Junior Data Scientist – Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
Location: Guildford, Surrey, UK
Salary: £33,677 to £40,996 per year
Band: NHS Agenda for Change Band 5
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Closing date: 11 October 2026
Reference: 384-JH-EMF20541-B5-A
Skilled Worker Sponsorship
Skilled Worker sponsorship: Applications are welcome.
Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust states that applications from candidates who require current Skilled Worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside other applications.
This makes the vacancy relevant to eligible applicants who are already in the UK or applying from overseas and require sponsorship. Applicants should still meet the role’s eligibility, immigration and employment requirements.
About the Role
Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust is looking for a motivated and technically capable Junior Data Scientist to join its expanding Data Science team.
The role offers an opportunity for an early-career data professional to work alongside experienced data scientists and engineers, contributing to data science solutions, machine learning models and data products that support innovation, automation and better organisational outcomes.
The successful candidate will work with large and complex datasets and help turn data into useful intelligence for operational, clinical and strategic decision-making.
Key Responsibilities
The Junior Data Scientist will:
- Support the development, testing and deployment of machine learning models.
- Extract, prepare, validate and analyse complex datasets from clinical and corporate systems.
- Carry out data exploration, feature engineering and model evaluation.
- Apply statistical and data science techniques to real-world healthcare data.
- Contribute to predictive and statistical modelling projects.
- Help develop automated data pipelines and reproducible analytical workflows.
- Produce visualisations and analytical outputs that make Trust intelligence easier to understand and use.
- Work with senior data scientists and analysts to translate complex findings into clear insights.
- Support improvements in data quality and analytical processes.
- Contribute to the adoption of modern data science tools and methods.
- Support data science work across both Royal Surrey County Hospital and Ashford and St Peters Hospital.
Essential Qualifications and Experience
Applicants should have:
- Degree-level education or equivalent work experience.
- Experience working with structured datasets, including cleaning, transforming and validating data.
- Knowledge of core statistical concepts and their practical application.
- Advanced use of analytical or data science technologies such as Python, R, SQL or similar.
- Understanding of data visualisation principles and experience creating charts, dashboards or reports.
- Knowledge of machine learning fundamentals and the ability to create models.
- Experience working with large or complex datasets from multiple sources.
- Knowledge of data quality issues and approaches for identifying, investigating and resolving inconsistencies.
Experience within a healthcare or public-sector environment would be particularly relevant.
Desirable Experience
Experience analysing data within a Secondary Care setting is desirable.
Familiarity with tools and technologies such as Git, Docker, ML frameworks and cloud or distributed data environments would also be advantageous.
Who This Role May Suit
This opportunity may suit an early-career data scientist or analytical professional with a strong technical foundation who wants to develop their experience within the NHS.
The Trust is looking for someone who is curious, methodical and willing to develop their technical expertise. Applicants should be comfortable experimenting, solving problems, working with ambiguity and explaining technical concepts to different audiences.
Salary and Benefits
The position is offered at NHS Agenda for Change Band 5, with a salary of:
£33,677 to £40,996 per year, including High Cost Area Supplement (HCAS).
The post is permanent and full-time.
Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust states that it provides a comprehensive health and wellbeing programme and supports professional development and career progression.
About Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
Royal Surrey is an acute and community Trust serving patients across hospital and community settings.
Its main acute hospital is in Guildford, with community hospital sites at Milford, Haslemere and Cranleigh. The Trust also provides adult community health services across Guildford and Waverley and regional specialist cancer care.
The Trust says it employs around 5,000 colleagues and is investing in its workforce, facilities and equipment.
Right to Work and DBS Check
The Trust confirms that applications requiring current Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome and will be considered alongside other applications.
The post is also subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975.
Candidates applying for UK immigration clearance may also need to provide criminal record certificates covering countries where they have lived for the required period, in accordance with the relevant UK immigration requirements.
Closing Date
11 October 2026
The Trust notes that although early closure is not its normal practice, vacancies may close before the advertised date. Applicants are therefore encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
Application and Selection Process
Applications should be submitted through the official NHS Jobs vacancy.
Employer: Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
Job title: Junior Data Scientist
Reference: 384-JH-EMF20541-B5-A
Location: Guildford, GU2 7XX
For questions about the position, the advert lists Gareth Bunyan as the manager contact at gareth.bunyan@nhs.net.