Senior Applied Scientist - Demand Forecast

The Partner Tech Applied Science team acts as the engine behind Zalando's growth, partnering with Zalando Partners and internal stakeholders to achieve better business performance. We build products that provide better demand signals to partners. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, we ensure our assortment is relevant, engaging, and deeply respectful of customer privacy. As a Senior Applied Scientist, you will collaborate closely with product managers, engineers, and analysts to refine our industry-leading article demand forecast engine. You will co-own the scientific roadmap for our forecast domain, working with Principal Scientists and leaders to maximize forecast performance by moving beyond simple metrics to true incrementality.

Conceptualize, prototype, and productionize state-of-the-art demand forecast solutions. Communicate technical problems and results effectively with team members and (less technical) stakeholders. Educate them about your products and solutions. Own the full development cycle of algorithms - from opportunity discovery to production. Iteratively improve models and explore new possibilities (e.g., new data sources, new problem formulations). Build model pipelines and streamline analysis processes using common programming tools (e.g., Python, R, Scala, SQL, PyTorch, TensorFlow, etc.). Mentor junior scientists and foster a culture of continuous learning and knowledge sharing within the team.

(Required) Master's degree or higher in statistics, mathematics, physics, operations research, or a related quantitative discipline with a strong theoretical foundation in statistics, time series analysis, and machine learning methodologies related to forecasting. (Required) 5+ years of industry experience (3+ for PhD) in developing forecasting models, using both statistical methods and machine learning techniques. Understand the tradeoffs of each method and their areas of application. Have deep knowledge of state-of-the-art practices in forecasting, but also maintain a bias for simplicity. (Required) Excellent verbal and written communication skills with a curious and self-starter mindset. Ability to unblock yourself, but also proactively request support when needed to remove roadblocks. (Required) Deep proficiency in Python, SQL, and PySpark, with a commitment to high coding standards, including active participation in code reviews and elevating the team's engineering culture. (Preferred) Demonstrated leadership experience in guiding less experienced colleagues.

27 days of holiday per year to start for full-time employees (+1 day per calendar year up to 30 days). 40% discount on fashion and beauty products sold and shipped by Zalando, 30% off Lounge by Zalando, discounts from external partners. Family support, including counselling and dedicated services for parents and carers. Company pension scheme. Employee shares programme. Health and wellbeing options, including Wellhub. Mental health support and coaching. Development through our training platform and biannual peer-to-peer review. 2 paid volunteering days per year. Relocation assistance (subject to prior agreement).