Lead Data Scientist

Sony Europe is looking for a Lead Data Scientist to drive the next phase of our AI-powered digital transformation journey. In this role, you will lead a team of Data Scientists and AI Engineers, shaping our AI and Machine Learning strategy while delivering innovative solutions that improve business performance, efficiency, and decision-making across the organisation. You will work closely with business stakeholders to find high-impact opportunities, transform ideas into scalable AI solutions, and help operationalise AI, automation, and agentic technologies in real business environments. You will: Lead and develop a team of Data Scientists and AI Engineers, providing technical direction, coaching, and delivery oversight. Define and execute AI and Machine Learning initiatives that deliver measurable business value and operational efficiency. Partner with stakeholders across Sony Europe to identify, prioritise, and develop AI-driven solutions for business challenges. Lead the end-to-end delivery of AI projects, from concept and experimentation through to deployment and optimisation. Drive the development of AI agents, automation solutions, and advanced analytics capabilities for internal business functions. Promote engineering best practices across model development, MLOps, deployment, and monitoring. Collaborate with IT, Software Engineering, Business Intelligence, and Data Governance teams to deliver scalable and compliant solutions. Evaluate the impact of AI solutions through defined success metrics and continuous improvement initiatives. Stay ahead of emerging AI technologies, industry trends, and market developments, helping shape Sony Europe's AI roadmap. Foster collaboration across Sony and share best practices to continually improve AI capabilities and delivery excellence. You will bring: Proven experience leading Data Science, Machine Learning, or AI teams within a large and complex organisation. Strong expertise in Machine Learning, Generative AI, and modern AI technologies, e.g. AI Agents, with the ability to identify high-impact business applications. Experience delivering AI solutions from concept through production in enterprise environments. Strong leadership skills with experience leading and developing technical teams. Hands-on experience with Python, SQL, and modern AI/ML frameworks and libraries. Understanding of MLOps practices, data pipelines, model deployment, and operationalisation of AI solutions. Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to bridge business and technical audiences. Fluent English. Your new office Budapest Based at the Budapest office, you will enjoy a modern, vibrant and diverse working environment with lots of social and charity events to be part of and enjoy a sense of belonging. We have an onsite canteen with a wide range of healthy options, a café, and free coffee/tea in the office kitchens. The office is easily reachable by public transportation. You can enjoy your lunchbreak outside in the garden or have a walk by the Danube. If you like to ride, we have bike storage in the building with a changing room and we also have a MOL BUBI bike docking station in front of the office building. Life at Sony We ensure competitive salaries and benefits by using established benchmarking. We encourage healthy work-life balance supported by hybrid and flexible working policies. We are a positive community who dream big together, respect each other, and enjoy a collaborative culture. We like to celebrate our colleagues who make a real difference using our recognition platform. We also provide access to numerous services and platforms for all aspects of wellbeing . We listen to our people through conversations and surveys, respect their suggestions, then act on them. We also provide allowances for volunteering days so that our staff can support the causes they are most passionate about. You can build your career around you with our fantastic range of learning &