Full job description

Rate: £500-600/day Outside IR35
Duration: Initial 6-Month Contract (Extension Likely)
Location: London (Hybrid)
Office Attendance: 2 days per week in the London office.
The OpportunityWe’re supporting a major UK retailer on a large-scale supply chain optimisation programme and are looking for a Senior Data Scientist with a strong background in Operational Research and optimisation.
This is not a Generative AI, NLP, or customer analytics role. Instead, you’ll be working on highly complex optimisation challenges that drive real-world operational decisions across a large supply chain network.
The programme has been running for several years and is viewed as a long-term strategic initiative, with further investment already secured.
The RoleYou’ll be responsible for designing, developing and enhancing optimisation models that support large-scale supply chain decision-making.
Key Responsibilities*Architecting and designing optimisation models for complex logistics and supply chain challenges
*Improving and scaling existing optimisation solutions
*Working closely with stakeholders to translate business problems into mathematical models
*Delivering solutions capable of handling billions of potential decision combinations
*Supporting the ongoing development of a critical optimisation platform used across the organisation
Required ExperienceWe’re particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate:
*Strong experience in optimisation, Operational Research, or mathematical modelling
*Experience solving real-world supply chain, logistics, inventory, transportation, or network optimisation problems
*Hands-on experience with optimisation platforms such as AIMMS, AMPL, Gurobi, CPLEX, FICO Xpress, or similar
*Strong Python skills
*Experience working with large-scale optimisation problems where solution quality and performance are critical
*A strong academic background in Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics, Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline
Ideal BackgroundSuitable candidates may come from:
*Retail
*Logistics
*Transportation
*Manufacturing
*Supply Chain Technology
*Warehousing & Distribution
*Airline Operations
*E-commerce Fulfilment
A PhD is not essential, but candidates will typically possess strong mathematical and analytical depth. Those with PhD research linked to real-world optimisation problems are highly encouraged to apply.
What They’re Looking ForBeyond technical expertise, the team values individuals who are:
*Naturally curious
*Proactive problem solvers
*Comfortable challenging assumptions
*Strong communicators who ask the right questions
*Passionate about solving complex operational problems
Interview Process*1-2 stage interview process
*Quick turnaround on feedback
*Immediate requirement