Senior Data Scientist
Salary: Competitive Plus Benefits
Location: London Store Support Centre and Home, London, EC1M 6HA
Contract type: Permanent
Business area: Marketing
Closing date: 08 August 2025
Requisition ID: 400010578
We’d all like amazing work to do, and real work-life balance. That’s waiting for you at Sainsbury’s. We’re one of the biggest supermarkets in the UK with one of the largest websites. So marketing here really happens at scale. We move a lot faster than you’d think too, across Brand Planning, Brand Comms and Creative, Digital Marketing, CRM and Loyalty, Nectar 360, Insights, and Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability. More people shopping with us each week means more interactions. And thanks to data insight, we understand customers in a way that almost nobody else does. We work alongside incredible brand partners and the best agencies around. So if you have a passion to learn, grow and experience new teams, come and explore it all with us.
Why join us
We’re looking for an ambitious and talented Senior Data Scientist to join Nectar360 – the team behind Nectar at Sainsbury’s and the UK’s largest coalition loyalty programme, with 24 million members nationwide. Based in our new Farringdon office, you’ll work closely with decision-makers across Nectar360 and Sainsbury’s to drive our Retail Media Marketing offering for grocery and general merchandise clients, digital agencies, and internal teams.
Joining Sainsbury's Nectar360 as a Senior Data Scientist means being part of a dynamic and forward-thinking team dedicated to leveraging data science to drive impactful business outcomes and deliver cutting-edge solutions in the retail marketing industry. With the opportunity to lead technical projects, collaborate with a talented team, and shape the future direction of data science initiatives, you will play a crucial role in influencing decisions and driving innovation. Working in a vibrant Data & Analytics community with access to vast amounts of customer data and advanced technologies, you will have the chance to contribute to a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, and professional growth, while making a real difference in the world of retail marketing.
What you'll do
As a Senior Data Scientist at Nectar360 within Sainsbury's, you will be leading the technical development of algorithms and pipelines to support strategic goals, enhancing modelling and optimisation capabilities, and ensuring the delivery of impactful projects at pace. Your role will involve collaborating closely with Senior Engineers to align models with engineering best practises, becoming an expert in data science techniques for Nectar360, and supporting other Data Scientists in defining projects and shaping analytical approaches. Additionally, you will work with stakeholders to define goals, contribute to a wider agile squad, and actively participate in Sainsbury's Data & Analytics community to bring in new ideas, promote collaboration, and build innovative solutions while staying abreast of evolving approaches in Data Science.
Who you are
As a Senior Data Scientist at Nectar360, you are an experienced and innovative professional with a deep passion for leveraging data science to drive impactful business outcomes. With extensive experience in developing complex data science solutions and a strong foundation in predictive modelling, time series analysis, and cloud platforms, you possess the technical expertise to lead the development of algorithms and pipelines that support strategic goals. Your ability to mentor and support other Data Scientists, collaborate with stakeholders, and stay abreast of emerging trends in Data Science and AI showcases your commitment to continuous learning, innovation, and delivering high-quality, data-driven insights that influence decision-making and enhance commercial value.
Essential Criteria
- Proven experience developing complex data science solutions using Python and SQL in a commercial environment
- Demonstrable expertise in predictive modelling, clustering, and time series analysis, with knowledge of Multi-Touch Attribution and/or Marketing Mix Modelling is prreferred
- Hands-on experience with cloud platforms (AWS or Azure) and MLOps tools, including building and maintaining production-ready, user-facing solutions
- Track record of contributing to collaborative codebases, applying best practices in version control and software engineering within data science projects
- Solid knowledge and experience in some of the following: ML model building, statistical analysis, hypothesis testing, experiment design.
- Evidence of leading or supporting the technical work of a small team, including project definition, code review, and mentoring (line management not required)
This role will be closed early if we receive high volumes of applications.
#LI-JH1
We are committed to being a truly inclusive retailer so you’ll be welcomed whoever you are and wherever you work. Around here, there’s always the chance to try something new — whether that’s as part of an evolving team or somewhere else across the business - and we take development seriously and promise to support you. We also recognise and celebrate colleagues when they go the extra mile and, where possible, offer flexible working. When you join our team, we’ll also offer you an amazing range of benefits. Here are some of them: Starting off with colleague discount, you'll be able to save 10% on your shopping online and instore at Sainsbury's, Argos, TU and Habitat, and we regularly increase the discount to 15% at points during the year. We've also got you covered for your future with our pensions scheme and life cover. You'll also be able to share in our success as you may be eligible for a performance-related bonus of up to 20% of salary, depending on how we perform. Your wellbeing is important to us too. You'll receive an annual holiday allowance, and you can buy up to an additional week's holiday, and we provide private healthcare. We also offer other benefits that will help your money go further such as season ticket loans, interest free car loan of up to £10k, cycle to work scheme, health cash plans, salary advance (where you can access some of your pay before pay day) as well access to a great range of discounts from hundreds of other retailers. And if you ever need it there is also an Employee Assistance Programme. Moments that matter are as important to us as they are to you which is why we give up to 26 weeks’ pay for maternity or adoption leave and up to 4 weeks’ pay for paternity leave. Please see www.sainsburys.jobs for a range of our benefits (note, length of service and eligibility criteria may apply).
