Sr Data Scientist (Operations Research)

General Mills Services, Inc.; United States; On-site; USD 111,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual incentive program

Job summary

General Mills is seeking a Senior Data Scientist to translate business needs into advanced analytics solutions. You will collaborate with AI engineers, product owners, and data scientists to design and prototype optimization, ML, and information retrieval models that drive business decisions.

The role requires strong SQL, Python, and data visualization skills, with 5+ years in data science or a closely related field, and a master’s or PhD in a quantitative discipline.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in data science, decision sciences, or a related quantitative field (3+ years with PhD).
• Master’s or PhD in operations research, industrial engineering, computer science, or related field.
• Strong proficiency in SQL and Python and understanding of complex databases.
• Experience with large-scale optimization, machine learning, and data visualization.
• Strong quantitative/analytical judgment and ability to identify root causes and craft practical solutions.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills to align with business priorities.

Responsibilities

• Partner with leadership and product teams to develop optimization models.
• Provide data science leadership with actionable insights and roadmaps.
• Design modeling frameworks for optimization, ML, and complex business problems.
• Build production-ready, scalable optimization models delivering real-time insights.
• Monitor model performance, update accuracy, and communicate results clearly.

Skills

SQL

Python

Optimization

Machine learning

Data visualization

Communication

Collaboration

Education

Master’s/PhD in a quantitative field

Job description

COMPANY OVERVIEW

We exist to make food the world loves. But we do more than that. Our company is a place that prioritizes being a force for good, a place to expand learning, explore new perspectives and reimagine new possibilities, every day. We look for people who want to bring their best — bold thinkers with big hearts who challenge one another and grow together. Because becoming the undisputed leader in food means surrounding ourselves with people who are hungry for what’s next. At General Mills, data helps us make better decisions and create food people love. As a Senior Data Scientist, you will work on challenging, large-scale projects with significant business impact. You will challenge historical assumptions, translate business needs into analytical solutions, and recommend new ways to drive action through data-driven insights. In this role, you will apply expertise in optimization, simulation, machine learning, and information retrieval to design, prototype, and build next-generation advanced analytics engines and services. You will collaborate with product owners, business partners, AI engineers, and other Data Scientists to define technical problem statements, test hypotheses, and develop efficient, accurate analytical models that support business decisions.

What You’ll Do

Partner with data science leadership, AI engineering, business partners, and product owners to develop optimization models using leading tools and technologies. Provide data science leadership within a product team through strong partnership, actionable insights, and strategic and tactical technical roadmap recommendations. Design and develop modeling frameworks and architectures for deterministic and combinatorial optimization, advanced machine learning, and other complex business problems. Build production-ready, reusable, large-scale or scalable operations research models that deliver real-time insights and align with General Mills technology standards. Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend solutions that balance effort, quality, scalability, and business value. Monitor and improve model performance, optimality, recommendation quality, and other relevant metrics, incorporating feedback from business partners. Apply critical thinking to frame business needs as statistical or analytical problems and develop solutions that balance technical completeness, complexity, and timely value delivery. Clearly communicate the why and how behind recommendations to build trust and understanding in analytical solutions. Advocate for and educate others on the value of data-driven decision-making and analytical methods. Identify and develop long‑term data science processes, frameworks, tools, and standards. Collaborate with other Data Scientists by asking questions, engaging in shared problem‑solving, and actively soliciting and providing feedback.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience working in data science, decision sciences, operations research, or a closely related quantitative field; 3+ years may be considered for candidates with a PhD.
• Master’s or PhD degree in operations research, industrial engineering, computer science, or a closely related quantitative field.
• Strong proficiency in SQL and Python, with a solid understanding of complex databases.
• Experience with large-scale optimization, machine learning, and data visualization.
• Strong quantitative and analytical judgment, including the ability to identify questionable data, investigate root causes, and develop practical solutions.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to understand customer needs and deliver solutions aligned with business priorities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Applied experience in business operations, commercial functions, or a related business area.

Additional Considerations

• Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. General Mills will not sponsor applicants for a U.S. work visa.

SALARY RANGE

The salary range for this position is: $110,800 - $184,800 Annual. At General Mills we strive for each employee's pay at any point in their career to reflect their experiences performance and skills for their current role. The salary range for this role represents the numerous factors considered in the hiring decisions including, but not limited to, educations, skills, work experience, certifications, etc. As such, pay for the successful candidate(s) could fall anywhere within the stated range. Beyond base salary, General Mills offers a competitive Total Rewards package focusing on your overall well‑being. We are proud to offer a foundation of health benefits, retirement and financial wellbeing, time off programs, wellbeing support and perks. Benefits may vary by role, country, region, union status, and other employment status factors. You may also be eligible to participate in an annual incentive program. An incentive award, if any, depends on various factors, including, individual and organizational performance.

ELIGIBILITY

Applicants must meet a minimum 18‑year age qualification.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER (EOE)

General Mills is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital or familial status, status regarding public assistance, or membership or activity in a local human rights commission.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUEST

If you need to request an accommodation during the application or hiring process, please fill out our online accommodation request form by following this link: Accommodation Request.

New possibilities. Bold thinking. Real heart. Build remarkable brands with remarkable people. At General Mills, we make food the world loves. Across 100+ markets, we come together to create, innovate and grow. Here, you’ll do meaningful work and help to lead the future of food at a company that stands for good.

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