About this opportunity
DataJobs lists this Lead Data Scientist - Recommendations opportunity in minneapolis, Minnesota. Review the employer’s description below for duties, qualifications and application requirements.
Job description
Target is hiring a Lead Data Scientist to lead machine learning recommendations and personalization that support Target’s digital guest experiences.
Responsibilities
Provide technical leadership for machine learning systems powering Target’s digital recommendations and personalization.
Collaborate with data scientists, engineers, product managers, and business stakeholders to identify opportunities to improve guest experiences through recommendation, retrieval, ranking, and personalization at large scale.
Lead end-to-end model work: design, development, evaluation, and deployment of machine learning models that influence how millions of guests discover products across Target digital experiences.
Convert ambiguous business goals into scalable algorithmic solutions delivering measurable guest and business outcomes.
Drive projects from problem definition through production deployment and measurement , balancing innovation with operational excellence and long-term maintainability.
Shape the technical direction of Target’s recommendation capabilities by establishing best practices for model development, evaluation, and measurement and influencing decisions across product, engineering, and data science teams.
Mentor and develop other scientists to raise the technical bar; contribute to the growth of Target’s data science community through collaboration, thought leadership, and adoption of emerging machine learning techniques and technologies.
Communicate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Requirements
PhD or MS in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Operations Research, or a related quantitative field, with 2+ years of industry experience.
5+ years developing machine learning solutions scaling systems for recommendation, personalization, ranking, retrieval, or search.
Experience with reinforcement learning and/or contextual bandit design, implementation, and evaluation.
Experience leading development, evaluation, and deployment of machine learning solutions and partnering with engineering teams to deliver scalable production systems.
Strong programming in Python and SQL ; experience with deep learning frameworks such as PyTorch or JAX .
Experience with large-scale data processing and analytics platforms such as Spark (or equivalent).
Deep understanding of machine learning, deep learning, optimization, statistics, probability, and experimental design.
Experience designing, analyzing, and interpreting online experiments and using results to inform product and business decisions.
Demonstrated ability to translate ambiguous business challenges into scalable machine learning solutions.
Demonstrated ability to influence technical direction and align product, engineering, and business stakeholders.
Experience leveraging modern AI and generative AI tools to accelerate development, experimentation, and model delivery.
Excellent communication skills for technical and non-technical audiences.
Strong software engineering fundamentals: testing , code reviews , documentation , and maintainable system design.
Technologies
Python
SQL
PyTorch
JAX
Spark
Location and Work Arrangement
Minneapolis, MN (hybrid)
May be considered for remote or hybrid work arrangement under Target’s “Flex for Your Day ” program.
Remote arrangement: full-time from home or an alternate non-Target location, no desk at a Target location, travel to HQ up to 4 times per year .
Hybrid/Flex: core role may be performed remote or onsite at a Target location based on role, team, and day-to-day tasks.
Work duties cannot be performed outside the country of the primary work location unless otherwise prescribed by Target.
Compensation
USD 132,000 - 238,000 per year
Benefits
Comprehensive health benefits and programs (may include medical, vision, dental, life insurance and more)
401(k)
Employee discount
Short term disability
Long term disability
Paid sick leave
Paid national holidays
Paid vacation
Find competitive benefits from financial and education to well-being and beyond
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ADA Information
Target provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities in compliance with state and federal laws.
For accommodation needs during the application or interview process, contact:
Non-accommodation requests (application follow-ups or technical issues) will not be addressed via this channel.
Application deadline: 10/29/2026
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Worksite address
minneapolis, MN, 55400, US
Who can apply
Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.