THE ROLE & THE TEAM
Zalando is the Starting Point for Fashion in Europe, and our assortment of millions of items is our core product. We are at a pivotal moment, ready to move from manual curation to building a world-class, intelligent system that decides what products our 50+ million customers will see. This is a greenfield opportunity to create the scientific foundation for one of the most complex and fascinating challenges in e-commerce.
We are looking for a Senior/ Principal Applied Scientist to be the architect of this future. You will not just be applying models; you will be solving a deeply complex optimization problem under uncertainty, blending cutting-edge machine learning with operations research and economics to build the engine that powers Zalando's commercial success.
INCLUSIVE BY DESIGN
At Zalando, our vision is to be the leading pan-European ecosystem for fashion and lifestyle e-commerce - one that is inclusive by design. We only assess candidates based on qualifications, merit, and business needs. We welcome applications from people of all gender identities, sexual orientations, personal expressions, racial identities, ethnicities, religious beliefs, and disability statuses. We only want to know why you’re great for this role, so please avoid including your picture, age, and marital status in your CV as well.
We want to provide you with a great candidate experience. Please feel free to inform us of any accommodations you may need, so we can best support and assist you throughout the hiring process.
do.BETTER - our diversity & inclusion strategy: https://jobs.zalando.com/en/our-culture/diversity-and-inclusion
WHAT WE’D LOVE YOU TO DO (AND LOVE DOING)
Architect the Scientific Vision: You will own the end-to-end scientific strategy for assortment optimization. This involves decomposing this massive challenge into tractable problems, from long-range trend forecasting to real-time inventory placement.
Master Demand & Trend Forecasting: Develop and deploy sophisticated time-series and deep learning models to predict fashion trends and forecast demand across a vast, fast-changing catalog. Your models will be the primary input for all assortment decisions.
Solve Large-Scale Optimization Problems: Apply your expertise in Operations Research (e.g. online, stochastic and combinatorial optimization, integer programming) to solve the core assortment problem: selecting the optimal set of products to carry, considering warehouse capacity, supplier constraints, and profitability goals.
Pioneer Sequential Decision-Making: Implement model based online optimization or Reinforcement Learning models to create dynamic, adaptive policies for inventory management. Your systems will produce the optimal strategies for buying, replenishing, and clearing stock throughout a product's lifecycle.
Measure True Impact with Causal Inference: Go beyond correlation to understand causation. You will design experiments and build causal models to measure the true impact of our assortment choices on customer behavior and long-term value, answering questions like, "Did adding this brand cause an increase in customer loyalty?"
Lead and Mentor: As a senior scientific leader, you will elevate the technical bar across Zalando, mentoring other scientists and engineers and fostering a culture of rigorous, impactful research.
WE’D LOVE TO MEET YOU IF:
A in a quantitative field like Computer Science, Operations Research, Machine Learning, Statistics, or Economics, with 8+ years of industry experience solving large-scale problems.
A proven track record of designing and deploying high-impact scientific solutions in production, particularly in areas like supply chain optimization, demand forecasting, algorithmic marketing, or large-scale recommendation systems.
Deep, hands-on expertise in one or more of the following core areas:
Machine Learning: Advanced forecasting, Reinforcement Learning, Deep Learning (PyTorch/TensorFlow).
Operations Research: Mathematical optimization, simulation, and modeling of complex systems.
Causal Inference & Econometrics: Experimental design, uplift modeling, and techniques for measuring causal impact from observational data.
Strong programming skills in Python and proficiency with big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Dask).
An entrepreneurial and strategic mindset, with the ability to navigate ambiguity, define the scientific roadmap, and connect your work directly to business value.
Exceptional communication skills, capable of explaining complex scientific concepts to leaders and partners across the organization.
OUR OFFER
Zalando provides a range of benefits, here’s an overview of what you can expect. Ask your Talent Acquisition Partner to learn more about what we offer.
Employee shares program
40% off fashion and beauty products sold and shipped by Zalando, 30% off Lounge by Zalando, discounts from external partners
2 paid volunteering days a year
Hybrid working model with up to 60% remote per week, actual practice is up to each team to best support their collaboration
Work from abroad for up to 30 working days a year
27 days of vacation a year to start for full-time employees
Relocation assistance available (subject to prior agreement)
Family services, including counseling and support
Health and wellbeing options (including Wellhub, formerly Gympass)
Mental health support and coaching available
Drive your development through our training platform and biannual peer-to-peer review
