Senior Data Scientist

Instamart; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 1,500,000 - 3,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Impact at scale

Cutting-edge technology stack

Collaborative environment

Job summary

Instamart is looking for a Senior Data Scientist in Bengaluru, Karnataka. You will lead the design and implementation of core machine learning and deep learning systems that directly impact millions of users. The ideal candidate has 6–9 years in AI/Data Science, with a strong track record in deploying models and managing hybrid systems. Join us to innovate with cutting-edge AI technologies while making a significant impact on user experience at scale.

Qualifications

• 6–9 years in AI/Data Science with a proven track record of deploying models in production.
• Hands-on experience with transformer-based open-source SLMs and fine-tuning encoder models.
• Deep understanding of classical computer vision and modern image understanding models.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of Swiggy’s core ML, DL, and next-generation AI systems.
• Architect hybrid systems that leverage generative AI and traditional ML.
• Stay ahead of trends, contributing to the AI community through research.

Skills

AI/Data Science

Transformer-based models

Large-scale search systems

Classical computer vision

Stable diffusion models

Coding with PySpark

Python

TensorFlow

Torch

Job description

Job Role

Senior Data Scientist

Experience Required

6–9 years

Location

Bangalore | Karnataka

About Swiggy and the Team

Swiggy is India's leading on-demand delivery platform, leveraging data science and cutting-edge AI to redefine convenience for millions of customers. The Food‑DS team works at the intersection of machine learning, advanced architecture, and applied research to shape AI‑first systems that directly impact customer experience and business growth. The team values cross‑functional collaboration, open sharing of ideas, and innovation to roll out machine learning and AI solutions at scale. Bring your expertise in building scalable machine learning systems and leading next‑generation generative AI and agentic AI initiatives.

About the Role

As a Senior Data Scientist, you will lead the design and implementation of Swiggy’s core ML, DL, and next‑generation AI systems. This role requires deep‑rooted expertise in classical ML, DL, large‑scale search, and recommendation systems. You will act as a hands‑on technical leader, balancing the deployment of cutting‑edge systems with influencing business KPIs to enhance the customer experience.

Qualities We Are Looking For

Technical Expertise

• 6–9 years in AI/Data Science with a proven track record of deploying models in production.
• Hands‑on experience with transformer‑based open‑source SLMs and fine‑tuning encoder models (e.g., Nomic, RoBERTa, GTE).
• Deep expertise in building and scaling large‑scale search systems, ranking via learn‑to‑rank, and recommendation engines using ML/DL; productionized conversational bots.
• Deep understanding of classical computer vision (OCR, segmentation, filtering) and modern image understanding models (CLIP, ViT); hands‑on experience with stable diffusion models preferred.
• Fine‑tuning SLMs, training SLM/LLM from scratch, understanding of state‑of‑the‑art LLM models and capabilities; multi‑agent workflows (e.g., LangGraph, CrewAI, AutoGen); AI‑native “Co‑pilot” architectures.
• Strong system design skills for low‑latency, high‑throughput platforms.
• Experience with vector DBs, graph knowledge bases, and service layer architectures.
• Proficiency in coding with PySpark, Python, TensorFlow, Torch; experience with version control systems.

Strategic & Product Thinking

• Ability to evaluate trade‑offs between proprietary LLMs vs. fine‑tuned open‑source models regarding cost, latency, and accuracy.
• Founder mentality that connects model performance to business KPIs and customer experience.
• Experience partnering with product managers to translate complex workflows into technical roadmaps.
• Expertise in evaluating build‑vs‑buy options and supporting recommendations with logical explanations.

What Will You Do?

• Architect hybrid systems that leverage both generative AI (agents/LLMs) and traditional ML (ranking/search) to solve complex search and discovery problems.
• Scale high‑performance models: design and train large‑scale machine learning and deep learning models for Swiggy’s recommendation and ranking pipelines.
• Stay ahead of the curve by benchmarking emerging trends and contributing to the global AI community through research or blog publications.
• Lead end‑to‑end projects from problem statements to production, ensuring scalable and cost‑effective AI deployments.

Why Join Swiggy?

• Impact at scale: Your models will directly influence the experience of millions of users daily.
• Cutting‑edge stack: Work with the latest in agentic AI, vector search, and distributed ML.
• Innovation‑first culture: A collaborative environment that encourages risk‑taking, quick deployments, and continuous learning. Collaborate with engineering, product, analysts, and business stakeholders to define workflows, address bottlenecks, and be part of end‑to‑end product development.

Product Knowledge

• Strong curiosity and empathy for end‑user personas.
• Demonstrates end‑to‑end product thinking beyond model performance.
• Ability to connect AI capabilities with business KPIs while ensuring ROI on AI investments.
• Experience working closely with product managers to identify workflows and bottlenecks, collaboratively defining roadmaps.

Communication and Leadership

• Acts as a thought partner to product managers and stakeholders.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills to align cross‑functional teams on objectives, deliverables, and methodologies.
• Thrives in a fast‑paced environment with a founder mentality to move delivery forward quickly.

We are an equal‑opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by the law.