UK Data & ML Engineer postings hold flat, but weekly pace has cooled off its October peak
968 roles are open across 492 companies right now, with new postings up just 1% over the past month. The weekly count has eased 26% since its 19 October high.
of open roles are at employers on the UK Home Office sponsor register. Capgemini, Meta, LSEG and PWC are on the list.
UK sponsor register, matched by employeris what the typical role asks for. 12% ask for 10 years or more.
29% of open roles state years395 new roles in the last 30 days, against 391 the 30 days before, at the same companies.
Companies read for 60 days or moreThis week's read
There are 968 open Data & ML Engineer roles in the UK right now, spread across 492 companies. The 30 day count of new postings is basically flat, up 1% from the prior month. But the week by week picture shows some cooling: postings peaked at 119 in the week of 19 October and had dropped to 88 by 26 October, a 26% fall from that peak.
If you need visa sponsorship, more than half the market is open to you: 52% of open roles sit at employers with recent filings on the UK Home Office sponsor register. Among the biggest hirers, Capgemini, Meta, LSEG and PWC all appear on that register. Capgemini leads the hiring list with 27 open roles, followed by JPMorganChase with 25 and Wayve with 20.
This is not an entry level market. The median minimum experience asked for is 5 years, and 12% of postings want 10 years or more. Only 29% of roles actually state a years requirement, so plenty of listings leave it unsaid. By title, mid level roles make up 41% of postings, with senior at 21% and principal at 20%, so there is real depth above the entry rungs.
Two things are in short supply: remote work and pay transparency. Only 5% of open roles are listed as remote, and just 10% state any pay figure, too few to say what the market actually pays. Applicants should expect to negotiate without much public benchmark to go on.
On skills, Python and AI or machine learning dominate, named in 67% and 58% of postings. SQL follows at 38%, and cloud platforms show up unevenly: AWS at 21%, Azure at 16%, Google Cloud at 14%. PyTorch and Databricks each appear in around 14 to 17% of listings, useful signals if you are deciding where to put your energy.
What this means for you
Three things you can act on this week
- Look at sponsor register employers first
52% of open roles sit at companies with recent UK visa sponsor filings, including Capgemini, Meta, LSEG and PWC. If you need sponsorship, start your search there.
- Expect a 5 year bar on experience
Median minimum experience asked is 5 years, and 12% of roles want 10 plus. Mid, senior and principal titles make up most of the market, so junior openings are limited.
- Don't expect remote or listed pay
Only 5% of roles are remote and just 10% state a salary. Plan to negotiate pay without much public data to compare against.
Momentum
New Data / ML roles each week
Last 30 days: 395 new roles, against 391 the 30 days before (+1%). Each week counts the same companies, and a role counts as new only in the week it was posted, so a careers site we start reading never shows up as growth.
See the numbers
| Week starting | New roles |
|---|---|
| 7 Sep | 83 |
| 14 Sep | 99 |
| 21 Sep | 95 |
| 28 Sep | 97 |
| 5 Oct | 114 |
| 12 Oct | 86 |
| 19 Oct | 119 |
| 26 Oct | 88 |
Who is hiring
The companies with the most open Data / ML roles
492 companies are hiring. The top eight hold 13% of the open roles.
| Company | Open roles | Change in new roles | Sponsor register |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capgemini | 27 | On the list | |
| JPMorganChase | 25 | ||
| Wayve | 20 | ||
| Meta | 14 | On the list | |
| Atos | 11 | ||
| Candidate Experience Site - Lateral | 11 | ||
| LSEG | 11 | On the list | |
| PWC | 11 | On the list |
Change compares new roles in the last 30 days with the 30 days before, shown where a company posted 25 or more in the earlier 30 days. Staffing agencies are left out. A company name links to its Ashney company page where there is one.
What they ask for
The technology Data / ML roles ask for most
Ask Rate is the share of roles that name a skill, from 927 postings read in full. Ways of working (methods such as Agile, tools such as Jira) are listed apart; office tools and soft skills are left out.
Ways of working
Industries named most: Financial services 7%, Insurance 4%, Consulting 4%. 5% of open roles say they are remote.
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