(usa) Principal, Data Scientist

Walmart Walmart · Retail · J STREET SPACE AR BENTONVILLE

Principal Data Scientist to solve ambiguous, high-value retail problems through rigorous analytics, ML modeling, experimentation, causal inference, and deployment of scalable solutions. Will work closely with agentic AI teams to build data science capabilities, measurement frameworks, and causal reasoning skills. Role involves shaping strategy, defining metrics, validating outcomes, deploying models, and translating evidence into recommendations. Focus on generative AI, agentic intelligence, ML, measurement, and causal inference to optimize retail experiences and operations.

What you'd actually do

  1. Drive high-impact data science initiatives across recommendations, customer voice, market research, product innovation, segmentation, forecasting, measurement, and decision intelligence.
  2. Frame ambiguous business questions as testable hypotheses with clear metrics and decision criteria.
  3. Build, validate, deploy, monitor, and improve predictive, causal, and ML solutions.
  4. Design experiments and causal measurement approaches, including A/B tests, uplift modeling, difference-in-differences, and synthetic control.
  5. Work with agentic AI teams to answer user questions about measurement, impact, and causal drivers.

Skills

Required

  • Deep expertise in data science, statistics, machine learning, experimentation, measurement, and causal inference.
  • Proven ability to turn ambiguous business problems into clear hypotheses, scalable analytical plans, and measurable outcomes.
  • Strong Python coding skills, with experience building production-quality data science solutions.
  • Experience deploying, monitoring, and improving models or decision tools in partnership with engineering teams.
  • Familiarity with emerging agentic AI architectures, systems, and evaluation patterns.
  • Ability to mentor others on coding, modeling, visualization, and analytical communication.
  • Strong business judgment and communication skills to influence product, engineering, and executive stakeholders.
  • Bachelors degree in Statistics, Economics, Analytics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Information Technology or related field and 5 years' experience in an analytics related field OR Masters degree in Statistics, Economics, Analytics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Information Technology or related field and 3 years' experience in an analytics related field OR 7 years' experience in an analytics or related field

Nice to have

  • Experience using AI-assisted coding and engineering tools to improve development speed, quality, and iteration.
  • Data science, machine learning, optimization models, PhD in Machine Learning, Computer Science, Information Technology, Operations Research, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Econometrics, Publications or active peer reviewer in relevant fields.

What the JD emphasized

  • production-quality data science solutions
  • emerging agentic AI architectures, systems, and evaluation patterns

Other signals

  • work closely with agentic AI teams
  • build the data science capabilities, measurement frameworks, and causal reasoning skills needed to answer users’ business-impact questions
  • shape strategy, define success metrics, validate outcomes, deploy decision-ready models and tools
  • translate complex evidence into clear recommendations
  • leads advancements in generative AI, agentic intelligence, machine learning, measurement, and causal inference
  • Drive high-impact data science initiatives across recommendations, customer voice, market research, product innovation, segmentation, forecasting, measurement, and decision intelligence
  • Build, validate, deploy, monitor, and improve predictive, causal, and ML solutions
  • Work with agentic AI teams to answer user questions about measurement, impact, and causal drivers
  • Familiarity with emerging agentic AI architectures, systems, and evaluation patterns