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About This Role
Position Summary...
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About Walmart Data Ventures
Walmart Scintilla is a commercial data and AI platform powering the suppliers of the world’s largest retailer. With access to one of the most diverse and scaled data ecosystems anywhere, we transform the data of Fortune 1 company into insight, recommendation, and innovation that drives impact for customers, merchants, and suppliers.
Our teams are pioneering the use of Generative AI, agentic intelligence, and advanced machine learning to reimagine customer experiences, optimize operations, and unlock new business models. For external candidates, it’s a chance to join a team that is shaping the future of retail AI and setting industry benchmarks.
About the Role
We are seeking a Principal Data Scientist to shape the future of Generative AI and Agentic AI at Walmart. This role is a highly specialized Applied Science position, requiring a deep fusion of cutting\-edge applied science and scalable production system delivery. Building on our public vision of “Four Super Agents”, you will architect and scale next\-generation ML and LLM systems that power both customer\-facing experiences and enterprise operations.
You will drive innovation at the intersection of applied science, engineering, and platform strategy—pushing the boundaries of what large\-scale AI can do in production.What you'll do...
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WhatYou’llDo
Our team is driving high\-impact enterprise initiatives, including recommendation platforms, customer voice, market research, product innovation, customer attitudinal segmentation, agent based simulations, and many more. These initiatives require advanced expertise in the following capabilities: GenAI \& Agentic AI Innovation
Architect and build agentic AI systems with capabilities such as planning, memory, tool\-use, and multi\-agent collaboration, ensuring seamless integration with Walmart’s digital ecosystem.
Define best practices forLLMOps, including prompt versioning, embedding store management, synthetic data generation, fine\-tuning strategies, and continuous evaluation for safety, accuracy, and bias.
Drive applied research in large language models (LLMs) and multi\-modal AI, leveraging methods such as LoRA/PEFT fine\-tuning, reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF/DPO), quantization, and speculative decoding.
Explore and operationalize RAG pipelines, deep research, multimodal fusion, and specialized architectures for language, vision, time series, and beyond.
ML \& Applied Science Foundations
Translate ambiguous, high\-impact business problems into scalable AI/ML solutions with measurable outcomes.
Build and guide end\-to\-end ML systems covering data sourcing, feature engineering, model training, deployment, monitoring, and iteration.
Champion advancedMLOpspractices: automated pipelines, CI/CD for ML, model versioning, drift detection, and telemetry\-based monitoring.
Ensure models meet standards of fairness, explainability, and responsible AI compliance.
Leadership \& Influence
Serve as a technical leader and mentor, guiding senior engineers and applied scientists to build depth and expertise.
Influence cross\-functional platform strategy, ensuring AI systems align with Walmart’s broader product and engineering vision.
Contribute to Walmart’s AI reputation through thought leadership—publishing, presenting, and showcasing innovations internally and externally.
WhatWe’reLooking For Above all, we're looking for a leader defined by curiosity and the resilience to thrive in complex, innovative, and high\-uncertainty environments. The ideal Principal has a deep technical science and engineering background—mastery of algorithmic thinking and strong coding skills—even if they haven't mastered every agentic technology on day one. We value the efficient use of AI coding assistants but expect strong, independent coding prowess. Your willingness to work hard and quickly get up to speed on new domains is the most critical asset. If you have the foundational strength and the drive to lead our next\-era AI journey in retail, we encourage you to apply.
Core Qualifications
Deepexpertise in Generative AI, LLMs, and/or Agentic AI systems (e.g., LLMOps, fine\-tuning, RAG, multi\-agent orchestration).
Strong applied science background with the ability to design, experiment, and deploy cutting\-edge ML models in production.
Proven experience architecting large\-scale ML/AI platforms with attention to performance, scalability, and maintainability.
Strong programming and ML tooling skills (Python; PyTorch/TensorFlow).
Familiarity with Agentic development platforms (Google ADK, LangGraph, CrewAI, AutoGen).
Track record of technical leadership, mentoring, and influencing architectural decisions across teams.
Nice\-to\-Haves
Experience with broader ML ecosystems: Scikit\-learn, Spark ML, XGBoost, or programming languages such as Java, C\+\+, SQL, R.
Familiarity with advanced optimization methods (e.g., distributed training, model compression, ONNX interoperability).
Exposure to multimodal systems (vision, speech, time series).
Strong presence in the AI/ML community (publications, open\-source contributions, conference talks).
Our Culture \& Values At Walmart, we believe AI should be ethical, inclusive, and human\-centered. We are committed to:
Respecting the Individual – fostering a workplace where everyone can bring their best selves.
Acting with Integrity – ensuring fairness, transparency, and compliance in everything we do.
Serving Customers \& Members – driving impact through AI solutions at global scale.
Striving for Excellence – continuously innovating, learning, and raising the bar.
Why Join Us?
This is an opportunity to define the next era of applied AI at Walmart, building agentic, generative, and multimodal systems that will directly impact hundreds of millions of customers and associates. Our journey builds on Walmart’s “Four Super Agents” vision, where we are scaling agentic, generative, and multimodal AI to power the future of commerce. You will work alongside some of the best engineers and scientists in the world to push the boundaries of AI at scale.
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 off benefits include PTO (including sick leave), parental leave, family care leave, bereavement, jury duty, and voting. Other benefits include short\-term and long\-term disability, company discounts, Military Leave Pay, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, and more. You will also receive PTO and/or PPTO that can be used for vacation, sick leave, holidays, or other purposes. The amount you receive depends on your job classification and length of employment. It will meet or exceed the requirements of paid sick leave laws, where applicable. For information about PTO, see https://one.walmart.com/notices. Live Better U is a Walmart\-paid education benefit program for full\-time and part\-time associates in Walmart and Sam's Club facilities. Programs range from high school completion to bachelor's degrees, including English Language Learning and short\-form certificates. Tuition, books, and fees are completely paid for by Walmart.
Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to a specific plan or program terms.
For information about benefits and eligibility, see One.Walmart.
The annual salary range for this position is $143,000\.00 \- $286,000\.00 Additional compensation includes annual or quarterly performance bonuses. Additional compensation for certain positions may also include :
- Stock
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Minimum Qualifications...
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*Outlined below are the required minimum qualifications for this position. If none are listed, there are no minimum qualifications.*
Option 1: Bachelors degree in Statistics, Economics, Analytics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Information Technology or related field and 5 years' experience in an analytics related field. Option 2: Masters degree in Statistics, Economics, Analytics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Information Technology or related field and 3 years' experience in an analytics related field. Option 3: 7 years' experience in an analytics or related fieldPreferred Qualifications...
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*Outlined below are the optional preferred qualifications for this position. If none are listed, there are no preferred qualifications.*
Data science, machine learning, optimization models, PhD in Machine Learning, Computer Science, Information Technology, Operations Research, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Econometrics, Publications or active peer reviewer in related journals or conference, Successful completion of one or more assessments in Python, Spark, Scala, or R, Using open source frameworks (for example, scikit learn, tensorflow, torch), We value candidates with a background in creating inclusive digital experiences, demonstrating knowledge in implementing Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2\.2 AA standards, assistive technologies, and integrating digital accessibility seamlessly. The ideal candidate would have knowledge of accessibility best practices and join us as we continue to create accessible products and services following Walmart’s accessibility standards and guidelines for supporting an inclusive culture.Primary Location...
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1395 Crossman Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94089\-1114, United States of America
Walmart and its subsidiaries are committed to maintaining a drug\-free workplace and has a no tolerance policy regarding the use of illegal drugs and alcohol on the job. This policy applies to all employees and aims to create a safe and productive work environment.
Salary Context
This $143K-$286K range is above the 75th percentile for Data Scientist roles in our dataset (median: $166K across 345 roles with salary data).
View full Data Scientist salary data →Role Details
About This Role
Data Scientists extract insights and build predictive models from data. In the AI era, many roles now include LLM-powered analytics, automated reporting, and integration with generative AI tools. The role has evolved from 'the person who runs SQL queries' to 'the person who builds AI-powered data products.'
Modern data science roles fall into two camps: analytics-focused (insights, dashboards, experimentation) and ML-focused (building predictive models, recommendation systems, NLP features). The best data scientists can operate in both modes. The AI shift means that even analytics-focused roles now involve building automated insight pipelines using LLMs, going well beyond one-off reports.
Across the 26,159 AI roles we're tracking, Data Scientist positions make up 2% of the market. At Walmart, this role fits into their broader AI and engineering organization.
Data Scientist roles remain in high demand, though the definition keeps shifting. Companies increasingly want candidates who can bridge traditional statistics with modern ML and LLM capabilities. The 'pure insights' data scientist role is consolidating into analytics engineering, while the 'build models' data scientist role is merging with ML engineering.
What the Work Looks Like
A typical week includes: analyzing experiment results for a product feature launch, building a predictive model for customer churn, creating an automated reporting pipeline using LLM-powered summarization, presenting insights to stakeholders, and cleaning data (always cleaning data). The ratio of analysis to engineering varies by company, but expect both.
Data Scientist roles remain in high demand, though the definition keeps shifting. Companies increasingly want candidates who can bridge traditional statistics with modern ML and LLM capabilities. The 'pure insights' data scientist role is consolidating into analytics engineering, while the 'build models' data scientist role is merging with ML engineering.
Skills Required
Python, SQL, and statistical modeling are the foundation. Increasingly, roles want experience with LLMs for data analysis, automated insight generation, and building AI-powered data products. Familiarity with cloud data platforms (Snowflake, BigQuery, Databricks) and ML frameworks (scikit-learn, PyTorch) covers most job requirements.
Experimentation design and causal inference are underrated skills that separate strong candidates. Companies care about whether their product changes cause improvements, and can distinguish causation from correlation. A/B testing methodology, Bayesian statistics, and the ability to communicate uncertainty to non-technical stakeholders are high-value skills.
Good postings specify the data stack, the types of problems you'll work on, and the team structure. Look for companies that differentiate between analytics and ML data science. Vague 'data scientist' postings that list every skill under the sun usually mean the company doesn't know what they need.
Compensation Benchmarks
Data Scientist roles pay a median of $204,700 based on 441 positions with disclosed compensation. Senior-level AI roles across all categories have a median of $227,400. This role's midpoint ($214K) sits 5% above the category median. Disclosed range: $143K to $286K.
Across all AI roles, the market median is $184,000. Top-quartile compensation starts at $244,000. The 90th percentile reaches $309,400. For comparison, the highest-paying categories include AI Engineering Manager ($293,500) and AI Architect ($292,900). By seniority level: Entry: $76,880; Mid: $131,300; Senior: $227,400; Director: $244,288; VP: $234,620.
Walmart AI Hiring
Walmart has 36 open AI roles right now. They're hiring across AI/ML Engineer, Data Scientist, AI Software Engineer. Positions span Bentonville, AR, US, Sunnyvale, CA, US, Elwood, IL, US. Compensation range: $79K - $370K.
Location Context
Across all AI roles, 7% (1,863 positions) offer remote work, while 24,200 require on-site attendance. Top AI hiring metros: Los Angeles (1,695 roles, $178,000 median); New York (1,670 roles, $200,000 median); San Francisco (1,059 roles, $244,000 median).
Career Path
Common paths into Data Scientist roles include Data Analyst, Statistician, Quantitative Researcher.
From here, career progression typically leads toward Senior Data Scientist, ML Engineer, AI Product Manager.
Start with statistics and SQL. Build a real analysis project on public data that demonstrates insight generation alongside model building. The market values data scientists who can communicate findings clearly to business stakeholders. If you want to move toward ML engineering, invest in software engineering fundamentals and production deployment skills.
What to Expect in Interviews
Interviews combine statistics, coding, and business acumen. SQL is almost always tested, often with complex joins and window functions. Expect a case study round where you're given a business problem and asked to design an analysis plan. Coding rounds focus on pandas, statistical modeling, and visualization. The strongest differentiator is how well you communicate insights to non-technical stakeholders during presentation rounds.
When evaluating opportunities: Good postings specify the data stack, the types of problems you'll work on, and the team structure. Look for companies that differentiate between analytics and ML data science. Vague 'data scientist' postings that list every skill under the sun usually mean the company doesn't know what they need.
AI Hiring Overview
The AI job market has 26,159 open positions tracked in our dataset. By seniority: 2,416 entry-level, 16,247 mid-level, 5,153 senior, and 2,343 leadership roles (Director, VP, C-Level). Remote roles make up 7% of the market (1,863 positions). The remaining 24,200 roles require on-site or hybrid attendance.
The market median for AI roles is $184,000. Top-quartile compensation starts at $244,000. The 90th percentile reaches $309,400. Highest-paying categories: AI Engineering Manager ($293,500 median, 28 roles); AI Architect ($292,900 median, 108 roles); AI Safety ($274,200 median, 19 roles).
Data Scientist roles remain in high demand, though the definition keeps shifting. Companies increasingly want candidates who can bridge traditional statistics with modern ML and LLM capabilities. The 'pure insights' data scientist role is consolidating into analytics engineering, while the 'build models' data scientist role is merging with ML engineering.
The AI Job Market Today
The AI job market spans 26,159 open positions across 15 role categories. The largest categories by volume: AI/ML Engineer (23,752), AI Software Engineer (598), AI Product Manager (594). These three account for the majority of open positions, though smaller categories often have higher per-role compensation because of specialized skill requirements.
The seniority mix tells a story about where AI teams are in their maturity. Entry-level roles (2,416) are outnumbered by mid-level (16,247) and senior (5,153) positions, reflecting that most companies are past the 'build a team from scratch' phase and need experienced engineers who can ship production systems. Leadership roles (Director, VP, C-Level) total 2,343 positions, representing the bottleneck between technical execution and organizational strategy.
Remote work availability sits at 7% of all AI roles (1,863 positions), with 24,200 requiring on-site or hybrid attendance. The remote share has stabilized after the post-pandemic correction. Senior and specialized roles (Research Scientist, ML Architect) are more likely to be remote-eligible than entry-level positions, partly because experienced hires have more negotiating power and partly because these roles require less hands-on mentorship.
AI compensation is structured in clear tiers. The market median sits at $184,000. Top-quartile roles start at $244,000, and the 90th percentile reaches $309,400. These figures include base salary with disclosed compensation. Total compensation (including equity, bonuses, and sign-on) runs 20-40% higher at companies that offer those components.
Category matters for compensation. AI Engineering Manager roles lead at $293,500 median, while Prompt Engineer roles sit at $122,200. The spread between highest and lowest-paying categories reflects the premium on specialized technical skills versus broader analytical roles.
The most in-demand skills across all AI postings: Rag (16,749 postings), Aws (8,932 postings), Rust (7,660 postings), Python (3,815 postings), Azure (2,678 postings), Gcp (2,247 postings), Prompt Engineering (1,469 postings), Openai (1,269 postings). Python dominates, appearing in the vast majority of role descriptions regardless of category. Cloud platform experience (AWS, GCP, Azure) is the second most common requirement. The newer entrants to the top skills list (RAG, vector databases, LLM APIs) reflect the shift from traditional ML toward generative AI applications.
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