Data Scientist – FEU LEGO

Key Skills

Aartificial intelligence, Azure, Databricks, Deep Learning, Forecasting, Machine learning techniques, PySpark, Python Programming, Statistical modeling

Job Description

The Data Scientist is an exciting role in the Data Science Centre of Excellence (CoE) team within D&A. This team builds state of the art machine learning algorithms, maximising the impact of D&A’s solutions in driving enterprise performance. Typical initiatives include building a state of art enterprise scale demand forecasting engine, optimizing trade promotion investments, accurately forecasting customer demand, using NLP to glean insight on consumer trends from search data, and making individual assortment recommendations for each of the millions of stores that sell Unilever products. The role will work closely with a D&A functional team such as Customer Development or Supply Chain along with business stakeholders, addressing both large transformation programs and near-term business problems.

Main Purpose of the Job:

(A concise statement setting out the main purpose and objectives of the job)

Data scientist will be responsible for build and release management of the re-usable and modular machine learning modules for large scale demand forecasting and promotion planning.

• Develop and maintain modular and re-usable software library to support Unilever’s Forecast engine utility (FEU) work package with an application of ML Model over billions of timeseries.
• Collaborate with Innovation and regional (market) data scientist in translating experiment work to scalable model deployment and testing
• Develop re-usable ML model for state of art data transformation, feature engineering, forecasting model and its evaluation as per FEU business objectives
• Give training and support to project data scientist towards higher adoption of LEGO based development
• Create process and execution of collaborative ML based product development, bugfix, release plan for LEGO.
• Utilize advanced ML/AI concepts for temporal and spatial learning to deliver step improvement in LEGO based benchmark KPIs
• Write efficient and well-organized software to ship products in an iterative, continual-release environment.
• Engaging in strategic discussions to identify problems while measuring and improving the quality of workflows. Identify and implement opportunities to improve tooling and implementation of scalable solutions
• Working in an agile environment with globally distributed teams.

Key accountabilities:

(Describe the decisions this role is accountable for and the responsibilities/deliverables expected)

• Development & Deployment of state of art ML/AI models for timeseries demand forecasting
• Evaluation of FEU market models as per global data science design
• Provide new solutions to enhance the FEU demand forecast for new products, baseline, promotion lift and total forecast
• Lead pilots and experiments to improve forecasting performance and scope
• Implementation of scalable data science solution with market explainability features
• Interact with relevant teams to identify business challenges where data science can help
• Apply comprehensive data science knowledge to propose optimal techniques for key business challenges
• Create detailed data science proposals and project plans, flagging any limitations of proposed solution
• Design and prototype experimental solutions, particularly machine learning models
• Facilitate industrialization and ongoing operation of solutions through well organised code, clear documentation and collaboration with ML Ops resources
• Represent Data Science in cross-functional governance of projects, engaging with stakeholders up to Director level
• Highlight recent developments in data science capability which could solve additional challenges
• Provide technical guidance to data scientists across D&A, particularly on the projects you lead
• Support the growth of D&A’s data science capability by contributing to activities such as tool and vendor selection, best practice definition, recruitment, and creation of training materials
• Build the reputation of D&A’s data science capability within Unilever and externally, through activities such as community engagement (e.g. Yammer), publications or blogs
• Provide ad-hoc & immediate support to the business when needed (for example Covid-19 crisis support)

Depending on the specific project, the Data Scientist can expect 80-90% of their work to be hands-on prototyping solutions, with the remainder spent planning and designing, overseeing and reviewing work of project staff, interfacing with stakeholders and managing team members/interns.

Experience and qualifications required:

(Detail essential and desirable experience)

Standards of Leadership Required in This Role

• Personal Mastery (Data-science and advanced analytics)
• Agility
• Business acumen
• Passion for High Performance

Key Skills Required

Professional Skills

• Machine learning Fully Operational
• Statistical modelling Expert
• Forecasting Expert
• Explainable ML/AI Expert
• Python/Pyspark coding Expert
• Data science platform tools e.g. MS Azure, Databricks Fully Operational
• Deep learning (temporal & spatial learning ) Fully Operational
• Collaborative development using Git repos Fully Operational
• Automated Machine Learning platforms Foundational knowledge

While a broad data science technical background is required, the role will benefit from deeper skills (for example graduate studies or prior work experience) in one of the following areas, optimization, simulation, forecasting, natural language processing, computer vision or geospatial analysis.