Data Scientist

Spektrum have a wide range of exciting opportunities in several global locations.

We are always looking to add great new talent to our team and look forward to hearing from you.

Spektrum supports apex purchasers (NATO, UN, EU, and National Government and Defence) and their Tier 1 supplier ecosystem with a wide range of specialist services. We provide our clients with professional services, specialised aerospace and defence sales, delivery, and operational subject matter expertise. We are looking for personnel to join our team and support key client projects.

Who we are supporting 

The NATO Communication and Information Agency (NCIA) is responsible for providing secure and effective communications and information technology (IT) services to NATO's member countries and its partners. The agency was established in 2012 and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.

The NCIA provides a wide range of services, including:

• Cyber Security: The NCIA provides advanced cybersecurity solutions to protect NATO's communication networks and information systems against cyber threats.
• Command and Control Systems: The NCIA develops and maintains the systems used by NATO's military commanders to plan and execute operations.
• Satellite Communications: The NCIA provides satellite communications services to enable secure and reliable communications between NATO forces.
• Electronic Warfare: The NCIA provides electronic warfare services to support NATO's mission to detect, deny, and defeat threats to its communication networks.
• Information Management: The NCIA manages NATO's information technology infrastructure, including its databases, applications, and servers.

Overall, the NCIA plays a critical role in ensuring the security and effectiveness of NATO's communication and information technology capabilities.

The program

Assistance and Advisory Service (AAS)

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) is NATO’s principal C3 capability deliverer and CIS service provider. It provides, maintains and defends the NATO enterprise-wide information technology infrastructure to enable Allies to consult together under Article IV, and, when required, stand together in the face of attack under Article V.

To provide these critical services, in the modern evolving dynamic environment the NCI Agency needs to build and maintain high performance-engaged workforce. The NCI Agency workforce strategically consists of three major categorise's: NATO International Civilians (NIC)'s, Military (Mil), and Interim Workforce Consultants (IWC)'s. The IWCs are a critical part of the overall NCI Agency workforce and make up approximately 15 percent of the total workforce.

Role Duties and Responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Applies existing machine learning techniques to new problems and datasets.
• Evaluates the outcomes and performance of machine learning systems.
• Identifies issues and recommends improvements to machine learning systems and the data they use. Programming
• Designs, codes, verifies, tests, documents, amends and refactors moderately complex programs/scripts.
• Applies agreed standards and tools to achieve a well-engineered result.
• Monitors and reports on progress.
• Identifies issues related to ML development activities.
• Proposes practical ML solutions to resolve issues.
• Collaborates in reviews of work with others as appropriate.

Systems and software / ML life cycle engineering

• Elicits requirements for systems and software / ML life cycle working practices and automation.
• Selects systems and software / ML life cycle working practices for components and micro-services.
• Deploys automation to achieve well-engineered and secure outcomes. Systems integration and build
• Defines the ML modules needed for an integration build and produces a build definition for each generation of the solution.
• Accepts completed ML modules, ensuring that they meet defined criteria. Data science
• Applies existing data science techniques to new problems and datasets using specialised programming techniques.
• Evaluates the outcomes and performance of data science models. * Identifies and implements opportunities to train and improve models and the data they use. Data engineering
• Applies data engineering standards and tools to create and maintain data pipelines and extract, transform and load data.

Emerging technology monitoring

• Supports monitoring of the external environment and assessment of emerging technologies.
• Contributes to the creation of reports, technology road mapping and the sharing of knowledge and insights.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Strong understanding of machine learning concepts, statistical analysis techniques and ability to effectively explain them to both technical and non-technical colleagues.
• Hands-on experience in programming, machine learning and software engineering.
• Application of state-of-the-art data science and analytical tools and relevant programming languages (python with its Data Science frameworks, e/g/ pytorch/tensorflow, huggingface, langchain, autogen, pandas/polars, pySpark, scikit-learn…)

Additionally, at least 3 of the following items to be met:

• Experience with developing, optimizing and maintaining AI pipelines.
• Experience in measuring model performance and assessments.
• Experience in using and applying the pre-trained machine learning models (for example Generative AI) for specific use case.
• Experience with Version Control, MLOps (train, package, deploy, monitor) and CI/CD.
• Experience with container technologies (e.g. Docker) and orchestration (Kubernetes).
• Experience with workflow orchestration (e.g. Airflow, Argo etc.).
• Experience with REST API development.
• Experience with front-end development

Working Location

• The Hague, Netherlands

Working Policy

• On-Site

Travel

• Some travel to other NATO sites may be required

Security Clearance

• Valid National or NATO Secret personal security clearance

We never know what new opportunities might be just over the horizon. If this opportunity isn't for you please feel free to send us your resume anyway and be the first to know if something suitable for your skills and experience comes up.