(USA) Principal, Data Scientist - Applied AI
About The Position
As a Principal 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 engineers 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 partners with HR business leaders to enhance workflows by creating advanced AI solutions. Embedded with stakeholders, the team identifies challenges, prototypes innovations, and delivers scalable production systems. Their expertise includes agentic systems, large language model applications, evaluation frameworks, and engineering to transition AI concepts into lasting products. Combining strong data science, engineering, and AI knowledge, the team builds business-owned capabilities that drive measurable impact across millions of associates globally, 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.
- Bachelors degree in Statistics, Economics, Analytics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Information Technology or related field and 5 years' experience in an analytics related field.
- Masters degree in Statistics, Economics, Analytics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Information Technology or related field and 3 years' experience in an analytics related field.
- 7 years' experience in an analytics or related field
Nice To Haves
- Data science, machine learning, optimization models
- PhD in Machine Learning, Computer Science, Information Technology, Operations Research, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Econometrics
- Publications or active peer reviewer in related journals or conference
- Successful completion of one or more assessments in Python, Spark, Scala, or R
- Using open source frameworks (for example, scikit learn, tensorflow, torch)
- We value candidates with a 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.
- The ideal candidate would have 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
- Competitive pay
- Performance-based bonus awards
- 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
- PTO and/or PPTO that can be used for vacation, sick leave, holidays, or other purposes.
- Live Better U is a Walmart-paid education benefit program for full-time and part-time associates in Walmart and Sam's Club facilities. Programs range from high school completion to bachelor's degrees, including English Language Learning and short-form certificates. Tuition, books, and fees are completely paid for by Walmart.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Principal
