Register Your Interest - Data Science Degree Apprenticeship 2027

*As we receive a high volume of applications, please make sure to read the job descriptions on our website carefully and apply for the ONE function you are most interested in. Only your first application will be considered*

What is the job?

On the Data Science Apprenticeship pathway, you will join one of our Data Centres of Excellence or R&D. Over the course of the three and‑a‑half‑year programme, you will rotate through multiple placements, enabling you to maximise your learning and gain exposure to a wide range of data science applications across Unilever.

Alongside your on‑the‑job experience, you will complete a degree through a blended learning approach in partnership with Keele University. This combines on‑campus teaching with online study, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in academic learning while benefiting from meaningful in‑person university experiences.

Working under the guidance of a dedicated line manager, you will gain the technical knowledge and skills you need to succeed through a combination of real, practical experience and formal training. You can expect on-the-job training, formal development opportunities, and dedicated mentoring. Your academic study will be guided by our academic partner, Keele University, with whom you will gain a full BSc. Degree as well as your apprenticeship qualification.

How will you grow across the programme?

Year 1 - Foundation & Growth

You’ll learn how Unilever operates, adapt to balancing work and university study, and begin contributing meaningfully to a team.

During this year, you will:

• Build strong professional habits and reliability
• Develop communication and collaboration skills
• Start managing smaller, clearly defined tasks
• Understand how your work connects to wider business outcomes

Year 2 - Confidence & Expanding Impact

You’ll begin working more independently within defined parameters. You’ll broaden your internal network and contribute ideas to improve processes or solutions.

During this year, you will:

• Manage pieces of work with reduced supervision
• Demonstrate structured problem-solving, and exhibit self-starting behaviour
• Work confidently with stakeholders
• Take a more active role in development initiatives

Year 3 - Independence & Ownership

In your final year, you’ll operate with a higher degree of ownership and accountability.

During this year, you will:

• Deliver consistent, high-quality outputs
• Own clearly scoped deliverables
• Improve processes or ways of working
• Collaborate effectively across teams

What do we look for?

You don’t need to be a coding expert or have prior experience in Data Science. We are looking for potential. We’re interested in individuals who are naturally curious and enjoy understanding how things work, who are comfortable analysing information and thinking logically, and who communicate clearly and collaborate well with others. You should have strong organisational skills to balance professional responsibilities with university study, resilient in the face of feedback and new challenges, and interested in how Data drives real business outcomes. Most importantly, we’re looking for people who are motivated to grow. This programme is designed to build independence and responsibility over time, and your willingness to learn and step outside your comfort zone will shape how much you gain from this programme. If you’re excited by the idea of working in Data to maximise productivity, whether you know a niche area or interest or even if you’re still discovering where you want to specialise, this could be the right path for you.

What could your day-to-day look like?

During the academic year, one day each week will be set aside for your data science study and learning. Your 4 days a week working in the Unilever business could each be quite different and will typically contain a mix of individually organised and driven work, such ascollaborating with colleagues, working independently on your own projects, and helping to drive key business programmes forward. The latter is where you help make the magic happen for business colleagues and their processes. On any given day, you could be cleaning and improving our data quality with our Centres of Excellence, building logistic models and dashboards with the supply chain team to enhance productivity, or experimenting with new generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) tools with marketing to boost creativity.

What support do we offer?

You will have a salaried full-time role for the duration of your apprenticeship, working approximately 80% of your time focusing on Unilever business challenges and 20% on academic and vocational data science study - typically a dedicated workday per week. You will experience work that links the university modules to your work at Unilever, bringing topics such as Programming in Python, Machine Learning / AI models, and statistics into real work applications. You will be supported in travel costs as part of any university, business-related activities, and networking events with other digital & technology apprentices.

You will also be looked after by the Technology Apprenticeship Group, where functional experts ensure you gain the right experiences and rotation opportunities throughout your apprenticeship. They will monitor your grades with your university tutor and provide constant support to drive your career at Unilever.

As part of this, you will be given a Career Sponsor who is a manager at Unilever. This sponsor will be your close support throughout the entirety of the scheme as you move roles. They will support you in many aspects, but importantly in your studying and your wellbeing, utilizing all the great resources we have such as an Employee Assistance Programme, learning budget, and the Headspace app

What can Unilever offer YOU?

• A Competitive Salary ranging from £25,000
• A pension Scheme
• A Benefits Envelope which has a notional value of 25% of your pensionable earnings. Use it to save for your pension, get extra taxable pay or both.
• A discounted staff shop
• Subsidised Gym Memberships - availability varies by site
• Shares
• 25 days of holiday allowance
• Opportunity to work directly with our renowned and exciting brands in a flexible and hybrid working environment.
• Opportunity to join one of our Future Careers Development Teams such as Outreach, Digi, Community & Wellbeing and many more! By joining a team, you can grow business-critical skills, develop Unilever Behaviours, and make a meaningful contribution to Future Careers.

To find out more about Future Careers at Unilever UK, check out our Instagram page!

At Unilever, diversity is about embracing differences, championing inclusion, creating possibilities, and growing together for better business performance. Join our vibrant and inclusive workplace that champions diversity and inclusion.

We give full and fair consideration to all applicants, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity.

We are a key advocate of well-being and offer a variety of support for our people including hubs, programmes, and development opportunities. We strive to achieve a family-friendly and inclusive workplace and to create possibilities for all.

• Duration: 3 years 6 months
• Requirements: Have at least 5 GCSEs including English Language and Maths at grade 5 or above. Have or are predicted 3 A-levels including Maths with grades at, or equivalent to, B-B-C.
• Locations Available: Hybrid working with a minimum of 2 days required weekly at either our Kingston or Colworth office, with 1 day spent at university, although this may vary depending on role responsibilities and line manager discretion.

Application process

Stage 1 – Online Application: Complete the online application form and tell us about your motivation for choosing Unilever and your selected apprenticeship programme.

Stage 2 – Online Assessments: Situational judgement test which gives you realistic hypothetical scenarios where you will be asked to identify the most appropriate response. You will also complete a numerical reasoning assessment, an online test that measures your ability to interpret and draw conclusions from numerical data and verbal reasoning assessment an online test that measures your ability to understand and evaluate written information.

Stage 3 – Video Interview: Candidates who perform well in the online assessments will be invited to complete a video interview.

Stage 4 – In person discovery centre: In person discovery centre immersing yourself in new business challenges and an interview.

• Applications open: Monday 9 November 2026
• Applications close: This is a rolling deadline, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment in case applications close early.
• Discovery Centres: TBC
• Start date: September 2027

Do you require any adjustments in the application or assessment process?

If you have any questions about your application or if you require any reasonable adjustments to be made to complete any part of the application process, please contact the Future Careers Team. If you would like to discuss any mitigating circumstances before making an application, please also contact the team using the following contact details:

Phone: 020 3650 2304 or e-mail: futurecareers.recruitment@unilever.com.

Recruitment Fraud

Cyber criminals advertise fake job adverts with prestigious employers as a way of stealing information or even defrauding individuals out of money. In the most sophisticated cases, they will set up fake websites, which have a similar address to companies like Unilever. They even conduct fake telephone interviews and then offer candidates a role with the proviso they pay a fee for background checks or to cover work visa costs. These types of attacks are becoming more common as more people are looking for employment in the economic climate.

How is Unilever tackling this?

Many of Unilever’s recruitment sites publish a warning to candidates about recruitment fraud. The Cyber Security team also proactively scan for signs of people setting up fake Unilever sites and act to close them down.

What can I do?

If you become aware of potential recruitment fraud, spot fake Unilever recruitment adverts or fake LinkedIn profiles, report them via Una Live Chat.

Unilever does not accept responsibility or liability for any candidates who are financially impacted by recruitment fraud. Your vigilance is key!

Register Your Interest

To be the first to know once applications open, register your interest today!