Associate Data Scientist

The opportunity

ICF supports governments and organisations on challenges in areas such as energy, the environment, aviation, health and public policy. Our data science team works with subject matter experts to turn evidence and data into practical solutions for clients in the UK and EU.

You will join an established team and contribute to data science and AI work across varied client projects. Working with more experienced colleagues, you will prepare data, test analytical approaches, help develop prototypes and communicate what the results mean. You will gain exposure to the consulting process, learning how to turn complex client questions into practical analyses and communicate findings to a range of audiences.

What you will do

• Work with data scientists and subject matter experts to understand project questions, available data and appropriate outputs.
• Clean, combine and explore datasets, write clear Python and document your assumptions and checks.
• Build and compare straightforward statistical or machine learning models, use suitable baselines and help evaluate accuracy, limitations and potential bias.
• Contribute to prototypes using methods suited to the problem, including language models where appropriate, and test outputs carefully before sharing them.
• Prepare charts, concise written findings and presentation material, explain your work to colleagues and, with support, to clients and subject matter experts.
• Use feedback and code review to improve your work, and contribute to reproducible project files and team knowledge sharing.

What you will bring

• Hands-on experience applying data science through a project, research, internship or commercial work.
• Experience using Python gained through employment, an internship, research or substantial personal or academic projects.
• A grounding in statistics and common machine learning methods, such as regression or classification, and experience of training, testing and model evaluation.
• Care with data quality, documentation and clear, reproducible code, willingness to learn version control and collaborative development practices.
• Curiosity about real client problems, willingness to ask questions and ability to explain your thinking in clear written and spoken English.
• A relevant degree or equivalent practical experience in a quantitative or social science field.

Useful additional experience

• Exposure to public policy, government, research or evaluation.
• Hands-on exploration of large language models, including checking responses against source material, experience with AI agents is welcome but not required.
• Experience with Git, cloud services, data visualisation, collaborative projects or presenting technical work to a nontechnical audience.

What you can expect

You will learn from colleagues with a range of technical and subject expertise while contributing to complex, varied projects. We will support your career development through ongoing training, feedback and opportunities to deepen both your data science and consulting skills. As your experience grows, you will take on more responsibility in shaping and delivering solutions.

Right to Work, Location & Sponsorship

We welcome applications from candidates based anywhere in the world. For roles located in the UK, Belgium, Spain, or Germany, applicants must:

• Hold the right to work in the country where the role is based, or be eligible for visa sponsorship, which we may consider on a case-by-case basis, and

• Be physically present in that country by their first day of employment (or able to relocate beforehand).

Unless stated otherwise, relocation support is not automatically provided.

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Bot and Third-Party Applications

Please note that this application must be submitted directly by the applicant for consideration. Failure to do so may result in the application being excluded for consideration. Applicants needing an accommodation for disability or religious purposes in connection with the application process should contact [email protected] for assistance.

About us:

Working at ICF means applying a passion for meaningful work with intellectual rigor to help solve the leading issues of our day. Smart, compassionate, innovative, committed, ICF employees tackle unprecedented challenges to benefit people, businesses, and governments around the globe. We believe in collaboration, mutual respect, open communication, and opportunity for growth.

We can only solve the world's toughest challenges by building an inclusive workplace that allows everyone to thrive. We are committed to creating a culture where we embrace our differences in ideas and identities. Together, our employees are empowered to share their expertise and collaborate with others to achieve personal and professional goals.

Learn more about what we do and our commitment to inclusion.

The benefits of joining ICF:

Our people at ICF are our most important asset, so we invest in them from the moment they arrive. When you join our team, you’ll have access to a vast array of benefits to help you live your life well.

We offer a hybrid working policy, which will provide you with the flexibility to collaborate in the office, as well as in the comfort of your own home, ensuring you are able to successfully deliver the requirements of your role.

To support you, our employee wellbeing hub is designed to provide highly personalised support across a comprehensive range of wellbeing issues, such as mind, body, finances, community, career programs and HR support.

We enjoy celebrating success, which is why we have a competitive recognition program called ‘You Matter’, which awards points as a ‘thank you’ for your work achievements. These can be spent on a large variety of high-quality items, as well as online or high-street vouchers, all with zero tax payable by the employee.

ICF also offers a range of competitive benefits, which include:

• Single Private Medical Insurance cover with no restrictions on existing conditions.
• Dental insurance and an online GP service.
• 25 days annual leave, plus UK bank holidays (annual leave increases with years of service).
• Pension scheme with 5% of salary employer contribution
• Life assurance paying 4x annual salary and Group Income Protection paying 66% of salary for up to 5 years if you are off work on long-term sick.
• Enhanced parental leave policies, enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption, and shared parental pay.

Candidate AI Usage Policy

At ICF, we are committed to ensuring a fair and equitable interview process for all candidates based on their own skills and knowledge. As part of this commitment, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to generate or assist with responses during interviews (whether in-person or virtual) is not permitted. This policy is in place to maintain the integrity and authenticity of the interview process.

However, we understand that some candidates may require accommodations that involve the use of AI. If such an accommodation is needed, candidates are instructed to contact us in advance at [email protected]. We are dedicated to providing the necessary support to ensure that all candidates have an equal opportunity to succeed.