Data Scientist

Data scientist Fulltime, 38 hours per week

Are you passionate about transforming large volumes of data into predictive models that directly shape business value? As a Data Scientist at Action, you develop solutions that drive smarter 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 your daily action As Data Scientist, you will:

• Translate business questions into testable analytical objectives
• Collect, clean, and prepare structured and unstructured data to enable modelling
• Build descriptive and diagnostic insights through exploratory data analysis
• Design production-ready, integrated data science solutions together with solution architects
• Develop and improve solutions using statistical methods, machine learning, deep learning or GenAI when appropriate
• Productionise solutions following MLOps/LLMOps principles (scheduled workflow jobs, containerised APIs or interactive apps)
• Set up monitoring for accuracy, drift, and system performance
• Collaborate with Technology and business teams (Supply Chain, Commerce, Store Operations and Real Estate) to embed solutions into daily operations

This is what your day could look like: you kick off a new AI project with Commercial Operations, align on scope and responsibilities, brainstorm solution design with peers, and later fix a bug in a Supply Chain data product. After automated CI tests pass, your update is deployed via the CD pipeline, delivering immediate impact to operations.

Meet your team You will join the central Data Analytics team and work closely with your peers. While you will have your own tasks and responsibilities, being part of a team also involves supporting one another, learning together, and growing both individually and collectively. Besides working with your peers, you work closely with Technology, the Process team, and with business teams in Supply Chain, Commerce, Store Operations, and Real Estate. 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 improve forecasting accuracy, optimize operations and support strategic decisions.

In addition:

• Master’s degree in Econometrics, Data Science, AI, Operations Research or a similar quantitative field
• 5+ years of experience as a Data Scientist, preferably in a retail environment
• Experience with machine learning models (e.g. clustering, regression, time-series, classification)
• Experience with modern data platforms, specifically Azure (e.g. workflows, container registries) and Databricks (e.g. MLflow)
• Experience with MLOps practices (e.g. model versioning, monitoring, CI/CD)
• Strong Python, PySpark and SQL skills
• Familiarity with Data Engineering and ML Engineering principles
• Familiarity with LLM concepts and practical applications (e.g. RAG, agentic workflows, tool calling, fine-tuning) is a plus

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)
• An annual bonus between 10 and 20% based on company and personal performance
• Flexible working hours and the possibility of working up to 40% from home (in coordination with your team and manager)
• 15% staff discount on your purchases at Action
• A good pension scheme, collective health insurance and travel expenses allowance
• A culture focused on collaboration, ownership and continuous improvement

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:

• Response to your application within 14 days (and usually earlier)
• First meeting with the manager and a colleague
• A business case for you to complete
• Second interview with your recruiter, among others
• 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.