Principal Data Scientist

Site Name:UK – London – New Oxford Street, UK - Hertfordshire - Stevenage
Posted Date:Mar 14 2025

We create a place where people can grow, be their best, be safe, and feel welcome, valued and included. We offer a competitive salary, an annual bonus based on company performance, healthcare and wellbeing programmes, pension plan membership, and shares and savings programme.

We embrace modern work practises; our Performance with Choice programme offers a hybrid working model, empowering you to find the optimal balance between remote and in-office work.

This is an exciting opportunity to channel your passion for innovation in the field of Statistics and Data Science to help shape the future of the Biostatistics function and transform the way in which GSK uses data and quantitative thinking to drive decision-making in R&D.

Biostatistics is the single-largest functional group of Statisticians, Programmers and Data Scientists within GSK R&D, numbering approx. 900 permanent people in the US, UK, Europe and India. Our mission is to put statistical thinking at the heart of R&D decision-making; to ensure that predictive models and well-designed experiments and trials deliver robust evidence as the input to those decisions – ultimately making the R&D process more efficient. We are investing in our cutting-edge innovation capabilities by expanding the Statistics & Data Science Innovation Hub (SDS-IH) led by Prof Nicky Best. The vision of SDS-IH is to be the catalyst for innovation and advanced data-driven decision-making. To achieve this, we are forming agile teams dedicated to untangling and resolving complex data challenges across R&D, constructing robust data pipelines, comprehensive analytics, and dynamic dashboards to enable stakeholders to take data-informed decisions in real-time.

At the heart of SDS-IH lies a diverse coalition of Statisticians and Data Scientists - a synthesis of unique skills and experiences. Together, we are the architects of novel quantitative methodologies, systems, and tools – a living embodiment of our vision.

Job Purpose

We are building something exciting! Our new Data Science Innovation for R&D Operations pillar is transforming how GSK makes decisions across its R&D operations. We have already delivered high-impact solutions in Clinical Operations, Finance, and Resource Management—and we are just getting started.

As a Principal Data Scientist, you will be at the forefront of this transformation, using cutting-edge ML, statistical modeling, and GenAI to solve complex operational challenges that directly improve how we deliver medicines to patients. This is a unique opportunity to apply your technical expertise to problems that matter, working in a fast-paced, collaborative environment with some of the brightest minds in the industry.

Key Responsibilities:

• Build predictive models and AI solutions that solve impactful business problems across R&D operations
• Translate complex data into actionable insights using GSK's Data Fabric
• Deliver impactful data science solutions from concept to implementation
• Collaborate in cross-functional technical and business teams
• Communicate complex findings clearly through compelling visualizations
• Set high standards for code quality and technical innovation

Basic Qualifications & Skills:

• Advanced Python/R programming with expertise in OOP, data structures, data science libraries, and production deployment
• Strong statistical modelling and machine learning skills, backed by Postgraduate degree OR Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) and applied experience in a quantitative field
• Experience with DevOps, MLOps, cloud infrastructure, modern LLM technologies, and big data processing

Preferred Qualifications & Skills:

• Technical consulting experience: understand business context, frame scientific problems, provide actionable insights and deliver business facing solutions
• Pharmaceutical industry experience, particularly in operational areas
• Expertise in decision-making under uncertainty and complex optimization
• Strong research background with published work
• Experience of working in matrixed teams in particular teams of clinicians, researchers and technical contributors
• Experience designing algorithms for challenging datasets and implementing as part of a high-quality solution

Closing Date for Applications – Sunday 30th of March (EOD)

Please take a copy of the Job Description, as this will not be available post closure of the advert.
When applying for this role, please use the ‘cover letter’ of the online application or your CV to describe how you meet the competencies for this role, as outlined in the job requirements above. The information that you have provided in your cover letter and CV will be used to assess your application.

Why GSK?

Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together.

GSK is a global biopharma company with a special purpose – to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together – so we can positively impact the health of billions of people and deliver stronger, more sustainable shareholder returns – as an organisation where people can thrive. We prevent and treat disease with vaccines, specialty and general medicines. We focus on the science of the immune system and the use of new platform and data technologies, investing in four core therapeutic areas (infectious diseases, HIV, respiratory/immunology and oncology).

Our success absolutely depends on our people. While getting ahead of disease together is about our ambition for patients and shareholders, it’s also about making GSK a place where people can thrive. We want GSK to be a place where people feel inspired, encouraged and challenged to be the best they can be. A place where they can be themselves – feeling welcome, valued, and included. Where they can keep growing and look after their wellbeing. So, if you share our ambition, join us at this exciting moment in our journey to get Ahead Together.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we are open to all talent. In the US, we also adhere to Affirmative Action principles. This ensures that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to neurodiversity, race/ethnicity, colour, national origin, religion, gender, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, disability, genetic information, military service, covered/protected veteran status or any other federal, state or local protected class*(*US only).

We believe in an agile working culture for all our roles. If flexibility is important to you, we encourage you to explore with our hiring team what the opportunities are.

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