Illustrative Reference profiles for a generic digital health care organisation, not official job descriptions. About this reference.

Lead data scientist

Band 8a · Data scientist · 560 job evaluation points

UK GDaD PCF level: Lead data scientist

Most often performed at Civil Service grade G7 or G6.

A lead data scientist is a leader, coach, and champion of data science. They have responsibility for managing and developing teams, building organisational capability, and setting and communicating direction.

At this role level, you will:

  • have experience in identifying opportunities to deploy extensive knowledge of data science techniques, and in challenging the status quo
  • design and implement scalable data science outputs and products, driving collaboration with others in support of organisational objectives
  • select the most appropriate tools and technologies
  • navigate ethical and data challenges
  • communicate and present effectively
  • challenge delivery plans and priorities
Contains public sector information from the UK Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework (https://understand-digital-data-roles-skills.service.gov.uk/), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright.

Responsibilities

Skills

SkillExpected levelWhat this level means
Applied maths, statistics and scientific practicesUK GDaD PCFExpert (4)

You can:

  • identify opportunities to develop statistical insight, reports and models to support organisational objectives, while collaborating across the organisation effectively
  • critique statistical analyses
  • use a variety of data analytics techniques (such as data mining and prescriptive and predictive analytics) for complex data analysis through the whole data life cycle
  • use model outputs to produce evidence and help design services and policies
  • understand a broad range of statistical tools, particularly those deployed within the organisation, and can use these appropriately and help others to use them
Data engineeringUK GDaD PCFExpert (4)

You can:

  • help to identify the data engineering requirements for any data science product, while working with data engineers and data scientists to design and deliver those products into the organisation effectively
  • understand the need to cleanse and prepare data before including it in data science products and can put reusable processes and checks in place
  • understand a broad range of architectures, including cloud and on-premise, and data manipulation and transformation tools deployed within the organisation, and can use these tools appropriately and help others use them
Data ethics and privacyUK GDaD PCFExpert (4)

You can:

  • oversee compliance with data ethics standards and legislation across the organisation
  • develop, manage and continuously improve an ethical framework within your area
  • develop a data ethics culture, influencing others to act on it
  • ensure data ethics is applied appropriately when formulating, implementing and evaluating organisational policies and programmes
Data science innovationUK GDaD PCFExpert (4)

You can:

  • be a leader in the data science space
  • demonstrate in-depth knowledge of data science tools and techniques, which you can use to solve problems creatively and to create opportunities for your team
  • act as a coach, inspiring curiosity and creativity in others
  • demonstrate in-depth knowledge of your chosen profession and keep up to date with changes in the industry
  • challenge the status quo and always look for ways to improve data science
Delivering business impactUK GDaD PCFExpert (4)

You can:

  • champion the role of data science within the organisation
  • understand and champion user research, and can design and manage processes to gather and establish user needs
  • identify and create opportunities to develop and deliver data science products to support organisational objectives, while collaborating across the organisation to fulfil meaningful goals
  • take responsibility for delivering scalable data science products into the organisation, and establishing maintenance support
Developing data science capabilityUK GDaD PCFExpert (4)

You can:

  • act as a leader or technical specialist, providing detailed support and guidance within the organisation and helping colleagues to develop skills
  • set the direction of CPD (continuous professional development) within your team
  • keep up to date with new developments in data science and can match those to opportunities in your organisation
  • talk confidently about the benefits of data science approaches to existing and potential customers
  • demonstrate an in-depth understanding of a wide range of data science techniques, such as machine learning and natural language processing, and detailed knowledge of at least one specialism
  • use these techniques to build data science solutions, including reports, models and dashboards
Programming and build (data science)UK GDaD PCFExpert (4)

You can:

  • write complex programs and scripts
  • seek to make code open source where appropriate
  • supervise junior analysts and set coding standards for your team
  • understand software architecture and how to write efficient, optimised code
  • perform user testing on products prior to launch
Understanding product deliveryUK GDaD PCFExpert (4)

You can:

  • understand the differences between delivery methods, such as Agile and waterfall, and can set out how your team should use and adapt these methods
  • lead a team through the different phases of the product delivery life cycle
  • collaborate with the product manager to influence the direction of work
  • identify and involve relevant teams to smoothly deliver data science products into the organisation, ensuring these products inform decision making
  • ensure products are monitored, maintained and continually improved, engaging and working with others where necessary
  • have oversight of any data science features implemented within products or services
Understanding health and care servicesThis referencePractitioner (3)

You can:

  • analyse how a service fits into care pathways across organisations
  • work with clinicians, care staff, and patients to shape digital services
  • explain the effect of digital decisions on care, safety, and staff workload
Information governance and data protectionThis referencePractitioner (3)

You can:

  • lead data protection impact assessments and information sharing agreements
  • advise teams on lawful basis, consent, confidentiality, and retention
  • investigate incidents and recommend improvements
Pseudonymisation and disclosure controlThis referencePractitioner (3)

You can:

  • design pseudonymisation and linkage methods that keep identifiers separate from analysis data
  • assess the re-identification risk of a data set or publication and choose suitable controls
  • advise teams on safe settings, such as trusted research environments
Safe and fair AI in health careThis referencePractitioner (3)

You can:

  • plan the validation, bias assessment, and live monitoring of a model with clinical colleagues
  • decide when a model needs retraining, restricting, or withdrawing
  • advise teams on when a model may be regulated as a medical device and what evidence it needs
Clinical risk managementThis referenceWorking (2)

You can:

  • take part in hazard workshops and contribute to a hazard log
  • follow the clinical risk management process for your work
  • provide evidence for a clinical safety case, such as test results
Medical device software regulationThis referenceWorking (2)

You can:

  • follow a software life cycle process that meets medical device standards
  • produce the records that such a process requires
People managementThis referencePractitioner (3)

You can:

  • line manage a team, setting objectives and running appraisals
  • support wellbeing and manage attendance, performance, and conduct
  • plan the team's development and succession

Typical qualifications and experience

Band 8a outline

Knowledge
Expert knowledge of a discipline and its management.
Autonomy
Interprets organisational policy for a service; sets the team's direction.
Scope
A service area or a discipline across the organisation.
Leadership
Manages a team, or leads a discipline without line management.
Accountability
A service area, its staff, and its budget.

Job evaluation (illustrative)

FactorLevelLevel summaryPoints
Communication and relationship skills5Gives highly complex or contentious information needing developed persuasion and negotiation, presents to large groups, or communicates where there are significant barriers to acceptance.45
Knowledge, training, and experience7Highly developed specialist knowledge across the range of the specialism (master's level or equivalent).196
Analytical and judgemental skills5Judgements on highly complex facts or situations needing analysis, interpretation, and comparison of options.60
Planning and organisational skills4Plans a broad range of complex activities or strategies, adjusting them as needed.42
Physical skills2Skills gained through practice, such as standard keyboard use or driving.15
Responsibility for patient and client care1Helps patients, clients, or relatives during incidental contact.4
Responsibility for policy and service development4Implements policy and develops policy or services for a service or several areas.32
Responsibility for financial and physical resources2Handles cash or valuables, looks after equipment used by others, controls stock, or authorises small payments.12
Responsibility for people3Manages a group of staff day to day, teaches core or specialist training, or gives core HR advice.21
Responsibility for information resources5Designs and develops major information systems, or runs information systems for several services as the main duty.34
Responsibility for research and development3Carries out research or development within formal programmes as a main duty.21
Freedom to act5Works within general policies, and in most cases decides how to interpret them.45
Physical effort1Sitting, standing, and walking, with little physical effort.3
Mental effort4Frequent prolonged concentration, or occasional intense concentration.18
Emotional effort1Rare exposure, or occasional indirect exposure, to distressing circumstances.5
Working conditions2Occasional unpleasant conditions, frequent travel or outdoor work, or near-continuous screen use on most days.7
Total (Band 8a: 540 to 584)560

The UK GDaD PCF suggests both lead data scientist and head of data science at G7 or G6. This reference places lead at Band 8a and head at Band 8b, so the two levels sit in different bands.

Self assessment

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Rated 0 of 15 skills: 0 meet the expected level, 0 below, 0 above.

Applied maths, statistics and scientific practices Expected: Expert
Data engineering Expected: Expert
Data ethics and privacy Expected: Expert
Data science innovation Expected: Expert
Delivering business impact Expected: Expert
Developing data science capability Expected: Expert
Programming and build (data science) Expected: Expert
Understanding product delivery Expected: Expert
Understanding health and care services Expected: Practitioner
Information governance and data protection Expected: Practitioner
Pseudonymisation and disclosure control Expected: Practitioner
Safe and fair AI in health care Expected: Practitioner
Clinical risk management Expected: Working
Medical device software regulation Expected: Working
People management Expected: Practitioner
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