Principal, Data Analyst (Investigations)

Walmart; Bentonville (AR); On-site; USD 90,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

401(k)

Stock purchase plan

Paid time off

Live Better U education program

Job summary

Walmart in Bentonville, AR seeks a Principal Data Analyst to lead complex risk analytics, leveraging SQL, Python, AI, and automation to uncover patterns and drive risk mitigation. You will mentor senior analysts, influence stakeholders, and develop scalable AI solutions across the enterprise to reduce manual effort and accelerate investigations.

The role offers a competitive package with bonus potential and comprehensive benefits, including health, retirement, and education programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree with relevant data analytics experience.
• 2–6 years of data analysis, data science, or statistics depending on degree.
• Experience in data analysis, data science, statistics, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex fraud, risk analytics as an investigative thought partner.
• Rapidly explore unfamiliar business areas and datasets, connecting signals across enterprise data using SQL, Python, AI, and automation.
• Evaluate evidence and data reliability to deliver defensible findings and quantify scope, exposure, and business impact.
• Build scalable detection, analytics, automation, and AI solutions for emerging and recurring risks.
• Influence stakeholders by eliciting requirements, challenging assumptions, negotiating priorities, and delivering executive presentations on findings.
• Establish analytical methodologies, mentor senior analysts to elevate team capabilities.

Skills

Investigative analytics

SQL

Python

Automation

AI capabilities

Stakeholder influence

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Master's degree in related field

6 years data analytics experience

Tools

Power BI

Tableau

Spark

R

Scala

Job description

Position Summary

As a Principal Data Analyst, you will serve as a technical leader solving complex and ambiguous risk.You will leverage advanced analytics, large-scale data, automation, and emerging AI capabilities to uncover patterns, anomalies, relationships, and behaviors that generate investigative intelligence. You will lead high-impact analytical engagements from problem definition and hypothesis development through data discovery, analysis, and communication of findings. Your work will help accelerate investigations, quantify risk and exposure, identify control gaps, reduce manual investigative effort, and enable earlier identification of emerging risks. Beyond individual investigations, you will identify opportunities to transform recurring problems into scalable analytics, detection, automation, and AI solutions.

About the team... Our team supports Global Investigations and Legal partners by delivering advanced data capabilities spanning analytics, AI, automation, and enterprise solutions. We combine technical expertise with investigative knowledge to uncover complex fraud schemes, identify emerging risks and control gaps, and provide actionable intelligence that accelerates investigations and informs risk mitigation. We also develop analytical products, alerting capabilities, automation, and AI-powered solutions that reduce manual effort and scale investigative capabilities across the enterprise. Our mission is to use data and technology to strengthen risk visibility, improve investigative effectiveness, and help protect Walmart, its associates, and customers.

What you'll do

• Lead complex fraud, risk analytics as an investigative thought partner forming investigative hypotheses with limited information, ambiguity, and tight timelines.
• Rapidly explore unfamiliar business areas and datasets, connecting signals across enterprise data using SQL, Python, AI, and automation to uncover patterns, anomalies, relationships, and leads.
• Evaluate evidence and data reliability to deliver defensible findings and quantify scope, exposure, and business impact.
• Build scalable detection, analytics, automation, and AI solutions for emerging and recurring risks.
• Influence stakeholders by eliciting requirements, challenging assumptions, negotiating priorities, and driving investigations and deliver compelling executive presentations on findings.
• Establish analytical methodologies, mentor senior analysts to elevate team analytical capabilities.

What you'll bring

• Significant experience in investigative risk analytics, independently solving complex, ambiguous, high-impact problems.
• Deep technical and analytical expertise in SQL, Python, advanced analytics, AI, automation, and rapid/vibe-coded solution development.
• Strong business acumen and investigative judgment, rapidly learning unfamiliar processes, identifying risks, challenging assumptions, and connecting disparate information.
• Proven ability to deliver under limited information, changing priorities, and tight timelines while maintaining analytical rigor.
• Demonstrated success building trusted stakeholder relationships, navigating difficult conversations, influencing decisions, and communicating with senior leaders.
• Track record of measurable business and risk impact.
• Principal-level leadership, mentoring experienced analysts, raising standards, and multiplying team capability.

At Walmart, we offer competitive pay as well as performance-based bonus awards and other great benefits for a happier mind, body, and wallet. Health benefits include medical, vision and dental coverage. Financial benefits include 401(k), stock purchase and company-paid life insurance. Paid time off benefits include PTO (including sick leave), parental leave, family care leave, bereavement, jury duty, and voting. Other benefits include short-term and long-term disability, company discounts, Military Leave Pay, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, and more. You will also receive PTO and/or PPTO that can be used for vacation, sick leave, holidays, or other purposes. The amount you receive depends on your job classification and length of employment. It will meet or exceed the requirements of paid sick leave laws, where applicable. For information about PTO, https://one.walmart.com/notices. Live Better U is a Walmart-paid education benefit program for full-time and part-time associates in Walmart and Sam's Club facilities. Programs range from high school completion to bachelor's degrees, including English Language Learning and short-form certificates. Tuition, books, and fees are completely paid for by Walmart. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to a specific plan or program terms. For information about benefits and eligibility, One.Walmart. The annual salary range for this position is $90,000.00 - $180,000.00 Additional compensation includes annual or quarterly performance bonuses. Additional compensation for certain positions may also include : - Stock

Minimum Qualifications

Outlined below are the required minimum qualifications for this position. If none are listed, there are no minimum qualifications.

Option 1: Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Statistics, Economics, Analytics, Mathematics, Arts, Finance or related field and 4 years' experience in data analysis, data science, statistics, or related field.

Option 2: Master's degree in Business, Engineering, Statistics, Economics, Analytics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Information Technology or related field and 2 years' experience in data analysis, data science, statistics, or related field.

Option 3: 6 years' experience in data analysis, data science, statistics, or related field.

Preferred Qualifications

Outlined below are the optional preferred qualifications for this position. If none are listed, there are no preferred qualifications.

Data science, data analysis, statistics, or related field, Master’s degree in Business, Computer Science, Engineering, Statistics, Economics, Analytics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Information Technology or related field, Related industry experience (for example, retail, merchandising, healthcare, eCommerce), Successful completion of assessments in data analysis and Business Intelligence tools and scripting languages (for example, SQL, Python, Spark, Scala, R, Power BI, or Tableau)

Primary Location

811 Excellence, Bentonville, AR 72716, United States of AmericaWalmart and its subsidiaries are committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and has a no tolerance policy regarding the use of illegal drugs and alcohol on the job. This policy applies to all employees and aims to create a safe and productive work environment.