Data Scientist

UNILEVER IS HIRING Data Scientist /Data Foundation / CD XOPS

Location: Rotterdam - Hofplein 19

Full-time

Local conditions apply  

The role will be closed once the best match is found even before the posting end date

About Unilever

Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of Food, Home, and Personal Care products, operating in over 190 countries and reaching more than 2 billion consumers every day. Our portfolio includes iconic brands such as Dove, Knorr, Domestos, Hellmann’s, Persil, Cif, Tresemmé, Rexona, and Axe.
Guided by our purpose—to make sustainable living commonplace—we aim to grow our business while addressing the challenges of climate change and human development, enabling people everywhere to live well within the limits of the planet.

About Global Data & Technology (GDT)

Data Foundation within GDT exists to make Unilever data-intelligent, empowering critical business decisions through data, advanced analytics, and AI.
Our vision is a future-fit Unilever—an organisation where data underpins every aspect of decision-making: accelerating innovation, strengthening brands, driving excellence in customer execution, enhancing consumer experiences through personalisation, and transforming internal operations for efficiency and scale.

We bring together specialists across the business and offer a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of data science, business impact, and cutting-edge technology, with a direct link to Unilever’s growth and purpose.

About the Role

As a Data Scientist, you will play a key role in delivering advanced analytical and AI solutions that support commercial and operational decision-making across markets.

This is a hands-on, mid-senior individual contributor role, requiring strong technical depth, the ability to operate autonomously, and close collaboration with product, engineering, and business partners.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner closely with product, business, and analytics stakeholders to deeply understand problem statements and translate them into actionable, data-driven solutions.

• Design, build, and deploy predictive and prescriptive models using classical statistical methods and machine learning.

• Lead fast-paced, agile experimentation, iterating quickly to demonstrate value and inform product development and releases.

• Apply design thinking principles to develop solutions that are scalable, usable, and aligned with business needs.

• Act as a technical expert in advanced modelling techniques, supporting solution design and peer reviews.

• Develop and evolve capabilities in Generative AI and Agentic AI, contributing to next-generation analytics solutions.

• Industrialise and scale solutions on cloud-based platforms, ensuring robustness, performance, and maintainability.

Areas of Focus

• Build end-to-end data science solutions addressing complex business problems through diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analytics.

• Unlock new insights by integrating internal and external data sources (e.g. retailer data, econometric models, panel data).

• Innovate new methodologies driven by local market needs, contributing to the global D&A product pipeline.

• Operate primarily as a strong individual contributor, working across multiple markets and teams in close partnership with business interpreters.

• Champion continuous improvement through:

• Simplified and standardised ways of working

• Improved development and delivery practices

About You

Experience & Expertise

• Degree qualified in a relevant technical discipline (Data Science, Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, Econometrics, Operations Research, or similar).

• Strong track record of solving complex business problems using quantitative and statistical approaches.

• 3yrs or more experience in Deep expertise in several of the following with solid theoretical grounding:

• Regression and econometric modelling (Required)

• Time series forecasting (Required)

• Causal inference (Required)

• Simulation and optimisation (Required)

• Recommendation engines (Preferred)

• Churn modelling (Preferred)

• Experience developing and industrialising machine learning and advanced analytics solutions.

• Advanced proficiency in Python and Spark, with experience working in Databricks and Azure environments.

• Proven ability to work with large, complex, high-dimensional datasets, both structured and unstructured (e.g. SAP, POS data).

• Exposure to LLMs and agent-based systems is a plus.

Ways of Working

• Excellent communication, active listening, and presentation skills, able to engage audiences at different levels of the organisation.

• Highly inquisitive and analytical mindset, with a passion for problem solving, simplification, and continuous improvement.

• Well-organised, with strong time management skills and the ability to prioritise effectively in a fast-paced, global environment.

• Proactive self-starter who thrives with autonomy while collaborating effectively within cross-functional and virtual teams.

• Passion for delivering excellence; and developing a culture of “easy to do business with”, where stakeholder’s needs are anticipated

• High ethical standards in data handling and decision-making.

WHAT IS IN IT FOR YOU?

Unilever is the place where you can be yourself and bring your purpose to life with the work that you do – creating a better business and a better world. We offer an exciting & dynamic work environment where you can make things happen. Furthermore, we offer some great reward and benefits!

• Attractive total remuneration package: excellent company pension, bonus, share scheme.

• Flexible cross-disciplinary career opportunities and a wealth of training opportunities & wellbeing resources whenever and wherever.

• Plenty of company-paid holidays to further ensure your work-life balance is maintained.

• We encourage an inclusive culture, which comes to life with interchangeable public holidays, paid paternity leave of 6 weeks and our transgender policy.

• Under the Hybrid Working principles, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 40%-60% in the office or at customers, suppliers or partners to connect and collaborate.  For the time you work from home, we will ensure you are well equipped. When you are at the office, you can enjoy our tasty canteen with prepped food and own products.

• Informal culture and being the first one trying our new products. 

• My Fitness Plan (reduction on your Fitness Subscription).

• Homework allowance

• Company laptop and mobile phone

• Green Mobility Policy.   

EXCITED?

Join Unilever and our team! To apply, you must do so online. Please do not forget to upload your CV and a motivation letter.  Your application will be reviewed against our requirements, and we will be in touch shortly after the closing date to provide you with an update on the status of your application.

Looking forward to meeting you! 

Please note this is a Direct Search led by Unilever. Applications from agencies will not be accepted, nor will fees be paid for unsolicited CVs.

Equal Opportunity Employer: Unilever is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, disability, age, parenthood, pregnancy or any other basis protected by applicable law, and will not be discriminated against. 

By highlighting the gender diversity at the workplace, Unilever encourages women equally men to apply. If you look for a job after a long career break or after any type of leave, do not hesitate to apply.

Please save a copy of this vacancy for personal use as it will disappear from the website after closing of the role.