Sr Data Scientist - Supply Chain Optimization (middle Mile)

Target Target · Retail · Sunnyvale, CA +1

This role focuses on developing and deploying optimization and machine learning algorithms for supply chain operations at Target. The Sr. Data Scientist will work with large-scale datasets and complex models, collaborating with engineers and business partners to improve efficiency and decision-making in areas like inventory, transportation, and fulfillment. The role emphasizes writing performant, scalable Python code and formulating mathematical models for production environments.

What you'd actually do

  1. Work closely with fellow data scientists to review and iterate on optimization and machine learning algorithms and develop state of the art mathematical models
  2. Collaborate with engineers to design and deploy algorithms in production at scale.
  3. Work with business partners to learn about the retail business and processes in play
  4. Ideate and resolve tradeoffs between model granularity and features as well as performance, reliability, and usability of our codebase.

Skills

Required

  • MS or PhD in Industrial Engineering, Operations Research, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Statistics, Physics or related quantitative fields
  • 3+ years of experience leading large-scale implementations of optimization, simulation, machine learning and deep learning at scale
  • Extensive experience writing highly performant code and deploying algorithms in a production environment.
  • Proficient in predictive and prescriptive algorithms
  • Demonstrated experience in one or more programming languages: Python, R or Java
  • Expert at formulating and implementing mathematical models ranging from mixed-integer programming, stochastic dynamic programming and reinforcement learning
  • Experience in implementing advanced statistical techniques like regression, clustering, PCA, time series forecasting, etc.
  • Proficient in application/software architecture (definition, process modeling, etc.)
  • Experience writing production datasets in SQL/Hive or building internal/production data tools for research or experimentation in a scripting language like Python
  • Excellent communication skills

Nice to have

  • Strong knowledge of supply chain optimization – inventory, transportation, sourcing, distribution, fulfillment, planning, etc.
  • Strong computer science fundamentals with rock-solid, well-structured and efficient code: data structures, design, algorithms, programming and information retrieval
  • Strong technical and communication skills to deliver with quality and evangelize technical solutions to business, product and engineering partners
  • Ability to write understandable, testable code with an eye towards maintainability
  • You constantly think about the end-user for solutions you develop, and prioritize business impact over technical sophistication
  • Ability to deal with ambiguity, and prioritize progress over perfection
  • You have an eye for detail, and relentless curiosity for supply chain problems
  • You have a knack for answering open questions with data
  • You understand that simplicity is hard but key to achieving maintainability and to being able to continually deliver value to the business
  • Able to produce reasonable documents and narratives suggesting actionable insights
  • Self-driven and results oriented; able to meet tight timelines
  • Collaborative team player with ability to partner effectively across time zones

What the JD emphasized

  • optimization
  • machine learning
  • production at scale
  • mathematical models
  • supply chain optimization
  • Python code
  • algorithms

Other signals

  • optimization algorithms
  • machine learning
  • production at scale
  • millions of combinations
  • supply chain optimization