We’re the world’s leading data, insights, and consulting company; we shape the brands of tomorrow by better understanding people everywhere.

About the job

We’re seeking an experienced, passionate Lead Research Data Scientist to spearhead our research-driven initiatives in detecting and preventing fraud and poor data quality within online market research surveys. From bot responses to panel profile manipulation, you’ll develop and validate advanced models and systems that uphold the integrity of our data and the robustness of our insights.

This is a high-impact role at the intersection of behavioural analytics, machine learning, research methodology, and the latest advancements in LLMs and AI, ideal for someone passionate about applying rigorous scientific methods in a global industry context.

Job Goals

• Design, validate, and deploy novel machine learning models to detect fraudulent survey responses, including bots, duplicate entries, low-quality survey data and improbable or non-relevant responses.

• Develop and maintain real-time scoring systems in production to assess respondent authenticity and engagement.

• Conduct in-depth analysis of behavioural patterns, metadata, and response timing to uncover anomalies and suspicious activity.

• Collaborate with survey operations, panel management, and research teams to embed fraud detection tools into survey workflows.

• Patent novel algorithms & approaches to fraud detection within Market Research .

• Provide thought leadership and mentorship to the team; promote best practices in ethical data handling, reproducible research, and experimental design.

• Contribute to the wider Kantar data science ecosystem by presenting methodologies, publishing internal white papers, and facilitating knowledge exchange on fraud detection.

• Stay abreast of academic and industry developments in fraud tactics, data validation, and respondent quality assurance.

Join us and make a tangible difference in the world of data science. Your impact starts here!

Ideal Skills & Capabilities

• PhD in Data Science (or a highly relevant MSc plus real-world research experience), Statistics, Mathematical Modelling, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field.

• Seniority and proven experience in data science, with at least 2 years focused on fraud detection, survey analytics, automated data quality solutions, or related research applications.

• Strong proficiency in Python, R, SQL, and machine learning libraries (e.g., scikit-learn, XGBoost, TensorFlow, pyTorch). Experience with Kafka, ML Ops, and CI/CD pipelines is advantageous.

• Experience with ML Ops & cloud platforms such as Azure ML and AWS is required.

• Deep understanding of anomaly detection, behavioural modelling, and time-series analysis.

• Deep research experience with NLP techniques for validating open-ended responses including applications Deep Learning for Gen AI / LLMs. Experience with evaluation of LLMs such as LLM as a judge & human evaluated testing.

• Strong communication skills, with the ability to translate technical findings into research insights and actionable recommendations.

• Nice to have : Familiarity with survey platforms (e.g., Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, Dynata) and panel data structures.

Your expertise will not only drive brand new solutions but also encourage innovation and excellence across the organisation. Apply now and let’s build something outstanding together!

Please be aware, the majority of our roles are hybrid, working three days a week in our office.

We’re not able to offer visa sponsorship or help with relocation support for this role. Please make sure you’ve got the right to work in the country where this role is located before applying.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and performance-based bonuses

• Flexible working hours and hybrid work model

• Access to rich global survey datasets and cutting-edge tools, including state-of-the-art fraud detection models

• A collaborative, mission-driven team focused on data integrity, reproducibility, and innovation

• Opportunities for professional development, academic collaboration, and leadership growth

• Support for presenting at academic and industry conferences, and contributing to peer-reviewed publications where appropriate

What part of Kantar might I be joining?

You’ll be joining our Data division, home to specialists in survey design, sampling and data science. With the world’s largest audience network (over 170 million people), we’re trusted by many of the worlds leading brands to provide amazing insights from real people.

Why join Kantar?

We shape the brands of tomorrow by better understanding people everywhere. By understanding people, we can understand what drives their decisions, actions, and aspirations on a global scale. And if we combine the expertise of our people with the latest AI technology, we can really help brands discover some amazing insights.  

And because we know people, we like to make sure our own people are being looked after as well. Equality of opportunity for everyone is our highest priority and we support our colleagues to work in a way works for them. We encourage applications from all backgrounds and sections of society. Even if you feel like you’re not an exact match, we’d love to receive your application and talk to you about this job or others at Kantar.

Privacy and Legal Statement

At Kantar, the diversity of our employees provides a richer environment for our employees and broader depth and breadth of thinking for our clients. Kantar is committed to inclusion and diversity; therefore, we welcome applications from all sections of society and do not discriminate based on age, race, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, marital status, or any other legally protected characteristics.

PRIVACY DISCLOSURE: Please note that by applying to this opportunity you consent to the personal data you provide to us to be processed and retained by The Kantar Group Limited (“Kantar”). Your details will be kept on our Internal ATS (Applicant Tracking System) for as long as is necessary for the purposes of recruitment, which may include your details being shared with the hiring manager.

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