At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the design and delivery of machine learning systems that drive business impact.
- Company: Join M&S, a dynamic and inclusive retail leader transforming the industry.
- Benefits: Enjoy a 20% discount, competitive holidays, and generous pension schemes.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team committed to innovation and positive change.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in retail with cutting-edge data science techniques.
- Qualifications: Strong Python skills and experience in machine learning and statistical analysis.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Data Scientist to join our Enterprise Data Science team, leading the design, development, and delivery of end-to-end machine learning systems that drive quantifiable business impact across the retail value chain. You will apply advanced statistical modelling, machine learning, and optimisation techniques to solve complex, high-value problems while helping to shape a high-impact data science capability that underpins M&S’s digital transformation.
What will you do
- Problem Framing: Proven ability to translate business challenges into well-defined DS/ML or optimisation problems and select appropriate approaches to deliver value.
- Problem Solving: Apply statistical, machine learning, and optimisation methods to address ambiguous, high-impact business problems across the retail value chain (e.g., inventory optimisation, demand forecasting, clustering, pricing).
- ML System Design & Productionisation: Lead the design, development, testing, evaluation, and monitoring of predictive models in a production environment.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Data Engineers, MLOps, Product Managers, and business stakeholders to align data science initiatives with the organisation’s commercial strategy and priorities.
- Technical Leadership: Drive the adoption of best practices in coding standards (e.g., code reviews, testing, documentation), exploratory analysis, model development, evaluation, and monitoring.
Who you are
- Technical: Strong hands-on experience and expertise in the Python data science ecosystem. Experience with distributed computing frameworks like Apache Spark (PySpark) or similar is preferred.
- Data Science/ML: Strong experience in exploratory data analysis, machine learning algorithms, statistical inference, and experimental design, with desirable experience in optimisation techniques (e.g., linear/non-linear programming, or heuristics).
- Ownership: Proven track record of successfully leading and shipping end-to-end data science products with measurable business value in a production environment.
- Communication Skills: Strong ability to communicate complex technical concepts and findings into clear, actionable insights for both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Software Engineering: Good understanding of software engineering fundamentals, including version control, modular design, testing, and CI/CD, applied to the delivery of clean, scalable, and maintainable code.
What’s in it for you
Being a part of M&S is exactly that – playing your part to bring the magic of M&S to our customers every day. We’re an inclusive, dynamic, exciting, and ever-evolving business built on doing the right thing and bringing exceptional quality, value, service to every customer, whenever, wherever and however they want to shop with us. Here are some of the benefits we offer that make working for M&S just that little bit more special:
- After completing your probationary period, you’ll receive 20% colleague discount across all M&S products and many of our third-party brands for you and a member of your household.
- Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days!
- Discretionary bonus schemes awarded based on how you achieve your personal objectives and our performance as a business.
- A generous Defined Contribution Pension Scheme and Life Assurance.
- A dedicated welcome to our teams with a tailored induction and a wide range of training programmes to develop your skills.
- Amazing perks and discounts via our M&S Choices portal to maximise your financial and personal wellbeing.
- Industry-leading parental, adoption and neonatal policies, providing support and flexibility for your family.
- Access to a fantastic range of wellbeing support for all colleagues including access to our 24/7 Virtual GP and PAM Assist to support you and your family.
- A charity volunteer day to support a charity or cause you’re passionate about through a dedicated day away from work.
Everyone’s welcome
We are ambitious about the future of retail. We’re disrupting, innovating and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We’re transforming how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make change happen. We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together. If you feel you’d benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don’t hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.
Senior Data Scientist employer: Marks and Spencer
Marks and Spencer is an exceptional employer that fosters a culture of innovation and collaboration, particularly within the Corporate HR technology team. Employees benefit from a supportive environment that prioritises professional growth and development, alongside competitive remuneration and benefits. Working in a dynamic location, you will have the opportunity to lead impactful projects that enhance the colleague experience throughout their journey with the company.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Data Scientist
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current employees at M&S on LinkedIn or other platforms. Ask them about their experiences and any tips they might have for landing the Senior Data Scientist role. Personal connections can make a huge difference!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by brushing up on your technical skills. Be ready to discuss your experience with Python, machine learning algorithms, and optimisation techniques. We want to see how you can apply these skills to real-world problems in retail.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your problem-solving abilities! Think of specific examples where you've tackled complex data science challenges. Be prepared to explain your thought process and the impact your solutions had on the business.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to highlight your collaboration skills! M&S values teamwork, so share experiences where you’ve worked closely with cross-functional teams. This will demonstrate that you can align data science initiatives with business strategies.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Data Scientist
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience with machine learning and data science. We want to see how your skills align with the specific challenges mentioned in the job description.
Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills:Use examples from your past work to demonstrate how you've tackled complex data problems. We love seeing how you’ve applied statistical modelling and optimisation techniques to drive business impact.
Highlight Collaboration Experience:Since this role involves working closely with various teams, share instances where you've successfully collaborated with others. We’re keen on understanding how you communicate technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
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 ensure you’re considered for this exciting opportunity.
How to prepare for a job interview at Marks and Spencer
✨Know Your Data Science Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of statistical modelling, machine learning algorithms, and optimisation techniques. Be ready to discuss specific projects where you've applied these skills, especially in a retail context. This will show that you can translate business challenges into data science solutions.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare examples of how you've tackled ambiguous, high-impact problems in the past. Think about how you framed the problem, the methods you used, and the results you achieved. This will demonstrate your ability to deliver value through data science.
✨Collaboration is Key
Since you'll be working closely with Data Engineers, MLOps, and Product Managers, be ready to discuss your experience in cross-functional teams. Highlight how you've aligned data science initiatives with business strategies and how you communicate complex concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
✨Technical Leadership Matters
Be prepared to talk about your experience with coding standards, version control, and CI/CD practices. Discuss how you've driven best practices in model development and monitoring, as this will show your potential for technical leadership within the team.
