At a Glance
- Tasks: Shape LLM applications that enhance customer experiences and optimise content.
- Company: Join Holland & Barrett, a trusted brand in health and wellness.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, career growth, and 25% discount on products.
- Other info: Hybrid working model with a focus on wellbeing and mental health support.
- Why this job: Make a real impact with AI while working in a dynamic, innovative environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in LLM applications, strong Python skills, and data science foundations required.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
About Data at Holland & Barrett
Location: Hybrid working - occasional office presence. London or Nuneaton when required.
Holland & Barrett is investing heavily in the next generation of digital and AI capability - not as an experiment, but as a core part of how we help millions of customers live healthier lives.
We're now hiring our first LLM Data Scientist to shape how LLMs show up across the business - on our website, in our content, in our recommendations, and in the tools our teams use behind the scenes.
The Role
If you're someone who loves the intersection of LLM systems, experimentation, and real world product impact, this is the kind of role where your work won't stay hidden. You'll see it live, in customer facing journeys, SEO performance, personalisation, and in the quality of the content we publish.
And to be clear: this is not a role for someone who has only ever engineered prompts in isolation. You'll definitely write prompts - but the value here comes from understanding how LLMs behave in real systems, with real data, and knowing how to evaluate, measure, optimise and deploy them at scale. If you have the data science mindset and the LLM engineering skillset, this is where you can genuinely shape things.
What you'll actually be doing?
- Designing, testing, and optimising prompts and prompt chains for production LLM applications
- Building evaluation frameworks to measure quality, safety, relevance, latency and cost
- Working with RAG architectures, embeddings and vector databases to improve retrieval and contextual accuracy
- Owning and developing our SEO content optimisation tool - improving product page copy for both relevance and discoverability
- Helping power personalised recommendations and messaging in our Personalisation squad
- Enhancing our Wellness Hub (our library of health articles and expert content) by generating, rewriting and improving pieces in safe, evidence based ways
- Partnering with Data Engineering on context management, memory strategies, tool/function calling, observability and logging
- Monitoring and mitigating model drift, prompt degradation and system regressions
- Acting as a go to LLM expert across the business, helping teams understand what's possible and what's not
- Staying close to the evolving LLM landscape and translating new ideas into useful, practical improvements
How we'll see your impact
- Customers engage more with product pages because the content is more helpful and tailored
- SEO performance improves thanks to your optimisation tools
- We publish higher quality health content that's accurate, engaging and aligned with our brand
- Customers receive more relevant recommendations at the right moment
- Internal teams work faster thanks to stronger, more reliable LLM powered tools
- Clear evaluation metrics guide smarter, data driven AI adoption
- LLM capability across H&B grows because you've helped demystify the technology
The Person
What you'll need
- Hands on experience developing LLM applications beyond just prompt writing
- Solid data science foundations: experimentation, evaluation, statistical thinking, working with real world datasets
- Strong understanding of: prompt optimisation, RAG, embeddings, vector stores, context management and LLM evaluation
- Very strong Python skills - this is a genuinely hands on role
- Ability to reason about trade offs between quality, latency and cost
- Experience with Git, version control and CI/CD
- Confidence translating complex LLM concepts for non technical colleagues
- Curiosity, pragmatism, and comfort shaping a first of its kind role
Benefits
- Technology Incentive Scheme - we offer different bonus schemes for all grades in Technology, starting at 10%.
- Learning and Development opportunity with Holland & Barrett is a great base for career development long term.
- Career progression
- Pension company contribution
- Your wellbeing is paramount so you can get away and take 28 or 33 Days Holiday per year.
- Refer and Earn Scheme - as we're growing you can earn money by referring people to join us from your network.
- Epic Extras gives you access to exclusive benefits, free advice and savings from a range of retailers and providers.
- Stay healthy with Discounted Products - from day one you'll get a 25% discount (on top of other promotions) when you shop at H&B on anything that you buy.
- We all need a little help sometimes, so we offer Free 24/7 Confidential Advice & Colleague Welfare.
- Mental Health First Aiders - we have lots of qualified Mental Health First Aiders because its all about your health & wellbeing.
- We have colleague Reward and Recognition Schemes, so your hard work and loyalty won't go unnoticed.
- And many more!
The Company
Holland & Barrett is one of the nation's most loved and trusted brands, known for offering quality health food, vitamins and supplements all sold by highly trained and qualified advisors. Bucking the current trend of high street retailers, we forecast significant growth and expansion plans in the coming years, with considerable investment going into all areas of the business. We certainly embrace change and drive speed in everything we do. Every day presents a different challenge, but every day is also filled with fun, teamwork and passion to succeed and surpass every expectation. Join us and see how far you can go...
LLM Data Scientist: Real-World AI & Personalisation employer: Holland and Barrett
Holland & Barrett is an exceptional employer that prioritises employee wellbeing and growth, offering a hybrid working model that fosters flexibility and collaboration. With a strong focus on innovation in digital and AI capabilities, employees can expect meaningful contributions to real-world applications while enjoying comprehensive benefits such as a generous holiday allowance, career development opportunities, and a supportive work culture that values mental health and recognition.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land LLM Data Scientist: Real-World AI & Personalisation
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, especially those at Holland & Barrett. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insights that a job description just can't.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! If you've got a portfolio or any projects related to LLMs, make sure to highlight them during interviews. Real-world examples of your work can really set you apart from the crowd.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for the unexpected! Be ready to discuss how you'd tackle real challenges with LLMs. Think about optimisation, evaluation, and how you'd measure success – this shows you're not just about theory.
✨Tip Number 4
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 being part of the Holland & Barrett team.
We think you need these skills to ace LLM Data Scientist: Real-World AI & Personalisation
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for LLMs:When you're writing your application, let your enthusiasm for LLMs shine through! Share specific examples of how you've worked with LLM systems and the real-world impact you've made. We want to see that you’re not just about the tech, but also about how it can help people.
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application straightforward and to the point. Use clear language to explain your experience and skills, especially around prompt optimisation and data science. We appreciate a well-structured application that makes it easy for us to see your fit for the role.
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your application for this specific role at Holland & Barrett. Highlight your experience with RAG architectures, embeddings, and any relevant projects that demonstrate your ability to optimise LLM applications. We love seeing how you connect your background to what we do!
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it gives you a chance to explore more about our company and culture while you’re at it.
How to prepare for a job interview at Holland and Barrett
✨Know Your LLMs Inside Out
Make sure you have a solid understanding of LLM systems and their real-world applications. Be prepared to discuss your hands-on experience with prompt optimisation, RAG architectures, and how you've measured and evaluated LLM performance in previous roles.
✨Showcase Your Data Science Skills
Highlight your data science foundations during the interview. Be ready to talk about your experience with experimentation, statistical thinking, and working with real-world datasets. This will demonstrate that you can think critically about data and its implications for LLM applications.
✨Prepare for Technical Questions
Expect technical questions related to Python, Git, and CI/CD processes. Brush up on your coding skills and be ready to solve problems on the spot. This will show that you're not just familiar with the tools but can also use them effectively in a practical setting.
✨Communicate Complex Ideas Simply
Since you'll be acting as an LLM expert across the business, practice explaining complex concepts in simple terms. Think about how you would explain LLM behaviour and optimisation strategies to non-technical colleagues. This skill is crucial for collaboration and ensuring everyone is on the same page.
