Senior Data Scientist

Primark; Reading; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Primark in Reading is seeking a Senior Data Scientist to join the Data Science & Measurement team, delivering analytics, machine learning and experimentation that drive measurable business value. You'll work with stakeholders across functions to turn data into actionable insights.

Lead the design and deployment of ML models, forecasting and experimentation frameworks; build scalable data science products, pipelines with Databricks, Python, SQL and Spark; ensure production readiness.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on Data Science experience in commercial settings.
• Proficiency in Python and SQL with experience in Databricks or Spark.
• Strong ML, statistical modelling and experimentation capabilities.
• Retail or consumer analytics experience delivering business outcomes.
• Ability to translate analytics into clear recommendations for stakeholders.
• Experience mentoring colleagues and improving data science processes.
• Strong communication skills and business acumen.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development and deployment of ML, optimisation and measurement solutions that solve complex business challenges.
• Build and maintain scalable data science products, including predictive models and experimentation frameworks.
• Develop robust analytical datasets and ML pipelines using Databricks, Python, SQL and Spark.
• Partner with stakeholders to define hypotheses, success measures and value metrics.
• Lead experimentation, testing and measurement initiatives to evaluate business impact.
• Mentor Data Scientists and Analysts, sharing best practices across modelling and standards.
• Contribute to the data science roadmap and drive innovative retail-focused solutions.

Skills

Advanced data science

Python

SQL

Machine learning

Retail analytics

Experimentation

Leadership

Tools

Databricks

Spark

Job description

Technology at Primark

Our technology team is actively shaping the next wave of advancements. Engaged with innovative initiatives, your expertise will propel our business into the future. Collaborating with a creative team of tech enthusiasts, you’ll contribute your unique skills to fuel our technological advancements.

We are seeking a Senior Data Scientist to join Primark's Data Science & Measurement team, delivering advanced analytics, machine learning and experimentation solutions that drive measurable business value. Working with stakeholders across key business functions, you will solve complex commercial challenges using data science and statistical techniques. This is a hands‑on role for an experienced data scientist with strong technical expertise, commercial awareness and a passion for turning data into actionable business outcomes.

What You’ll Do

• Advanced Analytics & Machine Learning Delivery: Lead the design, development and deployment of machine learning, optimisation and measurement solutions that solve complex business challenges and deliver measurable commercial value.
• Data Science Product Development: Build and maintain scalable data science products, including predictive models, forecasting solutions, segmentation, recommendation engines and experimentation frameworks that support business decision‑making.
• Data Engineering & Model Productionisation: Develop robust analytical datasets and machine learning pipelines using Databricks, Python, SQL and Spark, ensuring solutions are scalable, reliable and production‑ready.
• Stakeholder Partnership & Commercial Impact: Partner with business stakeholders to define hypotheses, success measures and value metrics, translating analytical insights into actionable recommendations that improve commercial outcomes.
• Experimentation & Measurement Leadership: Lead experimentation, testing and measurement initiatives, using statistical methods and causal inference techniques to evaluate business performance and impact.
• Technical Leadership & Team Development: Mentor Data Scientists and Analysts, sharing best practices across modelling, experimentation, coding standards and commercial problem solving.
• Data Science Strategy & Innovation: Contribute to the data science roadmap, champion best practices and develop innovative retail‑focused solutions across areas such as pricing, forecasting, customer behaviour and operational efficiency.

What You’ll Bring

• Advanced Data Science Experience (5-8 Years): Strong hands‑on experience delivering machine learning, statistical modelling, optimisation and advanced analytics solutions within commercial environments.
• Python, SQL & Data Platform Expertise: Advanced Python and SQL skills, with experience building reproducible machine learning workflows using Databricks, Spark or similar large‑scale data processing technologies.
• Machine Learning & Statistical Expertise: Deep understanding of supervised and unsupervised machine learning, feature engineering, model evaluation, experimentation and performance monitoring techniques.
• Retail & Commercial Analytics: Experience applying data science in retail, consumer, grocery, apparel or other high-volume environments, delivering solutions that support business performance and decision‑making.
• Experimentation & Value Measurement: Experience designing, executing and interpreting experiments, measurement frameworks and analytical initiatives that deliver measurable business value.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Communication: Ability to translate business challenges into analytical solutions and communicate complex findings through clear, compelling recommendations.
• Leadership & Continuous Improvement: Experience mentoring colleagues, driving best practices and contributing to the growth, innovation and maturity of a high‑performing Data Science function.

About Primark

At Primark, people matter. They're the beating heart of our business and the reason we've grown from our first store in Dublin in 1969 to a £9bn+ turnover business and over 80,000 colleagues and over 440 stores in 17 countries today. Our values run through everything we do. In essence, we're Caring and always strive to put people first. We're also Dynamic, bravely pushing the boundaries to stay ahead. And finally, we succeed Together.

If you need any reasonable adjustments or have an accessibility request, during your recruitment journey, such as extended time or breaks between online assessments, a sign language interpreter, mobility access, or assistive technology please contact your talent acquisition specialist.

All offers of employment are subject to background checks, including right to work, reference education and for some roles criminal, and financial checks. If you have any concerns, please reach out to our talent acquisition team to discuss.