(USA) Principal, Data Scientist

Position Summary...

What you'll do...

About the Role

We are seeking a seasoned Principal Data Scientist with deep expertise in building and scaling ML products in production. This role is ideal for someone with a strong background in recommender systems, GenAI, and LLMs, and who thrives in a fast-paced, technically rigorous environment.

Key Qualifications

• 12+ years in applied data science/ML (or 8+ with a PhD)
• 5+ years leading end-to-end ML products in production
• Proven success in recommender systems, personalization at scale, or search—especially using LLMs and embeddings
• Experience with GenAI systems, including RAG and agentic LLM workflows
• Fine-tuning LLMs (LoRA, DPO), reducing hallucinations, and implementing safety guardrails
• Designed LLM evaluation pipelines for factuality, consistency, and relevance
• Optimizing LLM inference: prompt caching, quantization, retrieval filtering
• ML modeling for classification tasks (e.g., boosted trees)
• Strong experimentation background: A/B testing, multi-armed bandits, causal inference
• Deep learning expertise with PyTorch, TensorFlow, or Keras
• Data engineering collaboration: SQL/Spark pipelines, feature stores, batch serving
• MLOps: deployment, monitoring, drift detection, CI/CD
• Domain fluency in retail/food signals, seasonality, substitutions, and consumer engagement
• Technical leadership: mentors team, sets roadmap, elevates code standards
• Tooling: Python, SQL, PyTorch/TensorFlow, Spark, Airflow, GCP/Azure, Docker/Kubernetes, Git

About Walmart Global Tech
Imagine working in an environment where one line of code can make life easier for hundreds of millions of people. That’s what we do at Walmart Global Tech. We’re a team of software engineers, data scientists, cybersecurity expert's and service professionals within the world’s leading retailer who make an epic impact and are at the forefront of the next retail disruption. People are why we innovate, and people power our innovations. We are people-led and tech-empowered. We train our team in the skillsets of the future and bring in experts like you to help us grow. We have roles for those chasing their first opportunity as well as those looking for the opportunity that will define their career. Here, you can kickstart a great career in tech, gain new skills and experience for virtually every industry, or leverage your expertise to innovate at scale, impact millions and reimagine the future of retail.
  Walmart’s culture is a competitive advantage, and it’s fostered by being together. Working together in person allows us to collaborate, align quickly and innovate with greater speed.  We use our campuses to create purposeful connection rooted in deepening understanding and investing in the development of our associates.  
Our hubs: Walmart is a global company with offices across the United States and around the world. Our global headquarters is in Bentonville, Arkansas, with primary hubs in the San Francisco Bay area and New York/New Jersey. 

Benefits:
Benefits: Beyond our great compensation package, you can receive incentive awards for your performance. Other great perks include 401(k) match, stock purchase plan, paid maternity and parental leave, PTO, multiple health plans, and much more.

Equal Opportunity Employer:
Walmart, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer – By Choice. We believe we are best equipped to help our associates, customers and the communities we serve live better when we really know them. That means understanding, respecting and valuing diversity- unique styles, experiences, identities, ideas and opinions – while being inclusive of all people.

The above information has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed in the role. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job. The full Job Description can be made available as part of the hiring process. At Walmart, we offer competitive pay as well as performance-based bonus awards and other great benefits for a happier mind, body, and wallet. Health benefits include medical, vision and dental coverage. Financial benefits include 401(k), stock purchase and company-paid life insurance. Paid time