Head of Data Science, AI & ML

Head of Data Science, AI & ML

Job title: Head of Data Science,  AI & ML - Fixed Term Contract 18-24 months

Location: Leeds, Bulgaria, Malta

Overview of the role:

We have an exciting new role in our Data Product tribe for a Head of Data Science AI/ML. You will lead a team of skilled Data Scientists, driving the development and operationalizing cutting-edge machine learning products to support the business in areas such as Casino, Poker, Sportsbook and Operations.

You’ll be reporting into the Associate Director, Data Science, AI/ML & Analytics in a team who all share a passion for our products and understanding of our customers behaviour.

Our Leeds office is at the heart of our business. The 8-storey building has an onsite staff gym and cafeteria, two heated rooftop terraces, a dedicated gaming room and a staircase amphitheatre. The space brings all our teams under one roof in the biggest private letting office in Yorkshire. 

What you’ll do:

• Lead of team of exceptional Data Scientists, providing support, guidance and mentorship.
• Lead by example, driving an analytics first approach.
• Using machine learning and advanced analytics, you will contribute to the success of the world’s largest poker site, translating business vision into actionable output.
• As a senior member of the team aside from leadership you will also be supporting the growth of enterprise-wide AI and assisting the team to fulfil its roadmap.
• You will have the opportunity to lead the development of world-class AI products in areas including GenAI, recommender systems and reinforcement learning. 

What you’ll bring:

• Ideally MSc/PhD qualified in a STEM subject.
• Minimum 6 years experience delivering production grade machine learning products in a corporate environment.
• First-class communication & presentation skills: being able to translate technical jargon into understandable and actionable insights to senior stakeholders in the business.
• Demonstrable experience driving high-performance across a team of data scientists.
• Demonstrable experience of delivering machine learning and AI products with tangible value across a wide variety of business use cases.
• Experience supporting the development of junior data scientists.
• Expertise in advanced areas such as deep learning (e.g. transformers, GNNs, diffusion models, LLMs etc.), reinforcement learning, causal inference along with other common machine learning techniques.
• You will be proficient in several data science programming languages (Python, R, Scala, Java).
• You will be proficient in the use of cloud-based technologies for building and deploying machine learning systems.
• Deep expertise in manipulating large datasets using SQL, Spark, or similar.
• You enjoy being a technical mentor, sharing software engineering best practices and helping smart, knowledgeable data scientists with difficult mathematical problems. 
• An understanding that a team is greater than the sum of its parts, and embraces winning together. 
• Strong knowledge of building & deploying machine learning products on a cloud based platform.
• It’s a plus if you have previous experience in the online gaming industry.
• Ideal if you are proficient with AWS services relevant for machine learning (e.g. SageMaker).
• Experience of delivering business value from Generative AI would be an advantage. 
• Knowledge of working with real time data streams (Kafka, Kinesis) is also of benefit.

It’s ok if you don’t think you tick every box on this list. We love people who want to challenge themselves and are passionate about what they do. If you believe you can contribute in some areas and are eager to learn, we encourage you to apply.

Why choose us:

Aside from a generous base salary, we have a fantastic benefits & rewards program that is designed to encourage personal and career development.

• Discretionary annual performance bonus.
• 25 days contractual annual leave + 5 additional days if contractual days are over
• Health and dental insurance for you, and 50% coverage for your partner and your children (if you all live at the same address)
• 26 week's primary carer leave, and 4 weeks secondary carer leave
• Personal life insurance and income protection
• External learning support of up to £2,000, dedicated 4 learning “Power Hours” every month during office time, full access to the Udemy and Mindtools platforms, in-house leadership programme and many other training opportunities for developing your skills and progressing your career
• Looking to extend your family? You will receive a cash gift of £1,000 GBP for your new addition whilst working for us
• Online Discount Scheme, including discounted shopping and cinema vouchers.

Equal opportunities:

At Flutter International we are committed to creating an inclusive environment where our people can be their authentic selves and thrive. We embrace and celebrate diversity, respecting all our uniqueness and differences.

We welcome you to let us know whether you have any accessibility needs. All you need to do is email us at [email protected]. Your journey with us is focused on ensuring you have what you need to be your best self.

Learn more about the works we are doing on Inclusion and Belonging here: https://careers.flutterinternational.com/working-at-flutter-international/diversity-equity-inclusion/

The group:

Flutter International is a proud member of the Flutter Entertainment family, a worldwide leader in sports betting, gaming, and entertainment. We're not just another company; we're part of the FTSE 100 index on the London Stock Exchange. What sets us apart is our exceptional blend of brands, top-notch products, and a global presence that spans across 40 countries. What truly defines us is our commitment to ensuring that the thrill of gaming and entertainment is experienced in a responsible and sustainable way. Our remarkable team of over 8,000 colleagues drives this vision, spread across 28 offices worldwide.