David is available for hire

David Foster

Verified Expert in Engineering

Software Developer

Location

London, United Kingdom

Toptal Member Since

May 31, 2017

David is a data scientist with the proven ability to deliver scalable, data-driven solutions to complex problems, using machine learning, mathematical optimization and statistical modeling techniques. He has won several international machine learning and data visualization competitions and is ranked as a competition expert on Kaggle (the online data science platform).

R SQL Tableau Neo4j Linux Python Microsoft SQL Server MySQL MacOS Microsoft Power BI Google Cloud PostgreSQL Django TensorFlow D3.js

Portfolio

Applied Data Science

Azure Machine Learning, TensorFlow, Google Cloud, Microsoft SQL Server, Django...

Findmypast

Linux, D3.js, Graph Databases, Neo4j, Microsoft SQL Server, Python, R

Global

Tableau, Microsoft SQL Server, Python, R

Experience

R - 7 years SQL - 6 years Microsoft SQL Server - 5 years Tableau - 4 years Neo4j - 3 years Azure Machine Learning - 2 years Microsoft Power BI - 1 year

Availability

Part-time

Preferred Environment

PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Python, R, MacOS, Linux

The most amazing...

...project I've ever delivered is a lead prioritization engine that predicted the most valuable clients to contact each day for a sales team of over 200 people.

Work Experience

Co-founder | Partner

2017 - PRESENT

Applied Data Science

Co-founded a London-based consultancy where we deliver fixed cost, scalable data science solutions for clients.

Technologies: Azure Machine Learning, TensorFlow, Google Cloud, Microsoft SQL Server, Django, Python, R

Senior Data Scientist

2016 - 2017

Findmypast

Used graph database technology (Neo4J) to find links between genealogical records.
Built and deployed a customer churn predictor and a live behavioral segmentation of the user base.
Built a tool to visualize user flows through the website using D3.js.
Developed a machine learning algorithm to assess the valuation of assets in AzureML.
Managed a data scientist and scoped new work for the data science team.

Technologies: Linux, D3.js, Graph Databases, Neo4j, Microsoft SQL Server, Python, R

Data Scientist

2013 - 2016

Global

Designed and built the negotiation recommendation engine used by local sales teams—to recommend client-specific discounting strategies.
Delivered a stochastic model to optimize the split of inventory between the revenue streams channels.
Centralized actionable dashboards for revenue, inventory, and client churn reporting across the company; using Tableau and D3.

Technologies: Tableau, Microsoft SQL Server, Python, R

Analyst

2012 - 2013

Accenture

Designed and built a model for client to predict form and workload volumes from the forecasted enrolment scheduled.

Technologies: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft SQL Server, R

Experience

Using Telematics Data to Predict the Driver

https://www.kaggle.com/c/axa-driver-telematics-analysis

Identified a driver signature from telematics data; using R machine learning techniques for a competition sponsored by AXA. Finished in the top 10% of entries.

African Soil Property Prediction

https://www.kaggle.com/c/afsis-soil-properties

Predicted the properties of soil from spectral measurements using Python machine learning libraries for a competition sponsored by African Soil Information Service. Finished in the top 10% of entries.

Clinical Trial Dashboard

https://www.crowdanalytix.com/contests/visualization--site-selection-for-clinical-trial-dashboard

Was awarded the top prize for a dashboard that enables a pharmaceutical company in the US to optimize site selection for clinical trials.

Neo4J Graph Database

Ingested millions of nodes into a Neo4J graph database and wrote queries to identify records that are potentially related, whilst at Findmypast.

Data Science Presentations

https://www.google.com/url?hl=en-GB&q=http://science.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u%3D67a48a20d11b943146b0ca741%26id%3Dc84cec2606%26e%3D1a8a1376a3&source=gmail&ust=1494346062459000&usg=AFQjCNGgV9sxrYhgtlcqm8Ca-KGvT2hgsw

Delivered "Closing the Data Loop" at the Tableau London conference 2015—outlining the importance of converting insight from data into a measurable business action.

Presented "Data Science Embedded" at the Data Science Festival London 2017—on how to create business value with data science through a series of case study projects.

Skills

Languages

SQL, R, Python

Tools

Tableau, Azure Machine Learning, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Power BI, Optimizely

Libraries/APIs

Twitter API, TensorFlow, D3.js

Platforms

Linux, MacOS

Storage

Neo4j, Graph Databases, Google Cloud, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL

Frameworks

Django

Education

2011 - 2012

Master of Science Degree in Management Science and Operational Research

Warwick Business School | University of Warwick - Warwick, UK

2010 - 2011

Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in Mathematics

University of Bedfordshire - Bedfordshire, UK

2007 - 2010

Master of Arts Degree in Mathematics

University of Cambridge - Cambridge, UK

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