Cambridge University Press & Assessment
Cambridge, UK
Job Title: Principal Data Scientist
Salary: £74,200 - £99,250
Location: Cambridge/Hybrid with 2 day per week at the office
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time 35 hours per week
Are you excited by the challenge of applying data science and AI to problems that genuinely matter? At Cambridge Assessment, we are transforming how assessments are designed, delivered and marked worldwide. As a Principal Data Scientist , you will play a pivotal role at the heart of this transformation – leading our data science capability for AI-enabled assessment products used by millions of learners globally.
We are Cambridge University Press & Assessment, a world-leading academic publisher and assessment organisation and a proud part of the University of Cambridge.
This is a senior, influential role where you will combine deep technical expertise with strategic leadership. You will shape our data strategy, lead and mentor a growing team, and work closely with researchers, engineers and product teams to turn complex data into insight, innovation and trusted solutions.
About the role
As Principal Data Scientist, you will lead the operational data science and analytics capability within our Assessment & Research Capabilities (ARC) function. You will be the data leader for automarking, representing ARC's data capability across Exam Technology and the wider organisation.
You will:
Set the direction for data science and analytics supporting automarking and AI-driven assessment
Lead and grow a small, high-impact team of data scientists and engineers
Curate high-quality data products used across research, machine learning and product teams
Act as a trusted partner to senior stakeholders, influencing product and research decisions with evidence and insight
Ensure sensitive exam and candidate data is handled responsibly and ethically
Additional responsibilities and accountabilities include:
Lead data science, data engineering and analytics activities within ARC
Define and own the data strategy for automarking and related AI capabilities
Design and oversee data warehouses, pipelines and integrations with the wider organisation
Translate complex business and research needs into robust data solutions
Provide expert input into product, research and architectural decisions, up to board level
Build strong relationships with internal teams and external research partners
Champion best practice in data quality, DataOps and analytics engineering
This position has been classified as a hybrid role, requiring the selected candidate to typically spend 40-60% of their time collaborating and connecting face-to-face at their dedicated location. Aside from our hybrid principles, other flexible working requests will be considered from the first day of employment, including other work arrangements should you require adjustments due to a disability or long-term health condition.
About You To be successful in this role, you will bring:
Extensive experience in data science, analytics or analytics engineering in a complex environment
Advanced SQL skills, including writing, analysing and optimising large analytical queries
Strong experience with a data science programming language such as Python, R or Julia
Hands-on experience with data transformation tools such as dbt, Dataform or SQLMesh
Experience using BI and visualisation tools such as Metabase, Looker, Tableau or Power BI
A strong understanding of data warehousing principles (e.g. Kimball methodology)
Experience designing data models that enable self-service analytics
Proven ability to translate business or research questions into data-driven insights
Experience communicating complex technical concepts to non-technical and senior audiences
Leadership experience, including mentoring and guiding other data professionals
If you meet the above minimum requirements, we encourage you to apply. Your application will be even stronger if you can also demonstrate the following desirable criteria:
Machine learning or AI product experience
Exposure to automarking, assessment, or high-stakes data environments
Skills in experimentation and statistical analysis (A/B testing, forecasting)
Familiarity with DataOps (CI/CD, testing, orchestration, observability)
For a detailed job description, please refer to the link at the bottom of the advert on our careers site.
We are a Disability Confident (DC) employer that is committed to equality and inclusion ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to all. The DC scheme's Offer of an Interview commitment applies to applicants who opt in, and disclose a disability or a long-term health condition, and best meet the minimum criteria for the role. In instances where interviewing all qualifying candidates is not practicable, we prioritise those who best meet the minimum criteria, as we would for applicants who do not have a disability or long-term health condition.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment is an approved UK employer for the sponsorship of eligible roles and applicants under the Skilled Worker visa route. Please refer to the gov.uk website for guidance to understand your own eligibility based on the role you are applying for.
Rewards and benefits
We will support you to be at your best in work and to live well outside of it. In addition to competitive salaries, we offer a world-class, flexible rewards package , featuring family-friendly and planet-friendly benefits including:
28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
Private medical and Permanent Health Insurance
Discretionary annual bonus
Group personal pension scheme
Life assurance up to 4 x annual salary
Green travel schemes
Ready to pursue your potential? Apply now.
We aim to support candidates by making our interview process clear and transparent. The closing date for all applications will be 13 March 2026. We will review applications on an ongoing basis, and shortlisted candidates can expect interviews to take place shortly after it closes.
As part of the application process, you can expect:
At application stage: four technical questions to answer when submitting your CV.
Stage 1 : 30-minute screening call with the hiring manager.
Stage 2 : 60-minute session includes questions about key skills as well as a code review or whiteboard exercise.
Stage 3 : 90-minute system design exercise with an assignment provided at least three days before the interview. During the interview, is where the designs are explained and discussed.
Stage 4 : Leadership and cultural 45-minute interview.
If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process due to a disability or a long-term health condition, there will be an opportunity for you to inform us via the online application form. We will do our best to accommodate your needs.
Please note that successful applicants will be subject to satisfactory background checks including DBS due to working in a regulated industry.
We are committed to an equitable recruitment process. As such, applications must be submitted via our official online application procedure. Please refrain from sending your CV directly to our recruiters. If you experience technical difficulties or require additional support with submitting your online application, contact the Recruiter.
Why join us
Joining us is your opportunity to pursue potential. You will belong to a collaborative team that is exploring new and better ways to serve students, teachers and researchers across the globe – for the benefit of individuals, society and the world. Sharing our mission will inspire your own growth, development and progress, in an environment which embraces difference, change and aspiration.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment is committed to being a place where anyone can enjoy a successful career, where it is safe to speak up, and where we learn continuously to improve together. We welcome applications from all candidates, regardless of demographic characteristics (age, disability, educational attainment, ethnicity, gender, marital status, neurodiversity, religion, sex, gender identity and sexual identity), cultural, or social class/background.
We believe better outcomes come through diversity of thought, background and approach. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and communities, actively seeking to employ people from a wide range of different communities.
Job Title: Principal Data Scientist
Salary: £74,200 - £99,250
Location: Cambridge/Hybrid with 2 day per week at the office
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time 35 hours per week
Are you excited by the challenge of applying data science and AI to problems that genuinely matter? At Cambridge Assessment, we are transforming how assessments are designed, delivered and marked worldwide. As a Principal Data Scientist , you will play a pivotal role at the heart of this transformation – leading our data science capability for AI-enabled assessment products used by millions of learners globally.
We are Cambridge University Press & Assessment, a world-leading academic publisher and assessment organisation and a proud part of the University of Cambridge.
This is a senior, influential role where you will combine deep technical expertise with strategic leadership. You will shape our data strategy, lead and mentor a growing team, and work closely with researchers, engineers and product teams to turn complex data into insight, innovation and trusted solutions.
About the role
As Principal Data Scientist, you will lead the operational data science and analytics capability within our Assessment & Research Capabilities (ARC) function. You will be the data leader for automarking, representing ARC's data capability across Exam Technology and the wider organisation.
You will:
Set the direction for data science and analytics supporting automarking and AI-driven assessment
Lead and grow a small, high-impact team of data scientists and engineers
Curate high-quality data products used across research, machine learning and product teams
Act as a trusted partner to senior stakeholders, influencing product and research decisions with evidence and insight
Ensure sensitive exam and candidate data is handled responsibly and ethically
Additional responsibilities and accountabilities include:
Lead data science, data engineering and analytics activities within ARC
Define and own the data strategy for automarking and related AI capabilities
Design and oversee data warehouses, pipelines and integrations with the wider organisation
Translate complex business and research needs into robust data solutions
Provide expert input into product, research and architectural decisions, up to board level
Build strong relationships with internal teams and external research partners
Champion best practice in data quality, DataOps and analytics engineering
This position has been classified as a hybrid role, requiring the selected candidate to typically spend 40-60% of their time collaborating and connecting face-to-face at their dedicated location. Aside from our hybrid principles, other flexible working requests will be considered from the first day of employment, including other work arrangements should you require adjustments due to a disability or long-term health condition.
About You To be successful in this role, you will bring:
Extensive experience in data science, analytics or analytics engineering in a complex environment
Advanced SQL skills, including writing, analysing and optimising large analytical queries
Strong experience with a data science programming language such as Python, R or Julia
Hands-on experience with data transformation tools such as dbt, Dataform or SQLMesh
Experience using BI and visualisation tools such as Metabase, Looker, Tableau or Power BI
A strong understanding of data warehousing principles (e.g. Kimball methodology)
Experience designing data models that enable self-service analytics
Proven ability to translate business or research questions into data-driven insights
Experience communicating complex technical concepts to non-technical and senior audiences
Leadership experience, including mentoring and guiding other data professionals
If you meet the above minimum requirements, we encourage you to apply. Your application will be even stronger if you can also demonstrate the following desirable criteria:
Machine learning or AI product experience
Exposure to automarking, assessment, or high-stakes data environments
Skills in experimentation and statistical analysis (A/B testing, forecasting)
Familiarity with DataOps (CI/CD, testing, orchestration, observability)
For a detailed job description, please refer to the link at the bottom of the advert on our careers site.
We are a Disability Confident (DC) employer that is committed to equality and inclusion ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to all. The DC scheme's Offer of an Interview commitment applies to applicants who opt in, and disclose a disability or a long-term health condition, and best meet the minimum criteria for the role. In instances where interviewing all qualifying candidates is not practicable, we prioritise those who best meet the minimum criteria, as we would for applicants who do not have a disability or long-term health condition.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment is an approved UK employer for the sponsorship of eligible roles and applicants under the Skilled Worker visa route. Please refer to the gov.uk website for guidance to understand your own eligibility based on the role you are applying for.
Rewards and benefits
We will support you to be at your best in work and to live well outside of it. In addition to competitive salaries, we offer a world-class, flexible rewards package , featuring family-friendly and planet-friendly benefits including:
28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
Private medical and Permanent Health Insurance
Discretionary annual bonus
Group personal pension scheme
Life assurance up to 4 x annual salary
Green travel schemes
Ready to pursue your potential? Apply now.
We aim to support candidates by making our interview process clear and transparent. The closing date for all applications will be 13 March 2026. We will review applications on an ongoing basis, and shortlisted candidates can expect interviews to take place shortly after it closes.
As part of the application process, you can expect:
At application stage: four technical questions to answer when submitting your CV.
Stage 1 : 30-minute screening call with the hiring manager.
Stage 2 : 60-minute session includes questions about key skills as well as a code review or whiteboard exercise.
Stage 3 : 90-minute system design exercise with an assignment provided at least three days before the interview. During the interview, is where the designs are explained and discussed.
Stage 4 : Leadership and cultural 45-minute interview.
If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process due to a disability or a long-term health condition, there will be an opportunity for you to inform us via the online application form. We will do our best to accommodate your needs.
Please note that successful applicants will be subject to satisfactory background checks including DBS due to working in a regulated industry.
We are committed to an equitable recruitment process. As such, applications must be submitted via our official online application procedure. Please refrain from sending your CV directly to our recruiters. If you experience technical difficulties or require additional support with submitting your online application, contact the Recruiter.
Why join us
Joining us is your opportunity to pursue potential. You will belong to a collaborative team that is exploring new and better ways to serve students, teachers and researchers across the globe – for the benefit of individuals, society and the world. Sharing our mission will inspire your own growth, development and progress, in an environment which embraces difference, change and aspiration.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment is committed to being a place where anyone can enjoy a successful career, where it is safe to speak up, and where we learn continuously to improve together. We welcome applications from all candidates, regardless of demographic characteristics (age, disability, educational attainment, ethnicity, gender, marital status, neurodiversity, religion, sex, gender identity and sexual identity), cultural, or social class/background.
We believe better outcomes come through diversity of thought, background and approach. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and communities, actively seeking to employ people from a wide range of different communities.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment
Principal Developer Team Lead
Salary: £51,400 - £68,800
Location: Cambridge/Hybrid
Contract: Permanent
This Principal Developer Team Lead position offers a pivotal opportunity to shape the technical future of a world-renowned academic organisation. You'll spearhead the migration of enterprise systems to cutting-edge cloud-native AWS architectures, while balancing hands-on technical leadership with people management responsibilities.
We are Cambridge University Press & Assessment, a world-leading academic publisher and assessment organisation and a proud part of the University of Cambridge.
About the role
We're seeking a hands-on Principal Developer Team Lead to drive the technical transformation of our Exam Technology Organisation as we migrate legacy enterprise applications to modern, cloud-native architectures on AWS.
You'll balance technical leadership with people management, leading a team of 4-8 developers while establishing the foundations for our future technology stack. Your initial focus will be on two strategic priorities:
Evolving our SRE function - Building the DevOps infrastructure, automation, and tooling that enables Site Reliability Engineering practices across development and operations teams
Advancing our AI development practice - Establishing standards, frameworks, and best practices for responsibly integrating AI capabilities into our education platforms.
What You'll Do
Technical Leadership
Lead migration of legacy applications to cloud-native AWS architectures
Build DevOps automation to support SRE practices
Establish AI/ML development standards and frameworks
Set observability, monitoring, and incident response standards
Promote best practices in web, event-driven, and cloud-native technologies
Provide technical expertise and oversee code reviews
People Leadership
Manage and mentor a team of 4–8 developers, providing coaching, development plan
Identifying training needs in AI/ML and SRE.
Support recruitment and foster a culture of continual improvement and wellbeing.
Delivery & Collaboration
Deliver software in agile squads
Collaborate with architects, SREs, product owners, and infrastructure teams
Liaise with stakeholders to identify education sector needs
Plan and estimate migrations and feature delivery
Coordinate with service management, security, and AWS experts
About you
Essential experience
Degree or equivalent
Proven technical team leadership
Skilled in two or more modern programming languages
Experience with AWS cloud and infrastructure
DevOps skills: automation, CI/CD, infrastructure-as-code
Understanding of SRE and observability
Experience in web-apps and modern frameworks
Strong communicator with technical and non-technical audiences
Technical Expertise
CI/CD pipelines, automation frameworks, and developer tooling
Observability tools, monitoring, logging, and alerting systems
Responsible AI practices and governance
Event-driven architecture and microservices patterns
Software design patterns and scalability best practices
Security principles in cloud environments
Leadership Qualities
Ability to set technical standards and provide thought leadership
Experience balancing people management with hands-on contribution
Strong mentoring and coaching skills
Collaborative approach that builds trust across teams
Passion for continuous learning in AI/ML and DevOps
Promotes inclusion and continuous improvement
You'll be instrumental in our digital transformation, establishing the foundations for reliable, innovative systems that serve millions of learners, teachers, and researchers worldwide. By evolving our SRE function and advancing our AI practice, you'll empower teams to deliver high-performance solutions while responsibly harnessing cutting-edge technologies.
If you would like to know more about this opportunity and what will make you successful, please see the full job description attached to the bottom of this vacancy on our careers site.
Rewards and benefits
We will support you to be at your best in work and to live well outside of it. In addition to competitive salaries, we offer a world-class, flexible rewards package , featuring family-friendly and planet-friendly benefits including:
28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
Private medical and Permanent Health Insurance
Discretionary annual bonus
Group personal pension scheme
Life assurance up to 4 x annual salary
Green travel schemes
We are a hybrid working organisation, and we offer a range of flexible working options from day one. We expect most hybrid-working colleagues to spend 40-60% of their time at their dedicated office or location. We will also consider other work arrangements if you wish to work more flexibly or require adjustments due to a disability.
Ready to pursue your potential? Apply now.
We review applications on an ongoing basis, with a closing date for all applications being 18 February 2026.
If you are shortlisted and progressed through the stages, you can expect:
A 40-minute screening call with the Hiring Manager.
First stage interview via MS Teams or in person. You will be provided with a brief to complete a role related task which will need to be returned by email in advance of your interview.
Please note that successful applicants will be subject to satisfactory background checks including DBS due to working in a regulated industry.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment is an approved UK employer for the sponsorship of eligible roles and applicants under the Skilled Worker visa route. Please refer to the gov.uk website for guidance to understand your own eligibility based on the role you are applying for.
Why join us
Joining us is your opportunity to pursue potential. You'll belong to a collaborative team that's exploring new and better ways to serve students, teachers and researchers across the globe – for the benefit of individuals, society and the world. Sharing our mission will inspire your own growth, development and progress, in an environment which embraces difference, change and aspiration.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment is committed to being a place where anyone can enjoy a successful career, where it's safe to speak up, and where we learn continuously to improve together. We welcome applications from all candidates, regardless of demographic characteristics (age, disability, educational attainment, ethnicity, gender, marital status, neurodiversity, religion, sex, gender identity and sexual identity), cultural, or social class/background.
We believe better outcomes come through diversity of thought, background and approach. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and communities, actively seeking to employ people from a wide range of different communities.
Principal Developer Team Lead
Salary: £51,400 - £68,800
Location: Cambridge/Hybrid
Contract: Permanent
This Principal Developer Team Lead position offers a pivotal opportunity to shape the technical future of a world-renowned academic organisation. You'll spearhead the migration of enterprise systems to cutting-edge cloud-native AWS architectures, while balancing hands-on technical leadership with people management responsibilities.
We are Cambridge University Press & Assessment, a world-leading academic publisher and assessment organisation and a proud part of the University of Cambridge.
About the role
We're seeking a hands-on Principal Developer Team Lead to drive the technical transformation of our Exam Technology Organisation as we migrate legacy enterprise applications to modern, cloud-native architectures on AWS.
You'll balance technical leadership with people management, leading a team of 4-8 developers while establishing the foundations for our future technology stack. Your initial focus will be on two strategic priorities:
Evolving our SRE function - Building the DevOps infrastructure, automation, and tooling that enables Site Reliability Engineering practices across development and operations teams
Advancing our AI development practice - Establishing standards, frameworks, and best practices for responsibly integrating AI capabilities into our education platforms.
What You'll Do
Technical Leadership
Lead migration of legacy applications to cloud-native AWS architectures
Build DevOps automation to support SRE practices
Establish AI/ML development standards and frameworks
Set observability, monitoring, and incident response standards
Promote best practices in web, event-driven, and cloud-native technologies
Provide technical expertise and oversee code reviews
People Leadership
Manage and mentor a team of 4–8 developers, providing coaching, development plan
Identifying training needs in AI/ML and SRE.
Support recruitment and foster a culture of continual improvement and wellbeing.
Delivery & Collaboration
Deliver software in agile squads
Collaborate with architects, SREs, product owners, and infrastructure teams
Liaise with stakeholders to identify education sector needs
Plan and estimate migrations and feature delivery
Coordinate with service management, security, and AWS experts
About you
Essential experience
Degree or equivalent
Proven technical team leadership
Skilled in two or more modern programming languages
Experience with AWS cloud and infrastructure
DevOps skills: automation, CI/CD, infrastructure-as-code
Understanding of SRE and observability
Experience in web-apps and modern frameworks
Strong communicator with technical and non-technical audiences
Technical Expertise
CI/CD pipelines, automation frameworks, and developer tooling
Observability tools, monitoring, logging, and alerting systems
Responsible AI practices and governance
Event-driven architecture and microservices patterns
Software design patterns and scalability best practices
Security principles in cloud environments
Leadership Qualities
Ability to set technical standards and provide thought leadership
Experience balancing people management with hands-on contribution
Strong mentoring and coaching skills
Collaborative approach that builds trust across teams
Passion for continuous learning in AI/ML and DevOps
Promotes inclusion and continuous improvement
You'll be instrumental in our digital transformation, establishing the foundations for reliable, innovative systems that serve millions of learners, teachers, and researchers worldwide. By evolving our SRE function and advancing our AI practice, you'll empower teams to deliver high-performance solutions while responsibly harnessing cutting-edge technologies.
If you would like to know more about this opportunity and what will make you successful, please see the full job description attached to the bottom of this vacancy on our careers site.
Rewards and benefits
We will support you to be at your best in work and to live well outside of it. In addition to competitive salaries, we offer a world-class, flexible rewards package , featuring family-friendly and planet-friendly benefits including:
28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
Private medical and Permanent Health Insurance
Discretionary annual bonus
Group personal pension scheme
Life assurance up to 4 x annual salary
Green travel schemes
We are a hybrid working organisation, and we offer a range of flexible working options from day one. We expect most hybrid-working colleagues to spend 40-60% of their time at their dedicated office or location. We will also consider other work arrangements if you wish to work more flexibly or require adjustments due to a disability.
Ready to pursue your potential? Apply now.
We review applications on an ongoing basis, with a closing date for all applications being 18 February 2026.
If you are shortlisted and progressed through the stages, you can expect:
A 40-minute screening call with the Hiring Manager.
First stage interview via MS Teams or in person. You will be provided with a brief to complete a role related task which will need to be returned by email in advance of your interview.
Please note that successful applicants will be subject to satisfactory background checks including DBS due to working in a regulated industry.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment is an approved UK employer for the sponsorship of eligible roles and applicants under the Skilled Worker visa route. Please refer to the gov.uk website for guidance to understand your own eligibility based on the role you are applying for.
Why join us
Joining us is your opportunity to pursue potential. You'll belong to a collaborative team that's exploring new and better ways to serve students, teachers and researchers across the globe – for the benefit of individuals, society and the world. Sharing our mission will inspire your own growth, development and progress, in an environment which embraces difference, change and aspiration.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment is committed to being a place where anyone can enjoy a successful career, where it's safe to speak up, and where we learn continuously to improve together. We welcome applications from all candidates, regardless of demographic characteristics (age, disability, educational attainment, ethnicity, gender, marital status, neurodiversity, religion, sex, gender identity and sexual identity), cultural, or social class/background.
We believe better outcomes come through diversity of thought, background and approach. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and communities, actively seeking to employ people from a wide range of different communities.
