Senior Data Scientist - Demand Forecast

Decathlon Digital; Paris; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Decathlon Digital is seeking a Senior Data Scientist to join the Demand and Assortment Planning team within the Supply Chain department in Paris. The role focuses on analyzing data, developing AI models for production, and driving insights to optimize forecasting and assortment planning processes.

The ideal candidate will have expertise in time series forecasting, strong Python and ML skills, and the ability to communicate complex results to non-technical stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Engineering, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Analyze historical sales data and market trends to forecast demand for Decathlon products.
• Develop and implement advanced statistical models and machine learning algorithms for demand forecasting and assortment planning, including foundation models.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams including Supply Chain Business, Engineering, and Product Development to align Data and AI efforts with business objectives.
• Evaluate and improve existing forecasting models and methodologies to enhance accuracy and efficiency.
• Communicate insights and recommendations to stakeholders through clear and concise data visualizations and presentations.
• Stay updated on industry trends and emerging technologies in data science and supply chain management.

Skills

Statistical analysis

Machine learning

Time series analysis

Forecasting

Python

Spark

TensorFlow

PyTorch

pandas

NumPy

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

PhD preferred

Tools

Databricks

AWS SageMaker

GitHub Actions

Docker

gRPC

MLFlow

Airflow

Tableau

SQL

PySpark

Job description

About Decathlon

Decathlon aims to become the best sports digital platform and open ecosystem in the world. We want to enable customers to experience Decathlon through many local sport‑centric experiences by connecting many third‑party actors and services, in a secure and performant way.

Our digital teams in Lille, Paris, and Amsterdam (and more…) bring together more than 5,000 collaborators to build and scale digital products, always delivering the best value to our users. With a presence in more than 70 countries, Decathlon is committed to innovation, sustainability, and customer satisfaction.

Job Description

Decathlon is seeking a talented and experienced Data Scientist to join our Demand and Assortment Planning team within the Supply Chain department. As a Senior Data Scientist, you will play a critical role in analyzing data, developing AI models for production, and providing insights to optimize demand forecasting and assortment planning processes. We welcome candidates with expertise in time series forecasting and a passion for leveraging data to drive business decisions.

Responsibilities

• Analyze historical sales data and market trends to forecast demand for Decathlon products.
• Develop and implement advanced statistical models and machine learning algorithms for demand forecasting and assortment planning, including foundation models.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams including Supply Chain Business, Engineering, and Product Development to align Data and AI efforts with business objectives.
• Evaluate and improve existing forecasting models and methodologies to enhance accuracy and efficiency.
• Communicate insights and recommendations to stakeholders through clear and concise data visualizations and presentations.
• Stay updated on industry trends and emerging technologies in data science and supply chain management.

Hard Skills

• Proficiency in statistical analysis, machine learning techniques, time series analysis (stationarity, decomposition, drift, anomaly detection) and forecasting.
• Experience with programming languages such as Python, Spark, TensorFlow, PyTorch for data analysis and modeling.
• Strong knowledge of data manipulation and visualization tools such as pandas, NumPy, Matplotlib, or ggplot2.
• Familiarity with database systems and querying languages (e.g., SQL, PySpark) for data extraction and manipulation.
• Experience with demand forecasting and inventory optimization software/tools is a plus.

Soft Skills

• Excellent analytical and problem‑solving abilities with a keen attention to detail.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills to work effectively in cross‑functional teams.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into actionable insights for non‑technical stakeholders.
• Self‑motivated with a proactive approach to learning and professional development.
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced and dynamic environment with changing priorities.
• Initiative and proactivity.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Engineering, or related field.
• 5 years of experience in data analysis, statistical modeling, or related fields.
• Proficiency in Python for data analysis and modeling.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's or Ph.D. degree in Data Science, Statistics, Operations Research, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in Data Science.
• Experience in demand forecasting, inventory optimization, or supply chain analytics.
• Familiarity with Agile methodologies and project management tools.
• Previous experience in the retail or e‑commerce industry is a plus.
• Experience in implementing Generative AI to enhance forecasting, alongside optimizing business or organizational processes for product delivery.

Technical Environment

• Execution Engine: Databricks, AWS EKS, SageMaker
• Payload: Python, Spark, Scikit‑Learn, Tensorflow / PyTorch, PySpark
• CICD: GitHub Actions
• Serving: Docker, Protobuf, gRPC
• Model registry, model tracking: MLFlow
• Orchestration: Airflow
• Documentation / code: Git, Confluence
• Data Visualization: Tableau
• Agentic & Gen AI: Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform

Digital Context

What if technology allowed us to push the boundaries and take sports experiences to new levels? That's exactly our goal at Decathlon Digital! We are a team of 5,000+ experts in software engineering, product management, data, cloud, and cybersecurity, distributed across Paris, Lille, and Amsterdam. Together, we are creating the largest digital sports platform, leveraging tech innovation from design to value chain optimization, connected experiences and product second life.

Changing the game for good. We are in this for the love of sports. And like everything we love, we want it to last. That’s why we are embarking on a journey to create a more sustainable tech model, reducing our direct environmental impact while maintaining a safe, diverse, and inclusive space for all our people to learn and thrive together. Team up with us to design the digital future of sports.