(USA) Principal, Data Scientist

Walmart • Sunnyvale, CA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Join our One Demand Forecasting organization as a Principal Data Scientist, where you’ll play a key role in advancing demand forecasting and machine learning solutions. In this impactful position, you will contribute to the development of intelligent, large-scale demand forecasting systems by designing and improving models that analyze data across numerous item, store, and location combinations. This team collaborates closely with business, product, and engineering partners to align forecasts with operational goals. Drive the application of advanced forecasting methods—ranging from statistical techniques to machine learning models—to improve accuracy, scalability, and explainability. Partner with engineering teams to enhance and scale forecasting platforms to address critical business needs, granularities, and time horizons. Are you passionate about solving complex forecasting problems with data and machine learning? Join our team as a Data Scientist to help build scalable and impactful forecasting models that drive critical business decisions across billions of data points. In this role, you will focus on contributing to the development and deployment of forecasting solutions, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and honing your skills in advanced modeling techniques. Immigration Sponsorship support will NOT be available for this position.

Requirements

• Foundational experience with machine learning, data analysis, or forecasting through 8+ years of professional experience or relevant academic graduate-level coursework/projects.
• Strong programming skills in Python (R is nice to have), and experience with machine learning libraries/frameworks like Scikit-learn, TensorFlow, or PyTorch.
• Proficiency in SQL and experience working with large datasets or cloud computing environments (e.g., AWS, GCP, or Azure).
• Familiarity with time series forecasting techniques or interest in learning advanced techniques such as probabilistic models or deep learning.
• Ability to collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and translate business problems into data science solutions.
• Strong communication skills to visualize and explain analytical results to non-technical stakeholders.
• Hands-on experience building and enhancing forecasting models that address real-world demand planning challenges.
• 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

• R is nice to have
• Experience with containerization (e.g., Docker) or MLOps tools is nice to have but not required.
• 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

• Build and improve forecasting models to support demand planning across multiple levels, including item, store, and location.
• Experiment with and implement advanced ML/statistical techniques (e.g., regression, time series analysis, probabilistic modeling) to improve forecast accuracy.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to define feature pipelines, improve model training workflows, and deploy forecasts into production environments.
• Assist with prototyping new forecasting methods, such as ensembling models or incorporating deep learning architectures, under the guidance of senior team members.
• Integrate additional data sources (e.g., promotions, events, macroeconomic indicators) to enhance inputs for generating more accurate forecasts.
• Support the monitoring and evaluation of forecasting models, building dashboards and using SQL or Python to surface key results and detect anomalies.
• Work closely with business, product, and operations teams to ensure forecasts meet real-world requirements and are useful for decision-making.
• Participate in the maintenance of responsible AI practices, contributing to explainability, fairness, and data governance efforts.
• Stay up-to-date on the latest data science tools and technologies and propose new methods or tools to enhance the forecasting process.

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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal