Lead Data Scientist

Northern Tool + Equipment

Burnsville (MN)

Hybrid

USD 101,200 - 154,890

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Pay

Flexible Work Schedule

Comprehensive Benefits Package

Generous Employee Discount

Paid Holidays

Job summary

A leading tools and equipment retailer in Burnsville, MN is seeking a Lead Data Scientist to lead impactful projects and develop advanced modeling solutions. The ideal candidate has 5-7 years of experience, a Master's degree, and strong skills in Python and SQL. This role offers a competitive annual salary of $101,200 to $154,890 along with a comprehensive benefits package and flexible work schedule.

Qualifications

5–7 years of experience in data science or advanced analytics roles.
Demonstrated expertise in statistical modeling and machine learning.
Proven success leading cross-functional projects.

Responsibilities

Lead the design and development of models for time series forecasting.
Build models to assess brand performance and promotional impact.
Mentor junior data scientists and uphold high standards.

Skills

Statistical modeling

Machine learning

Cross-functional leadership

Python programming

SQL proficiency

Education

Master's degree in Statistics, Data Science, Applied Mathematics, Economics, or a related quantitative field

Tools

scikit-learn

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Job description

At Northern Tool + Equipment we get up every day to serve the tradespeople who keep our country running strong and the weekend warriors who want to work like them. It’s our mission to make sure they have the right tools for the job, and an easy, hassle-free experience at our store so they can get in, get out and get on with the job at hand. Your top priority as a Lead Data Scientist is to lead high-impact projects that enable strategic decision-making through advanced modeling approaches—combining classical statistical rigor with modern machine learning methods. Individuals in this role bring strong business acumen, technical leadership, and the ability to convert complex data into actionable insights. Your positive, professional, roll-up-your-sleeves-to-help attitude contributes to our winning culture and makes sure we leave a lasting impression.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Modeling & Analytics
- Lead the design and development of models for:
- Time series forecasting
- Causal inference and hypothesis testing
- Marketing effectiveness, incrementality, and customer loyalty/switching behavior
- Consumer segmentation and targeting using supervised and unsupervised learning
Embedding & Dimensionality Reduction
- Apply embedding techniques (e.g., entity embeddings, word/product vectors) for dimensionality reduction, behavior modeling, and audience discovery
- Use and interpret customer and product space representations through PCA, UMAP, t-SNE, and similar techniques
- Develop and evaluate predictive models using:
  - Classification methods (e.g., logistic regression, random forests, SVMs, neural networks)
  - Regression techniques (e.g., elastic net, boosted trees, ensemble models)
  - Deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, Keras)
Measurement & Business Insights
- Build models to assess brand performance, promotional impact, and audience-level lift
- Contribute to and help shape the analytics roadmap across Marketing, Merchandising, and Digital to support long-term business growth
- Promote data science best practices, including cloud-based model development, version control (Git), and scalable training pipelines
- Partner with Data Engineering and BI teams to integrate and deploy scalable analytic solutions
- Mentor junior data scientists, conduct code reviews, and uphold high standards in statistical and modeling practices
- Performs related work as apparent or assigned
What you will bring to the table
- 5–7 years of experience in data science, applied statistics, or advanced analytics roles
- Master’s degree is preferred in Statistics, Data Science, Applied Mathematics, Economics, or a related quantitative field
- Strong programming skills in Python and SQL; hands-on experience with tools like scikit-learn, XGBoost, LightGBM, TensorFlow, or PyTorch
- Demonstrated expertise in:
  - Statistical modeling (e.g., regression, causal inference, time series, clustering, dimensionality reduction)
  - Machine learning and embedding-based methods
  - Experience working with consumer datasets such as purchase behavior, panel data, or CRM systems
- Proven success leading cross-functional project teams or mentoring junior analysts/scientists
- Background in retail, CPG, ecommerce, or media industries is strongly preferred
- Familiarity with marketing measurement techniques such as incrementality testing and personalization modeling
- Strong communication skills and stakeholder management capabilities
- Thorough knowledge of Company policies and procedures as they relate to network setup and administration
- Demonstrated ability to develop, write and test programs
- Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with a wide variety of customers, Company personnel and others
- Demonstrates Northern Tool + Equipment’s 12 Core Competencies

About Us

Northern Tool + Equipment is a family business with roots stretching back three generations to Minnesota’s Iron Range, where our blue-collar work ethic and commitment to serving the people who do the tough jobs was born. Our mission is to be the best in the world at serving the professional tradespeople and those who want to work like them. With over 130 retail stores across 24 states, top national brands and global manufacturing operations designed to create our own specialized tools and equipment, we are busting our knuckles to deliver the products, prices and advice our customers need to succeed. We’re looking for people who share our blue-collar work ethic. If you’re the kind of person who likes to put your nose to the grindstone to help your customers and company succeed, we’d love to talk to you about becoming a member of our team.

Northern Tool + Equipment is proud to be recognized by Forbes as a Top Midsize Employer in 2023. We are committed to creating a workplace where your contributions are valued, and your professional growth is encouraged. When you join our team, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive and competitive compensation package that includes:

Compensation & Benefits

Competitive Pay: Earn $101,200 to $154,890 annually, with your exact compensation personalized based on your skills, experience, and location. We believe in rewarding top talent with pay that reflects your value.
Variable Pay: Variable pay is a component of compensation that can fluctuate based on performance, results, or specific metrics, rather than being a fixed amount like a salary. Annual bonus tied to company performance are paid annually. Incentive plans tied to an achievement-based outcome are generally paid monthly to quarterly.
The NTE AIP plan pay ranges from 5% to 100% of base salary. Eligibility is based on grade and roles that manage performance. Eligibility and payouts are outlined in the NTE AIP policy.
Flexible Work Schedule: Achieve the work-life balance you deserve with our full-time, 8-hour shifts, Monday – Friday, complemented by a hybrid work schedule that allows you to work both remotely and in the office.
Comprehensive Benefits Package: Your health and well-being are our priority. We offer a variety of health plans, so you can choose what best fits your needs. Employees working 30+ hours per week enjoy a robust benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, and a 401(k) plan with an enhanced company match to support your financial future.
Generous Employee Discount: Love our products? So do we! Enjoy a significant discount on the quality tools and equipment we offer, helping you save on the items you love to use.
Get Paid on Your Terms: With our Daily Pay option, you don’t have to wait for payday—access your earnings whenever you need them for added financial flexibility.
Paid Holidays: Take time to relax and recharge with 7 paid federal holidays, because we know how important it is to have time for yourself and your loved ones.
Incentives: Be rewarded for eligible incentive programs.

When you join Northern Tool + Equipment, you're not just starting a job—you're joining a community that supports your success. Come be a part of a team where your skills, dedication, and passion are recognized and celebrated. Your future starts here!

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