(USA) Senior, Data Scientist - Applied AI

Walmart•Bentonville, AR

1d•$117,000 - $234,000•Onsite

About The Position

As a Senior Data Scientist on the Applied AI team, you will own the technical design and delivery of AI systems that transform how HR work gets done. You will sit close to business stakeholders, translate ambiguous problems into working prototypes, and carry those prototypes through to production systems used at scale. You will write the code, design the evaluations, and make the architecture decisions that determine whether an AI capability holds up in the real world. The role suits those who want to build AI products end-to-end, and who are energized by direct contact with the business. About the team: The Applied AI team collaborates closely with HR business leaders to transform workflows by developing advanced AI capabilities. Embedded with stakeholders, the team identifies key challenges, prototypes innovative solutions, and delivers scalable production systems. Their expertise spans agentic systems, large language model applications, evaluation frameworks, and engineering to transition AI from concept to lasting products. Combining strong data science, engineering skills, and AI knowledge, the team builds business-owned capabilities that drive measurable impact across millions of associates worldwide, supporting strategic transformation and operational excellence.

Requirements

Extensive experience building and deploying AI systems in production, including LLM applications or agentic workflows.
Strong software engineering fundamentals with proficiency in Python and modern AI tooling and frameworks.
Hands-on experience with evaluation methods for AI systems, including offline and online testing approaches.
Working knowledge of data engineering, database technologies including SQL, and the infrastructure that supports production AI.
Ability to translate ambiguous business problems into shipped solutions in close partnership with non-technical stakeholders.
Track record of moving fast from prototype to production while maintaining quality and reliability.
Effective communication skills to align technical work with business priorities.
Bachelor’s degree in Statistics, Economics, Analytics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field and 3 years' experience in an analytics related field.
Master’s degree in Statistics, Economics, Analytics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field and 1 years' experience in an analytics related field.
5 years' experience in an analytics or related field.

Nice To Haves

Data science, machine learning, optimization models
Master’s degree in Machine Learning, Computer Science, Information Technology, Operations Research, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Econometrics
Successful completion of one or more assessments in Python, Spark, Scala, or R
Using open source frameworks (for example, scikit learn, tensorflow, torch)
Background in creating inclusive digital experiences, demonstrating knowledge in implementing Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standards, assistive technologies, and integrating digital accessibility seamlessly.
Knowledge of accessibility best practices and join us as we continue to create accessible products and services following Walmart’s accessibility standards and guidelines for supporting an inclusive culture.

Responsibilities

Partner directly with HR business stakeholders to identify the highest-leverage workflows for AI transformation.
Design, build, and ship production AI systems including agentic workflows, LLM applications, and supporting infrastructure.
Build evaluation frameworks that measure model and system performance against real business outcomes.
Translate ambiguous business problems into prototypes quickly, then iterate to durable production solutions.
Write production-grade code and collaborate on engineering practices that take AI from prototype to scaled deployment.
Mentor team members on AI engineering, system design, and applied research methods.
Ensure responsible AI practices, data governance, and security standards across the project lifecycle.

Benefits

Medical coverage
Vision coverage
Dental coverage
401(k)
Stock purchase
Company-paid life insurance
PTO (including sick leave)
Parental leave
Family care leave
Bereavement
Jury duty
Voting leave
Short-term disability
Long-term disability
Company discounts
Military Leave Pay
Adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement
Live Better U (Walmart-paid education benefit program for full-time and part-time associates)