At a Glance
- Tasks: Build and own models for a cutting-edge Decision Engine that drives real business impact.
- Company: Join Cox Automotive, a leader in automotive services with a collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, professional growth, and a supportive team environment.
- Other info: Be part of a dynamic team focused on innovation and quality.
- Why this job: Make a difference by developing impactful data solutions for major automotive clients.
- Qualifications: Strong data science skills and experience in machine learning and model deployment.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 € per year.
Cox Automotive Europe is one of the largest automotive services businesses in the UK and Europe, providing end-to-end solutions across vehicle remarketing, fleet management, financial services and dealer software. Our Data Solutions team sits at the heart of this — building the intelligence layer that powers decisions across our business and for our OEM and fleet clients.
This is a senior individual contributor role within our Data Solutions team, reporting to the Lead Data Scientist. You will be a key part of our ambition to build a world-class data intelligence capability.
Your primary focus is the Decision Engine — a recommendation product we are building for major OEM clients, starting with Stellantis. The Decision Engine helps remarketing managers assess, price, channel and act on hundreds of vehicles in a single working session. Getting the underlying models right — and proving they work — is the difference between a product that gets used and one that gets ignored.
Beyond the Decision Engine, you will contribute to a growing intelligence capability that serves multiple business units across Cox Automotive Europe. This is not a role where you disappear into a notebook for six months. You will work closely with product managers, domain experts and engineers, and you will be expected to make your work land.
What You Will Work On
- Decision Engine models: Building and owning the core models that underpin the Decision Engine — pricing intelligence, stock segmentation, buyer behaviour profiling, and channel optimisation.
- Counterfactual measurement: Designing the framework that proves the Decision Engine works — what would have happened to vehicles that weren't acted on by DE recommendations?
- Model explainability: Building the trust layer. You will design explainability outputs — reason codes, confidence indicators, contributing factors — that make model outputs interpretable by non-technical users.
- Pricing intelligence: Working alongside our Vehicle Data and Pricing capability to model OEM pricing decisions that account for residual values, market conditions, buyer segmentation and commercial policy.
- Raising the team's ceiling: You will be a senior voice in a team of five. You will share knowledge, review others' work, and help build a culture where the team learns faster collectively than any individual could alone.
What We Are Looking For
- Strong data science fundamentals — production-grade experience in machine learning, statistical modelling, time-series analysis or pricing/propensity modelling.
- Proven track record of building models that go into production and stay there.
- Experience working in or very close to a commercial domain.
- Comfortable working independently at pace.
- Strong communication skills — you can explain model outputs and their limitations to product managers, engineers and senior stakeholders.
- Experience in automotive, vehicle remarketing, fleet management or fleet disposal.
- Familiarity with explainable AI techniques — SHAP, LIME, feature importance frameworks.
- MLOps experience — experiment tracking, model monitoring, drift detection, automated retraining pipelines.
- Experience with Databricks or a comparable lakehouse platform.
- Python or R proficiency across the standard DS stack.
- Experience with PySpark desirable.
You will join a team of six data scientists and analysts, within a broader Data Solutions function of approximately 20 people. The team is at an inflection point — moving from a reactive, project-by-project way of working toward a product-led intelligence capability.
We are investing in modern tooling — Databricks as our platform, AI-assisted development as standard practice, and an AIT squad model that embeds data science directly into product delivery.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary commensurate with senior experience.
- Access to Cox Automotive's broad European business as a domain for genuinely interesting problems.
- A team that is growing and a function that has senior executive support and commercial backing.
Location: Manchester. Occasional travel to client sites and team locations required.
Senior Data Scientist in Leeds employer: Cox Automotive
Cox Automotive Europe is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Manchester where innovation meets collaboration. With a strong focus on employee growth and a culture that values teamwork and learning, you will have the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge data solutions while enjoying competitive benefits and support from senior leadership. Join us to be part of a family-like atmosphere that encourages creativity and professional development in the automotive industry.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Data Scientist in Leeds
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, especially those at Cox Automotive. A friendly chat can open doors that a CV just can't.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills in real-time! If you get the chance, do a live coding session or a technical interview. It’s your moment to shine and demonstrate what you can bring to the table.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for those tricky questions! Brush up on your data science fundamentals and be ready to explain your past projects. We want to see how you think and solve problems.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Data Scientist in Leeds
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Senior Data Scientist role. Highlight your experience with machine learning, statistical modelling, and any relevant projects that showcase your skills in a commercial context. We want to see how you can contribute to our Decision Engine!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about data science and how your background aligns with our goals at Cox Automotive. Don’t forget to mention your experience in the automotive sector if you have it!
Showcase Your Communication Skills:Since you'll be working closely with product managers and engineers, it's crucial to demonstrate your ability to communicate complex ideas clearly. Include examples of how you've explained technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders in your application.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Cox Automotive
✨Know Your Models Inside Out
As a Senior Data Scientist, you'll be expected to build and own core models. Make sure you can discuss your previous work in detail, including the methodologies you used and the impact they had. Be ready to explain how you ensure model accuracy and explainability, as this will be crucial for the Decision Engine.
✨Understand the Business Context
Cox Automotive operates in a complex commercial domain. Familiarise yourself with how businesses make decisions based on data, especially in automotive remarketing. Bring examples of how your data science work has directly influenced business outcomes in your past roles.
✨Communicate Clearly and Confidently
Strong communication skills are essential. Practice explaining technical concepts in simple terms, as you'll need to convey model outputs and limitations to non-technical stakeholders. Prepare to discuss how you've done this in previous roles, showcasing your ability to bridge the gap between data science and business needs.
✨Showcase Your Team Spirit
This role involves collaboration with product managers and engineers. Highlight your experience working in teams, sharing knowledge, and contributing to a culture of learning. Be prepared to discuss how you've helped raise the team's performance in past positions, as this aligns with their goal of building a world-class data intelligence capability.
