Data Scientist (Semantic Search/Recommender Systems)

Tesco UK; Digswell; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in retail seeks a Data Scientist in Semantic Search to enhance their website's search experience. You will work with cutting-edge technologies and a team of experts, contributing to innovative data products and personalizing customer experiences. The role offers hybrid working, career development opportunities, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Benefits

Flexible working patterns

On-desk training and 10% learning time

Opportunities to attend and speak at events

Work-life balance and team culture

Qualifications

• Experience with Semantic Search, recommender systems, or LLM.
• Hands-on expertise with modern language models.
• Strong coding in Python and methods like version control.

Responsibilities

• Design algorithms for information retrieval and re-ranking.
• Collaborate with ML Engineers and Software Engineers.
• Promote data science internally and communicate solutions.

Skills

Machine Learning

Software Engineering

Python

Deep Learning

Semantic Search

Information Retrieval

Education

PhD in Mathematics, Engineering, or Computer Science

Tools

Elasticsearch

Job description

As a Data Scientist within Semantic Search, you will influence the search experience on the Tesco website by utilising advanced technologies and collaborating with a team of seasoned Data Scientists, Machine Learning Engineers, and Software Engineers.

This role is based out of our London (Farringdon) office, offering the flexibility of hybrid working. Spend three days a week in the office and the remainder working from home.

About the Team

Join our world-class team of data professionals who are passionate about solving sophisticated business problems and deploying data products at scale. Our team works across various areas of our business, personalising our customers' experience across all touchpoints, both online and in-store. We are committed to personal and career development, providing on-desk training, support, and dedicating 10% of your working week to learning and professional growth. Additionally, there are opportunities to attend and speak at external and internal events, encouraging individuals' growth as experts in the field. Our team values work-life balance, team days, and cultivates a relaxed yet engaging culture.

• Applying, modifying, and designing algorithms and models for information retrieval and re-ranking.
• Advising on the systems architecture, Machine Learning components, and associated technologies.
• Using data to train and fine-tune models.
• Developing efficient and high-quality code in Software Engineering.
• Collaborating closely with Search Engineers, ML Engineers, and Data Scientists.
• Promoting data science internally and effectively communicating sophisticated solutions to non-technical colleagues.

Requirements

To excel in this role, we are seeking high-reaching individuals with a strong blend of Machine Learning and Software Engineering skills. The following requirements are important:

• An experienced Data Scientist or a PhD graduate with Semantic Search, recommender systems, information retrieval, or LLM experience.
• PhD in a relevant field such as Mathematics, Engineering, or Computer Science.
• Hands-on expertise with Deep Learning approaches, including modern language models based on transformer architecture.
• Strong coding skills, preferably in Python and a solid grasp of effective methods in Engineering, including version control, development driven by testing, and Continuous Integration.
• Desirable: Experience with Semantic Search approaches and Vector Databases combined with experience of working with Search Engine frameworks, preferably Elasticsearch.

Our vision at Tesco is to become every customer's favourite way to shop, whether they are at home or out on the move. Our core purpose is 'Serving our customers, communities, and planet a little better every day'. Serving means more than a transactional relationship with our customers. It means acting as a responsible and sustainable business for all stakeholders, for the communities we are part of, and for the planet.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) at Tesco means that whoever you are and whatever your background, we always want you to feel represented and that you can be yourself at work. In short, we're a place where Everyone's Welcome. We're proud to have been accredited as a Disability Confident Leader and we're committed to providing a fully inclusive and accessible recruitment process.

We're a big business and we can offer a range of diverse full-time & part-time working patterns across our many business areas, which means that we can find something that works for you. We work in a more blended pattern—combining office and remote working. Our offices will continue to be where we connect, collaborate, and innovate.