Graduate Data Scientist Review

Overall, my experience at NESO has been very positive and rewarding. I’ve had the opportunity to work on meaningful, real world problems within a supportive and collaborative environment, where learning and development are strongly encouraged. The exposure to complex energy systems, combined with access to knowledgeable colleagues and structured early career support, has helped me grow both technically and professionally while contributing to work with real national impact.

My main responsibilities include developing, maintaining, and monitoring data pipelines for ingestion and transformation, performing exploratory data analysis to assess data quality and trends, and building analytical models to support forecasting and operational decision‑making. I regularly work with structured datasets, automate workflows, and ensure outputs are reproducible, well‑documented, and aligned with best practices. The aspects I enjoy most are translating complex data into actionable insights, improving model performance through iterative experimentation, and seeing how robust data‑driven solutions directly support the operation and planning of the national energy system.

I’m trusted with real responsibilities that feed into wider analytical and operational work, and my contributions are taken seriously through regular collaboration, feedback, and knowledge sharing. Having the space to ask questions, propose improvements, and see my work integrated into broader workflows reinforces a sense of ownership and impact. The supportive team culture and openness to learning make it clear that my development and contributions are valued, which is highly motivating.

Cycle to work scheme
Up to 12% employer pension contributions
Company savings scheme with up to 50% employer contribution
Online GP

Through rotations, I’ve been able to gain exposure to different teams, problem domains, and ways of working, which has helped me build a broad technical and organisational understanding. The Cappfinity skills sessions have been particularly valuable in developing core professional skills such as communication, stakeholder engagement, and self‑reflection, complementing the technical aspects of the role. I’ve also been given a strong level of responsibility and ownership over my work, which has increased my confidence, accountability, and ability to work independently. Overall, this mix of structured development and real world responsibility has provided a solid foundation for long‑term career growth.

The support I receive is excellent and well balanced. My line manager provides clear guidance on career planning alongside practical, day‑to‑day advice, which helps me feel supported both professionally and technically. The talent coordinator plays an important role in ensuring my development is structured and that I’m able to access wider early‑careers opportunities. Having a buddy has been particularly valuable, as they’ve been in my position before and are always available for informal conversations, reassurance, and honest insight. More broadly, everyone at NESO is extremely kind and approachable, and the early careers community is especially welcoming, making it easy to ask questions, share experiences, and feel genuinely supported.

My work‑life balance is very good, supported by strong flexibility and the option to work from home, including the ability to work 9-day fortnight patterns where needed. This flexibility makes it easy to manage commitments while staying productive, and I genuinely look forward to coming into work. Everyone at NESO is very respectful of others’ time outside of work, which creates a healthy and sustainable working environment.

The organisational culture at NESO is supportive, inclusive, and collaborative, with a strong emphasis on learning, respect, and openness. The general atmosphere is positive and welcoming, making it easy to engage with others, ask questions, and feel part of a shared purpose.

A particular strength is the wide range of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), which actively create inclusive spaces, raise awareness, and run visible events that celebrate different backgrounds, experiences, and identities—such as faith, gender, disability, neurodiversity, and belonging more broadly.

Yes

I’d highly recommend the NESO graduate scheme because it offers a great balance of meaningful responsibility, structured development, and exposure to real‑world challenges with national impact. The supportive culture, strong early careers network, and opportunities to learn through rotations and hands‑on work make it an excellent environment to grow both professionally and personally.

From the interviews and conversations I had, I got a strong impression that NESO was a genuinely welcoming and supportive place to work, and that impression has carried through into the role, making it easy to picture myself, and now feel comfortable working here.