work scheme

• Flexible benefits platform (ability to buy additional medical cover, life assurance, dental cover, holiday, critical illness, travel insurance & health screening)

• Extensive internal and external training