Principal, Data Scientist - Digital Twin Systems Architect

Walmart•Bentonville, AR

5d•$110,000 - $220,000•Onsite

About The Position

Position Summary... As a Principal Data Scientist and Core Solution Architect, you will be the visionary lead responsible for defining the technical backbone of Walmart’s Retail Digital Twin ecosystem. You will move beyond being a "user" of tools to becoming an architect of systems—selecting and integrating best-in-class simulation engines, 3D frameworks, and agentic AI to build a high-fidelity, scalable platform that optimizes the world’s largest retail operation. What you'll do... What you’ll do:

Requirements

System Architecture Mastery: 8+ years of experience designing complex, large-scale software systems or simulation environments with a focus on modularity and high-performance computing.
Tool-Agnostic Expertise: Deep proficiency in a variety of simulation environments and the ability to determine when to use commercial off-the-shelf software (COTS) versus building bespoke solutions.
Advanced Software Engineering: Expert-level coding skills in C++, Java, or Python, with a strong background in data structures, algorithms, and distributed systems.
Agentic AI & Optimization: Proven track record of implementing Reinforcement Learning (RL), Multi-Agent Systems (MAS), or Large Action Models (LAMs) within a simulation context.
Academic Pedigree: PhD or MS in Computer Science, Robotics, Computational Physics, or Industrial Engineering.
Option 1: Bachelors degree in Statistics, Economics, Analytics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Information Technology or related field and 5 years' experience in an analytics related field.
Option 2: Masters degree in Statistics, Economics, Analytics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Information Technology or related field and 3 years' experience in an analytics related field.
Option 3: 7 years' experience in an analytics or related field

Nice To Haves

You have built a proprietary or highly-customized digital twin platform that successfully synchronized a massive physical footprint with a virtual one in real-time.
You are a "Polyglot Architect" who can talk shaders and ray-tracing with graphics engineers in Unreal or NVIDIA Omniverse, discuss Java-based process logic with AnyLogic developers, and architect a Kubernetes-based backend for scaling simulations—all in the same afternoon.
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

Architect End-to-End Systems: Lead the design of a modular, distributed digital twin architecture that balances simulation fidelity with computational efficiency across diverse retail use cases.
Select & Optimize the Tech Stack: Evaluate and deploy the most effective simulation paradigms (Agent-Based, DES, Physics-based) and tools—whether leveraging AnyLogic, NVIDIA Omniverse, or building custom C++/Python-based engines from the ground up.
Drive Software Engineering Excellence: Build production-grade, scalable applications that integrate real-time IoT data streams, ensuring the digital twin platform is performant and maintainable at an enterprise scale.
Lead Agentic AI Strategy: Design the orchestration layer for agentic workflows, enabling intelligent entities within the twin to perform complex reasoning and autonomous optimization.
Standardize Digital Assets: Define the schema and governance for reusable process blocks (XML/JSON) and 3D CAD assets (USD/gLTF) to ensure interoperability across the organization’s pillars.
Cross-Functional Technical Leadership: Serve as the primary technical liaison between software engineering, data science, and retail operations to align the simulation roadmap with global business objectives.

Benefits

At Walmart, we offer competitive pay as well as performance-based bonus awards and other great benefits for a happier mind, body, and wallet.
Health benefits include medical, vision and dental coverage.
Financial benefits include 401(k), stock purchase and company-paid life insurance.
Paid time off benefits include PTO (including sick leave), parental leave, family care leave, bereavement, jury duty, and voting.
Other benefits include short-term and long-term disability, company discounts, Military Leave Pay, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, and more.
You will also receive PTO and/or PPTO that can be used for vacation, sick leave, holidays, or other purposes.
The amount you receive depends on your job classification and length of employment.
It will meet or exceed the requirements of paid sick leave laws, where applicable.
For information about PTO, see https://one.walmart.com/notices.
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.
Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment.
Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to a specific plan or program terms.
For information about benefits and eligibility, see One.Walmart.
The annual salary range for this position is $110,000.00 - $220,000.00
Additional compensation includes annual or quarterly performance bonuses.
Additional compensation for certain positions may also include : - Stock