Sr. Data Scientist

Zoro; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

A top-tier eCommerce platform in Chicago is seeking a Data Sr. Scientist to lead data science projects. The ideal candidate will leverage their expertise in machine learning and statistical modeling to enhance customer experiences and drive business insights. A minimum of 5 years of experience in data science and proficiency in Python and SQL are required. This role offers a hybrid work environment with competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits.

Benefits

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Maternity support and paid leave

Paid time off and holidays

401K with company contribution

Tuition reimbursement

Office snacks and gym access

Qualifications

• 5+ years leading data science projects directly impacting business objectives.
• Experience utilizing data mining techniques and ML models.
• Strong knowledge of statistical methods and causal inference.

Responsibilities

• Develop advanced machine learning models to drive decision-making.
• Lead data science projects, collaborating across teams.
• Mentor junior data scientists and document processes.

Skills

Machine learning

Data analysis

Statistical modeling

Python

SQL

Communication skills

Education

PhD in quantitative fields

Master’s degree in quantitative fields

Tools

Google Cloud Platform

AWS

Docker

Kubernetes

Airflow

Tableau

Job description

Company Summary

Zoro.com is a leading eCommerce platform offering nearly 12 million tools, parts and supplies for our business customers. Launched in 2011, we brought a B2C-like experience to the B2B industry, and continue to be at the forefront of digital innovation at the intersection of technology and distribution. We have rapidly grown to over $1 billion in annual revenue and we’re just getting started!

Position Description

As a Data Sr. Scientist at Zoro, you’ll apply your expertise in machine learning, statistical modeling, and data analysis to solve a variety of business challenges. From forecasting and customer segmentation to improving onsite search and recommendations, our team directly enhances our customers' experiences and informs critical business decisions. At Zoro, every day brings new challenges and opportunities to innovate.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Apply domain and industry knowledge to solve complex data science projects, developing advanced machine learning models, and driving data-driven decisions within the organization.
• Lead data science projects from start to finish by refining objectives, developing a project plan and methodology, and collaborating with business and technical teams.
• Collaborate with other data scientists to develop and implement algorithms, write code, evaluate relevant academic research to deliver final outputs.
• Write and maintain high-quality, production grade code, including unit and integration tests.
• Provide guidance on tools, practices to drive efficiency, technical debt, data sources, and best practices.
• Mentor and guide junior data scientists on algorithms, coding best practices, and other technical concepts.
• Document code and data science processes that are critical to the company and develop strategies to ensure those processes are robust and fault-tolerant.
• Communicate findings to business leaders and colleagues using data visualizations, presentations and reports.

Minimum Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience leading data science projects that have a direct impact on a company's objectives or PhD degree in quantitative fields such as Statistics, Data Science, Computer Science with 3+ years of experience
• 5+ years of experience utilizing data mining techniques, ML models to assist business decision making. Hands-on experience with deep learning frameworks , LLMs, GenAI tools, and NLP techniques.
• Strong knowledge of statistical, causal inference methods, parametric models, and planning experiments.
• Demonstrated ability to assist business decision-making through data mining and machine learning.
• 5+ years of experience using Python to process large, diverse datasets, and develop and deploy predictive models in cloud-based environments and other computing platforms.
• 5+ years of experience in SQL and cloud-hosted data platforms (Google Cloud Platform, AWS, etc.).
• Strong communication skills to collaborate effectively with business stakeholders. Must be able to interact cross-functionally and drive both business and technical discussions.
• Ability to translate complex business problems into actionable project plans and solve them by using data science techniques on large datasets.
• Domain knowledge and experience in building models across multiple domains.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience using data science or advanced analytics in an Internet retailer or a top-tier consumer-focused company.
• Experience using containerization tools like Docker and Kubernetes in production environments.
• Experience using orchestration tools such as Airflow or Kubeflow for production workloads.
• Knowledge of web tracking technology and web analytics tools (Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, etc.) a definite plus.
• Master’s degree preferred in quantitative fields such as Statistics, Data Science, Computer Science, etc.
• Familiarity with BI tools such as Tableau or Looker, and ability to communicate results to business partners.

Total Rewards

Zoro’s total compensation plan includes our Zoro Incentive Plan (ZIP) that is designed to foster and reward our team members for strong performance. Total compensation will be highly competitive.

In addition to competitive compensation, Zoro offers comprehensive benefits and perks including:

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans with coverage starting on day one of employment
• Maternity support programs, nursing benefits, and up to 14 weeks paid leave for birth parents and up to 4 weeks paid leave for non-birth parents. We also support growing your family through access to adoption assistance program
• 6 free sessions each year with a licensed therapist and Wellhub portal membership to support your mental and emotional wellbeing
• At least 18 paid time off days annually for full-time employees and 6 company holidays per year
• 6% company contribution to a 401K Retirement Savings Plan each pay period, no employee contribution required
• Tuition reimbursement, student loan refinancing and access to financial counseling, education, and tools
• Charitable Gift Program - match gift to an eligible educational, cultural, community health, and human service organizations
• Employee discounts and admission to various civic and cultural institutions around Chicago
• Zoro office perks including coffee bar, beer on tap, unlimited snacks, access to the onsite gym, and incredible city skyline views

Our Culture

Zoro was founded in 2011 with a simple idea: make it easy for businesses to get the tools, parts, and supplies they need to keep things running. We've grown by staying curious, moving quickly, and solving everyday challenges in smart, practical ways. Backed by W.W. Grainger and inspired by our endless assortment business model, we’re on a clear path toward our next big milestone: $2 billion in revenue—and beyond.

At Zoro, we don’t just follow a playbook—we help build it. You’ll get to work on real problems with a supportive team that shares ideas freely, learns from each other, and celebrates wins together. Our culture is grounded in values that guide how we show up every day: Winning & Learning Together, Being Customer Obsessed, Being Transparent, and Taking Ownership. We don’t have all the answers, but we’re always asking good questions.

Zoro’s culture has been recognized by Fortune, Best Places to Work, and Built In Chicago—but the recognition we care about most comes from our team members, who make this place what it is.

We also know that flexibility matters. Our hybrid work model gives you space to focus and the flexibility to live your life — asking team members to be onsite at least two days a week. Our Chicago HQ (right above Ogilvie Transportation Center in the Accenture Tower) is always open and ready for connection, collaboration, or just a good cup of coffee.

At Zoro, we’re growing fast toward big aspirations — and we’re continuously excited about the new challenges we get to solve together.

Equal Employment Opportunity

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We are also committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible work environment that includes both providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the application and hiring process as well as throughout the course of one’s employment. Should you need a reasonable accommodation during the application and selection process, including, but not limited to use of our website, any part of the application, interview, or hiring process, please advise us so that we can provide appropriate assistance.