Head of AI and Data Science

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Job description

Location: Flexible location
£61,832 to £79,656 Per Annum plus pension and excellent benefits
Post ref: NOV

Location: Wilmslow or flexible location. There is also scope for some time to be worked from home subject to business need.

Salary: It is expected that candidates will start on the entry rate for the role.

Technology is driving fundamental changes to our society, driven by the critical role personal data is playing in our digital lives. What role could you play in influencing the way we support innovation and technological change while also protecting privacy and information rights?

We have a number of exciting opportunities to join our growing Technology team, please visit our Technology and Innovation opportunities page to find out more about our work and the full range of opportunities we have to offer.

About us

As an independent body serving the public, the work of the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is interesting and immensely rewarding. We uphold information rights in the public interest, promoting openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals.

In the last year we have been involved with prominent issues ranging from addressing the use of intrusive technology in our personal lives, to the privacy implications of the management of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our work has never been so important or high profile.

The ICO's technology group deals with some of the most complex privacy, data rights, data protection and emerging technology issues that society faces. The aim of the group is to make sure the ICO can assess and respond to these developments, and most importantly, to shape the future privacy, data and technology landscape.

About the role

The Head of AI and Data Science will be instrumental in shaping the future of AI regulation and responsible AI development. You will be responsible for establishing a new function within the ICO, growing and leading a team providing data science, machine learning, and social impact expertise.

You will also be required to champion and push the boundaries of responsible data use, translating data protection and privacy rights from principles into practice, both for the internal capability of the ICO, and externally by helping the ICO identify harmful practices within AI, and supporting organisations looking to us for leadership on ethical and responsible AI development.

About you

With a PhD or Masters in a relevant field - you will have considerable experience in AI, data science and the ethical issues arising from its use. You will have experience of handling and preparing data, developing and training models and algorithms, and will understand how to implement and critically assess model management/risk management approaches.

You will have up to date knowledge of current trends relating to the use of AI, machine learning, data and algorithms, and will be passionate about responsible AI development and ensuring that AI can work for all parts of society fairly. In particular, you will leverage your expertise to understand the benefit and limitations of data and data science approaches, and will have experience of developing technical, governance and policy techniques to support beneficial AI use and to investigate and address harms such as bias and discrimination from AI.

You will have recruited and managing a data science / AI team in the past, and preferably possess good knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation and ethical frameworks.

How to apply

To apply for this post please submit your CV and covering letter (saved and uploaded as one single document) prior to the closing date of 23:59, 28 November 2021.

Please ensure that your covering letter is no more than 2 pages. We also ask that you do not include any personal information (eg name, address) within your CV or cover letter, as these will be entered via a separate form.

In addition to considering your past experience, we will be shortlisting against 3 core competencies. They are:

• Significant (5+ years) experience in AI, Data Science and its ethical impact / policy implications
• Significant experience of recruiting, establishing and managing a data science team
• Expert knowledge of current trends and practices relating to the use of AI, machine learning, data and algorithms

Why work for the Information Commissioner's Office?

We are proud to provide our people with a premium benefits package including

• a generous leave allowance
• civil service pension arrangements
• flexi time
• flexible working arrangements such as compressed hours
• staff medicals

Equality, diversity and inclusion

The ICO is committed to promoting and enhancing equality, diversity and inclusion. We are focused on developing a workforce that is representative of the communities we serve and together we are building an inclusive workplace where all of our colleagues have the opportunity to make a real difference.

We are championing this through our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion boards, together with a number of staff networks.