Data Scientist

About us

Fuelled by our passion for using data to solve customer problems, we’re working to be the top-tier data-driven organisation in the UK’s General Insurance market. With Analysts, Engineers and Developers working together in an agile environment, our Data Enabling Tribe is at the heart of our mission. Building a new, enterprise-scale, cloud-hosted, secure and trusted analytics platform, we’re using the economics of big data, cloud elasticity, machine learning and AI automation. And we’re turning information into business insights to provide even greater customer support.

What you'll do:

The Role:

Direct Line Group is going through an exciting transformation to be the leading data driven business in the UK’s general insurance market. For this, we have created a cutting-edge cloud-based (AWS) Data Science and Analytics platform to enable us to truly unleash the value of the vast amount of data we curate. In addition to our Data Science initiatives within the business functions we are now establishing a central Data Science Innovation function to supercharge our efforts and transform the way business is interrogating our data.

For this function we are looking to recruit motivated Data Scientists who want to play a leading role to deliver DLG’s data strategy by enabling the effective use of data to drive better decision making. In this role you will have access to a wide range of internal and external data sets, ranging from digital customer data over claims experience to telematics and earth observation data. This is a hands-on internal consultant role. In close contact with the business functions, you will drive the development of innovative Data Science solutions.

Technical Delivery

• Own and drive various Data Science Innovation projects across the business
• Work with both the Data Science Innovation team, as well as the wider business. Anticipate, shape and deliver the Data Science work by taking responsibility for data, modelling and communication of analysis to stakeholders.
• Create clear and actionable insights through advanced analysis and interpretation of multiple complex data sets.
• Prototype solutions to bring Data Science outputs to life for business stakeholders.
• Contribute to the deployment of Data Science outputs

Team Player

• Mentor and sometimes direct the work of junior team members and stakeholders new to data and analytics.
• Champion and evolve Data Science best practices, knowledge and standards, helping embed Advanced Analytics and Data Science at the heart of our business.

Data Strategy

• Contribute and input into DLG’s data strategic roadmap, especially by contributing to how DLG develops more machine learning and artificial intelligence solutions to better enable the business.
• Demonstrate and lead the “art of the possible” showcasing new capabilities and driving innovation within the immediate data science team and wider data science community in DLG and identify other interested stakeholders.
• Using commercial awareness, influence and communicate across multiple business areas and stakeholders to promote new opportunities for data to be leveraged effectively

Technical:

• Analytics & Statistics: Skilled at understanding complex business problems and translating them into Data Science solutions.
• Machine Learning: Able to build models (XGBoost, LGBM, PyTorch, Tensorflow) and work with engineers to deploy them into production.
• Programming & Advanced Computing: Python is a must, skills in Spark and Ray are nice to have. Familiarity with Git for version control.
• Data management and preparation: Able to query, prepare and analyse structured and unstructured data. Able to utilize several data sources, notably SQL DBs and S3.
• Consulting: Work in dynamic environments, cooperatively solving problems for commercial challenges.
• Presentation and Data Visualisation: Bring data to live by being a ‘storyteller’.

What you'll need:

• Analytics & Statistics: Skilled at understanding complex business problems and translating them into Data Science solutions.
• Machine Learning: Able to build models (XGBoost, LGBM, PyTorch, Tensorflow) and work with engineers to deploy them into production.
• Programming & Advanced Computing: Python is a must, skills in Spark and Ray are nice to have. Familiarity with Git for version control.
• Data management and preparation: Able to query, prepare and analyse structured and unstructured data. Able to utilize several data sources, notably SQL DBs and S3.
• Consulting: Work in dynamic environments, cooperatively solving problems for commercial challenges.
• Presentation and Data Visualisation: Bring data to live by being a ‘storyteller’.

Who you’ll work with:

You will work as part of our Data Science Innovation team. This is an enterprise level versatile team of Data Scientists and Machine Learning Engineers. We are a diverse and friendly team with most of us coming from scientific backgrounds in multiple areas of Physics and Engineering. You will report to the Data Science Chapter lead.

What we’ll give you in return:

• We wouldn’t be where we are today without our people and the wide variety of perspectives and life experiences they bring. That’s why we offer excellent benefits to suit your lifestyle and a flexible working model combining the best parts of home and office-working, varying with the nature of your role. Core benefits include:
• 9% employer contributed pension
• 50% off home, motor and pet insurance plus free travel insurance and Green Flag breakdown cover
• Up to 10% annual bonus
• 25 days holiday (rising by 1 each year to 28) + bank holidays and option to buy or sell up to 5 days
• Additional optional Health and Dental insurance
• EV car scheme allows all colleagues to lease a brand new electric or plug-in hybrid car in a tax efficient way.
• Buy as you earn share scheme
• Employee discounts and cashback
• Plus many more
• Ways of Working

Our mixed model way of working offers a 'best of both worlds' approach combining the best parts of home and office-working, offering flexibility for everyone. How much you'll be in the office depends on your role, and we'll consider the flexible working options that work best for you.

Read our flexible working approach here.

We recognise and embrace people that work in different ways so if you need any reasonable adjustments within this recruitment process, please reach out to us and we can discuss how we can support you with this.

There’s no-one else like you. No-one with the exact same mix of strengths, quirks, skills and thoughts. That’s why you could belong here. As part of a team of brilliant individuals, in a place that empowers you to be the best you can be. We’re proud of who we are, of what we do, and what every single one of us brings. Join us. Help us keep innovating and putting customers at the heart of everything. To be an insurance company of the future. When we work together, we can all achieve great things. Inspiring, challenging, and supporting each other to aim higher.

Together we’re one of a kind.