Applied Engineer

THE ROLE

We are looking for an Applied engineer to work closely with analysts to understand the questions they need to answer, often using large, varied and poorly structured data. The applied engineer's job is to understand what the analyst is really asking, answer it quickly, and then turn the repeated, similar ad-hoc queries into efficient, event-driven analytics.

As an Applied Engineer you work in that loop day to day: sitting with analysts, understanding what they are trying to answer, prototyping quickly, and then turning the prototypes that earn their keep into robust, event-driven analytics on the team's data platform. You will work within technical direction set by the Lead and Senior Applied Engineers, with real ownership of the analytics you build and growing autonomy as you demonstrate it. You join as part of the team's founding cohort of engineers, reporting to the Lead Applied Engineer.

This role suits an engineer who is comfortable with statistical analysis, or a data scientist with sound engineering habits, someone who is driven to get useful things into the hands of real users.

HOW YOU WILL MAKE AN IMPACT

• Work directly with Defence analysts, largely on-site, to understand their requirements and develop analytical tools that fit their working practices.
• Identify recurring analytical requests and develop efficient, event-driven processes that update and present results when new data becomes available.
• Develop prototypes quickly and, where they demonstrate value, turn them into tested, monitored and deployable services on the team's data platform.
• Apply sound statistical and data science judgement, including selecting appropriate methods, understanding their assumptions, and communicating uncertainty clearly to non-specialist users.
• Build proportionate analyst-facing interfaces where needed, such as dashboards, notebooks, command-line tools and small web applications, using the data products provided by the team's data engineers.

ABOUT YOU

The ideal candidate is a pragmatic and impact-driven engineer who thrives producing work with real operational relevance. They will bring experience building analytics, data science or AI products and be comfortable taking exploratory work beyond the notebook, transforming prototypes into robust, tested and deployable systems. With strong Python engineering skills, including testing, version control and collaborative development practices, they understand what it takes to deliver reliable software in production. Equally strong in statistics and data science, they can select appropriate methods, understand their limitations and communicate complex findings and uncertainty clearly to non-technical audiences. Above all, they are motivated by solving real-world problems, working closely with stakeholders to understand their needs, and delivering practical, high-quality solutions that drive operational impact and support better decision-making.

Please see our portal for a full breakdown of the role.

Closing date for applications: Sunday 01 November at 23:59 (London, UK BST/GMT)

Term and Conditions

This full-time post is offered on a permanent basis. Salary range is £46,000-57,000 plus excellent benefits, including flexible working and family friendly policies, Employee-only benefits guide | The Alan Turing Institute

Given the close working relationship with government partners, this role requires regular on-site presence with Defence partners in London 3 days per week, with possible occasional travel to other sites in the UK, in addition to the Institute's standard office attendance expectations.

Application Procedure

Eligibility for DV clearance is an essential requirement for this role. Eligibility criteria and further information on the process can be found on the UK Government security vetting website.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please click the apply button below. It will redirect you to The Alan Turing Institute jobs portal, where you can find more information and a full job description for this role. You will need to register on the applicant portal and complete the application form including your CV and covering letter.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

The Alan Turing Institute is committed to creating an environment where diversity is valued and everyone is treated fairly. We value diversity of background, experience, and perspective, and are proud to be an inclusive employer. We warmly encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from groups currently under-represented in our sector. If you feel passionate about this role but don’t meet every single requirement, please apply - we recognise that great candidates may bring strengths beyond the criteria listed