As a Principal Data Scientist, you will be a strategic and technical leader for data science, shaping the direction of our most complex, high-impact initiatives. You will provide thought leadership, mentor team members, and work cross-functionally to influence both technical and business strategy. You will lead the development and deployment of advanced machine learning and AI solutions, ensuring they are scalable, robust, and aligned with business priorities., Own and lead the design, development and delivery of our most critical and complex data science initiatives, with clear business impact and measurable outcomes
Demonstrate system-level thinking, considering architectural choices, data dependencies and integration across the wider data platform
Develop and maintain production-grade ML systems including retraining strategies, model lifecycle management, monitoring and alerting
Act as a trusted technical authority, reviewing and challenging project design, methodology, and outputs
Drive adoption of CI/CD practices, unit testing, and monitoring frameworks in data science workflows
Lead cross-functional collaboration with engineering, product and analytics to shape and deliver strategic initiatives
Translate business strategy into data science initiatives, proactively identifying opportunities and influencing stakeholders
Shape the roadmap for tooling, technologies and approaches that support scalable, sustainable data science delivery
Mentor and develop less experienced data scientists, fostering technical and professional growth
Champion ethical AI, explainability and model governance throughout the lifecycle of our solutions
Contribute to a culture of continuous learning, experimentation and data-informed decision making

This role is suited to a deeply experienced, commercially-minded individual who combines strong technical expertise with excellent communication and leadership skills., We are looking for those who can share in our company goals, values and ethos, who can grow alongside us and whose skills can aid our ongoing success!

By Being One Team, Owning it, Communicating Honestly and showcasing a devotion to Learning, Growing and Innovating, we remain true to our original ethos and ensure we stay true to our Customers, Owners and Colleagues alike.

Essential Experience:

Extensive experience designing, developing and deploying machine learning and AI solutions in production environments
Statistical modelling, machine learning (e.g. logistic regression, random forest, XGBoost, , and modern deep learning techniques (e.g. transformers, transfer learning, reinforcement learning)
Proven ability to lead technical direction across projects or domains
Expertise in model validation, explainability, governance and ethical AI principles
Advanced proficiency in Python (e.g. Scikit-learn, TensorFlow/PyTorch) and SQL, plus familiarity with ML engineering and MLOps practices

Nice to have:

Experience in setting or influencing data science strategy in a growing organisation
Familiarity with AWS SageMaker and modern cloud-based ML workflows
History of publications, open source contributions, or community involvement in the data science field
MSc or PhD in a quantitative field (e.g. statistics, computer science, mathematics).

The Forge Holiday Group encompasses Sykes Holiday Cottages, Forest Holidays, UKcaravans4hire and Bachcare in New Zealand. We unite under four core company values that serve as the foundation of everything we do: Being One Team, Owning It, Communicating Honestly. Learning, Growing, and Innovating. These values ensure we remain true to our original ethos and ensure we stay true to our Customers, Owners and Colleagues alike.

Salary: £70,000 to £80,000 per annum
Work Days & Hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm, 37.5 hours per week
Working Policy: Flexible hybrid-working policy, with a minimum of two days a week from our Chester head office
Team: Data and Analytics
Reports to: Data Science Manager, Annual STIP Company-wide Bonus Scheme offering up to an additional 10% of your salary through our performance-based bonus program
33 days of annual leave including bank holidays, plus up to 5 extra days with long service
A day off to celebrate your Birthday
Two paid Volunteering Days off annually
One of only 1000 BCORP-certified companies in the UK
Enhanced Parental leave (24 weeks maternity, 3 weeks paternity at 100% pay)
Exclusive discounts on stays for you, family and friends
Discounts and offers with a focus on your overall wellbeing
Health Cash Plan starting April 2025
Training & Development programs to set you up for success
24/7 mental health support and initiatives
Access to the gym at our Chester HQ
Chester HQ has on-site parking and is close to Chester train station
Employee Savings Scheme transferring directly from your salary
Long Service Awards
Hybrid working for selected roles.

Diversity and Inclusion: We encourage and welcome our people to bring their authentic and best selves to work every day. We know the power that comes from different ideas, backgrounds and perspectives. We recognise the role diversity plays in achieving our goals as a business. We actively welcome applications from as wide a range of backgrounds as possible. If you need any particular support or accommodations as part of your application process, please get in touch - our recruitment team are happy to help.