Lead Data Scientist

Lead Data Scientist (m/f/d)

Location: Lisbon, Portugal (Hybrid)

Type: Full-time

We’re supporting a high-growth, international digital platform business on the search for a Lead Data Scientist to join their growing Data Science function in Lisbon.

This is an excellent opportunity for a hands-on senior / lead-level Data Scientist who enjoys owning end-to-end machine learning delivery, leading technical decisions, and mentoring others within a modern, product-led environment.

This role is ideal for someone who wants to combine deep technical ownership with team leadership, while still remaining close to the modelling, architecture, and productionisation of real-world ML systems.

The Opportunity

As a Lead Data Scientist, you will take ownership of complex, end-to-end data science initiatives that combine machine learning models, software components, and scalable production systems.

You’ll act as the technical lead / anchor for a small team, helping shape architecture, delivery standards, and technical quality across the full project lifecycle — from problem framing through to deployment and measurable business impact.

This is not a pure people-manager role. It is a hands-on technical leadership position, suited to someone who can lead by example, make strong technical decisions, and drive delivery within a cross-functional environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end delivery of complex machine learning / data science projects
• Translate business challenges into scalable, production-ready ML solutions
• Own technical design and architecture across models, pipelines, and supporting systems
• Collaborate with Product, Engineering, Platform, and business stakeholders to ensure robust delivery
• Drive high standards across:
• Code quality
• Testing
• CI/CD
• Observability
• Maintainability
• Balance experimentation with long-term engineering quality and operational stability
• Mentor and support more junior Data Scientists, helping raise technical standards across the team
• Communicate technical trade-offs, risks, and solution design clearly to non-technical stakeholders
• Ensure solutions deliver measurable commercial / operational impact

What We’re Looking For

Core Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in Data Science / Machine Learning
• Proven track record delivering production-grade ML systems
• Strong experience taking ML solutions from concept through to deployment
• At least 1+ year in a technical leadership / lead capacity
• Strong proficiency in Python
• Strong hands-on experience with common ML frameworks such as:
• scikit-learn
• PyTorch
• TensorFlow
• Strong understanding of:
• Model design & evaluation
• Validation strategies & performance metrics
• Data pipelines
• APIs / integration layers
• ML productionisation
• MLOps / deployment best practices

Ideal Experience

• Leading or acting as the technical anchor for small teams (2–5 people)
• Experience mentoring junior team members
• Working in cross-functional product / engineering environments
• Exposure to cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure)
• Familiarity with large-scale data systems
• Experience with streaming data and/or multi-model architectures
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, product-led, commercial environment

What Makes Someone a Strong Fit

The strongest candidates will typically have:

• A strong balance of hands-on modelling + engineering depth
• Experience delivering ML in real production environments, not just experimentation
• A bias for execution and delivery
• Comfort working across both technical detail and business context
• Evidence of improving team quality through mentoring and technical leadership
• Experience in a modern tech, platform, marketplace, eCommerce, mobility, SaaS, or product-led business

Why This Role Stands Out

• High-visibility opportunity within a well-funded, international digital business
• Join a growing Data Science organisation with strong product and engineering collaboration
• Real ownership of meaningful ML systems, not just isolated modelling work
• Opportunity to shape technical direction while remaining deeply hands-on
• Strong hybrid flexibility in Lisbon
• Excellent long-term growth potential in a business with genuine scale

Location / Working Model

• Lisbon, Portugal
• Hybrid working model

Interested?

If you’d like to learn more, feel free to reach out for a confidential conversation.