Nesta is a global innovation foundation. We back new ideas to tackle the big challenges of our time. Our mission is to spark and shape new ideas that improve how the world works for everyone. We use our knowledge, networks, funding and skills – working in partnership with others, including governments, businesses and charities. We are a UK charity but work all over the world, supported by a financial endowment.
A myriad of factors are changing the nature of work in the UK, with the majority of workers in occupations with uncertain futures. As a result, policymakers, educators, businesses and individuals need more timely and granular information on how occupations are changing and what skills employers value most. Nesta has built up a global reputation for original and influential research by using new data sources and analytic methods to understand the changing labour market, such as online job adverts, network analysis, machine learning and data visualisation.
The role
Are you an entrepreneurial and collaborative individual with impressive quantitative data processing and analysis skills? If so, Nesta is looking for a Principal Researcher (Data Science) to develop and implement its ambitious programme of data-led research projects focusing on skills and labour market information.
Key roles and responsibilities
Working closely with other data scientists and economists in the unit and in the wider team, this key role will see you deliver data-led research projects on the labour market. You will analyse relevant data using supervised and unsupervised machine learning and natural language processing techniques, plus collect and link data sets, including web-based, open and /or official data.
You will also be expected to communicate research findings through conference and peer-reviewed papers, research notes, blogs, data visualisations and open source software, as well as participating in the development of new research proposals for funders.
Experience and skills
You will hold a PhD qualification, or an excellent Master’s degree, in a relevant quantitative discipline (e.g. computer or data science, econometrics, engineering, operations research, physics, etc) and possess expertise in web-based data collection and machine-learning techniques and in data science-relevant programming languages. Knowledge and experience of labour market research is desirable.
An outstanding communicator, verbal and written, you will have a proven ability to present research findings in ways that are clear, compelling and credible, and to draft high-quality written outputs from research. A flexible, adaptable and collaborative approach to your work is also vital.