Data Scientist – Operations Research

(Fulltime, 38 hours per week)

Are you passionate about transforming large volumes of data into predictive and prescriptive models that directly shape business decisions? As a Data Scientist – Operation Research, you develop models that drive smarter business decisions, operational excellence, and measurable impact across one of Europe’s fastest growing retailers. In this role, you help teams embrace data driven decision making and deliver solutions that positively impact daily operations. 

This is what your day could look like

You start your morning by checking if all the simulation runs you scheduled the previous day ran successfully during the night. Yes, they did, so you can create a comprehensive overview and draw some conclusions on the fix you implemented yesterday. Too bad the improvement didn’t work, but no worries, you already had an alternative plan in mind that you discuss with your peer. In the afternoon, you have a meeting with the cross functional project team and tell them the bad and the good news. After everybody agrees with your plan, you start directly, because it requires you to change a cost function in the optimization model. This will keep you busy for the next few days, which will be challenging, but fun. And what’s even more motivating is the direct impact it will have in all 19 European Warehouses of Action.

This is your daily action 

• Translate business questions into testable analytical objectives. 
• Collect, clean, and prepare structured and unstructured data for modelling. 
• Perform exploratory analyses, build descriptive and diagnostic insights. 
• Develop deterministic and stochastic (event) simulation models that mirror the operational processes, to make fact based decisions before bringing a solution into practice. 
• Develop optimization models that will drive decision support and tangible business impact (IP, ILP, MIP, Heuristic based) 
• Translate models into production-ready solutions. Deploy and integrate models using MLOps principles or productionize algorithms using containerized technologies such as Docker. 
• Set up monitoring for accuracy, and system performance. 
• Collaborate with Technology and with business teams in Supply Chain, Commerce, Store Operations, and Real Estate to embed solutions in the daily operation. 

Meet your team

You will join the central Data Analytics team. Besides working closely with your fellow Data Scientists, and Data Analysts, you also work closely with the Process team and Technology. You might collaborate with stakeholders across Commerce, Supply Chain, Store Operations, Real Estate and other domains. You report to the Manager Data Science & Analytics, who supports innovation and personal development. 

This is you

You are an enthusiastic and proactive Data Scientist who enjoys working end to end: from scoping and data exploration to modelling, deploying and monitoring. You communicate clearly with technical and non technical colleagues and enjoy building solutions that optimize operations and support (strategic) decision making.

Requirements 

• Master’s degree in Operations Research, Data/Computer Science, Econometrics or a similar quantitative field. 
• 5+ years of experience as a Data Scientist, Operations Research Analyst, Optimization/Simulation expert 
• Hands-on experience with IP/ILP/MIP, routing, scheduling, flow problems 
• Hands-on experience with deterministic and stochastic simulations 
• Experience with Python/PySpark, and C++ 
• Experience with Azure, Databricks, Visual Studio (Code) and Docker

What we offer

Surprisingly much! From our international headquarters in the Netherlands you have an impact on what happens in our stores across Europe. We welcome more than 15 million customers every week in more than 3,000 stores in 14 European countries. We have great growth ambitions. For Action and for you. Because our growth means that you can always take new steps. A different position, an interesting innovation project, new skills: you can continue to develop as a professional. And all this in a culture where our shared values are truly lived: customer focus, teamwork, simplicity, discipline, cost conscious and respect.

Did you know that you can also count on us for: 

• A market-based salary based on a 38-hour work week 
• 24 days of holiday and the option to buy 5 extra days (based on 38 hours per week) 
• 15% staff discount on your purchases at Action  
• A good pension scheme, collective health insurance and a lease car or mobility allowance (Zwaagdijk-Oost is traffic jam-free and only 30 minutes by car from Amsterdam) 

How we contribute to society

If you only know Action from the stores, a world will open up for you when you come and work with us. We work hard to make a positive impact on society and the environment. Did you know, for example, that we sponsor more than 2,500 children worldwide who grow up in an SOS Children's Village? That our team reflects the diversity of our customers, including 155 different nationalities? That we purchase 94% of our wood products and 100% of our cotton sustainably? And that almost all our stores only use energy-efficient LED lighting? Yes, that is also Action. Curious about what other initiatives we’re facilitating? Join our team and find out for yourself. 

Interested?

We are proud to be an inclusive employer, and we warmly invite anyone who recognises themselves in the vacancy to apply. So take action and respond to this vacancy now!

What happens next: 

1. Response to your application within 14 days (and usually earlier) 
2. First meeting with the manager and a colleague 
3. Related business case 
4. Second interview with the HR business partner and another colleague 
5. Welcome to Action… 

Throughout the process, your recruiter is your permanent point of contact and is available to answer any questions you may have.

Integrity is very important to us. Pre-employment screening is therefore part of the process for this vacancy. Ask your recruiter for more information.