IKEA is about making things better. All the way from the factory floors to the homes of the many people. We have a passion for renewing and improving things. This is part of our DNA. But how do we know what’s better or what to improve? By unleashing the potential of data and creating insights about our markets and consumers. It is about taking quicker and better decisions with facts as a base, enabling people to focus on value adding tasks. It’s about exploiting opportunities where we have data now and exploring areas where more data can be captured and drive value and where we need to build new capabilities. For our Business Solutions Area – Insights, we are strengthening the team with a Data Scientist to help us improve our business recommendations. 

Come join us!

About the role

As Data Scientist, your role will be responsible to enable accessibility and action-ability of data science insights within IKEA planning, development and insight processes. You will combine your knowledge of statistics and mathematics with your business understanding and some software development skills to create insights and predictions by processing data from several sources and communicating the results to our stakeholders. You will report to the Business Solutions Area Manager for IKEA Consumer & Market Insights. 

Your main responsibilities as Data Scientist are: 
•    Design, develop and maintain data science models while continuously improving existing models and environments.
•    Facilitate the construction of transparent and reusable data science products and services that integrated into operational processes and production environments.
•    Provide subject matter expert knowledge and operational know-how to support projects and solutions with conversion of business requirements into data sciences solutions.
•    Communicate the technical requirements for the development and deployment of analytical systems to relevant IT stakeholders.
•    Being responsible for the solution compliance with rules and standards.

About you

We believe you have at least 3 years of experience in a similar role working with data science in a multinational business or research environment and an academic degree in statistics, mathematics, econometrics, computer science or similar. It is important that you have the ability to make complex situations simple, understood and embraced. You have great interest and knowledge for data science, and are comfortable in building models and applying algorithms to solve business problems. Your good communication and storytelling skills enables you to build relationships with business stakeholders and translate your analysis results to their reality. Experience in popular programming languages like R or Python support you in leveraging your deep knowledge in applied statistics, distributions, statistical testing and machine learning algorithms. 

Moreover, you know how to deploy data science models in production environments with testing frameworks. Modern technologies and frameworks like notebooks, containers and GIT are just as familiar to you as SQL databases, web technologies and operating systems. Knowledge in cloud computing and deployments, for example in Azure, round off your profile. In addition you have demonstrable experience in working in an agile or DevOps working set-up.

Most of all, it is important that you get excited from stepping into an environment with development opportunities. As our new Data Scientist colleague, you are able to visualise the opportunities and find energy in helping us further develop our ways of working. As a member of the team there will be a mix of learning new skills from current team members as well as teaching others skills that you possess and have a passion for.

About us

Inter IKEA Systems B.V. (Core Business Franchise) is one part of Inter IKEA Group. Inter IKEA Group consists of three core businesses in total: Franchise, Range & Supply and Industry. Together, these core businesses work to secure continuous improvement, development, expansion and longevity of the IKEA Concept.  
Core Business Franchise is the owner of the IKEA Concept and the worldwide IKEA franchisor. We are specifically responsible for the IKEA strategic framework, ensuring the IKEA Concept is updated, relevant, implemented and followed-up – together with all IKEA trademark users.

How do we do this? By enabling people across the IKEA value chain, and creating unique content to develop the IKEA business. Here are some examples of our different assignments.  
•    We develop solutions that will ensure a unique and successful meeting with IKEA customers. 
•    We lead the work around when and how IKEA expands in the world, enabling one common way of working with high impact at a low cost.
•    We create the preconditions to strengthen the IKEA Culture and develop the right competence to meet customer and business needs. 

We know that an important part of our success is our unique culture and open working environment. Together, we create a workplace where everyone feels free to be themselves – to experiment, try new ways, and dare to ask, “What if…?” We believe in everyday personal growth and offer the opportunity to develop your career globally. 

A few more details for you

This position is full-time (40 hours per week) and is located in Delft, Netherlands.  Please note that we will be interviewing continuously, which means that we may close the application process earlier than stated if we find the right candidate.

Please send your application – CV and letter of motivation – in English by April 5th 2019. We really want to get to know you, so make sure you tell us why you want to work at IKEA and why you would be a good fit for this role. Take the time to share with us what your passion is with data science. 

Want to explore more before applying? Here´s some links for you!
Understanding IKEA businesses
Our organisation and Core Business Franchise 
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