Sr Operations Research Scientist

Target

As a Fortune 50 company with more than 400,000 team members worldwide, Target is an iconic brand and one of America's leading retailers. Joining Target means promoting a culture of mutual care and respect and striving to make the most meaningful and positive impact. Becoming a Target team member means joining a community that values diverse voices and lifts each other up. Here, we believe your unique perspective is important, and you'll build relationships by being authentic and respectful.

About the Team

Supply Chain Network Optimization (SCNO) is a global team and part of Integrated Operations Planning & Network steering within Global Supply Chain and Logistics. We are at the forefront of defining and enabling an efficient, reliable and best in class supply chain. This team uses a wide variety of engineering and advanced applied mathematical techniques (5Why’s, ML, AI, OR, MILP, DES,) techniques to study and solve niche problems in supply chain across the entire value chain (Purchasing, transportation, Multi echelon inventory, last mile and process optimization) to enable the best guest experience and profitable growth for Target.

About the Role

As a Senior Operations Research Scientist in SCNO, you will study complex supply chain problems, develop a deep understanding of the business, and build cutting-edge solutions. The role requires strong experience working with large data sets, advanced programming skills, and a solid foundation in statistics, probability theory, machine learning, AI, simulations (such as Monte Carlo and discrete event simulation), and operations research.

In addition to technical expertise, success in this role requires a strong appetite for developing business acumen, effective collaboration with cross-functional teams, and excellent communication and presentation skills.

Key responsibilities include:

Developing a deep understanding of business problems through data analysis, root cause investigation, and close collaboration with team members.
Efficiently gathering, analyzing, and processing large data sets by writing optimized code and building scalable data solutions.
Learning and leveraging existing data science tools and models across different business domains to solve real-world challenges.
Designing and implementing new applied mathematical models to address complex business problems.
Interpreting model results to generate actionable insights for leadership.
Communicating clearly and proactively with business leaders, peers, and stakeholders.

Core responsibilities of this job are described within this job description. Job duties may change at any time due to business needs.

About You

6+ years of professional experience with a Bachelor's or Master's degree (3+ years for a PhD) in Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, or a related field.
4+ years of experience with programming in Python, PySpark, R, SQL, and open-source data science tools.
4+ years of experience applying advanced data science, AI, and operations research techniques.
Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to address business challenges creatively.
Skilled in cleaning, transforming, and analyzing large datasets to generate insights.
Passionate about continuous learning and empirical research, with excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
Retail and supply chain experience is a plus.
Team-oriented with the ability to collaborate effectively across locations and time zones.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Why Work with Us at Target?

Work on advanced analytics and data science projects that directly impact Target’s global supply chain, including inventory and capacity planning, transportation efficiency, and purchasing strategies.
We support your professional growth through learning and development opportunities, powering you take courses in Data Science, Supply Chain, Operations Research, and other subjects.
We value diversity and inclusion, fostering an environment that contributes to positive customer experiences.
We offer flexible work schedules and arrangements, allowing team members to succeed both at work and in their personal lives in a hybrid setting.

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