Home Jobs Principal Applied Scientist - Customer Care Technology
Back to Jobs

Principal Applied Scientist - Customer Care Technology - Job Opportunity at Zalando SE

Berlin, Germany
Full-time
Senior
Posted: March 5, 2025
Hybrid
EUR 120,000 - 160,000 annually based on Berlin market rates for Principal Scientists and competitive e-commerce industry compensation

Benefits

Competitive employee shares program indicating long-term investment in staff retention
Premium 40% fashion discount demonstrating industry-leading staff perks
30 remote work days abroad annually - above market standard for flexibility
27 vacation days exceeding German market average
Comprehensive relocation package showing commitment to international talent
Advanced health and wellness benefits including Gympass and mental health support
Family-focused support services demonstrating work-life balance commitment
Hybrid work model with 60% remote flexibility

Key Responsibilities

Lead AI/ML strategy development and implementation for customer care technology
Drive innovation in LLM applications for customer service automation
Architect and deploy enterprise-scale ML systems for customer experience optimization
Guide technical direction and mentor team members in AI/ML best practices
Develop and implement customer satisfaction metrics and optimization strategies
Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to align technical solutions with business objectives
Research and implement cutting-edge NLP and ML technologies
Ensure scalability and performance of AI-driven customer care systems

Requirements

Education

PhD or equivalent experience in Computer Science, Machine Learning, or related field

Experience

8+ years

Required Skills

Deep NLP/AI expertise LLM experience (GPT, Vertex, Llama) ML systems architecture Python (pandas, numpy, matplotlib) ML/DL frameworks (scikit-learn, TensorFlow, Keras, PyTorch) Docker, Git, cloud platforms (AWS) SQL Databricks
Advertisement
Ad Space

Sauge AI Market Intelligence

Industry Trends

The e-commerce customer care sector is rapidly transitioning towards AI-driven solutions, with LLMs becoming central to automated support systems This role reflects the industry-wide shift from traditional customer service to AI-augmented experience management There is increasing emphasis on balancing automation with human-centered support, particularly in European markets

Role Significance

Likely leads a team of 5-8 applied scientists and engineers, with matrix management across product and engineering teams
Principal level position with direct impact on customer experience strategy and technical direction of a major European e-commerce platform

Key Projects

Development of next-generation customer service automation platforms using LLMs Implementation of scalable ML systems for customer interaction analysis Creation of AI-driven tools for customer service representative augmentation

Success Factors

Deep understanding of both technical ML concepts and practical customer service challenges Ability to balance innovation with practical implementation constraints Strong leadership skills in guiding technical teams while maintaining stakeholder relationships Experience in scaling ML systems in production environments

Market Demand

Very high demand position due to the convergence of e-commerce growth and AI advancement, with limited talent pool having both deep ML expertise and customer care domain knowledge

Important Skills

Critical Skills

LLM expertise is crucial as it forms the foundation of next-generation customer service systems ML systems architecture experience is essential for scaling solutions across a major e-commerce platform Strong Python and cloud platform knowledge for implementing production-ready solutions

Beneficial Skills

Experience with multiple European languages for multi-market solutions Understanding of e-commerce customer service workflows Knowledge of European data privacy regulations

Unique Aspects

Rare opportunity to work on cutting-edge LLM applications in a production e-commerce environment
Direct impact on millions of customer interactions across European markets
Combination of research-level ML work with practical business applications

Career Growth

2-4 years in role before advancement, depending on business impact and organizational growth

Potential Next Roles

Chief AI Officer Head of Customer Experience Technology Director of Applied Science VP of Engineering

Company Overview

Zalando SE

Zalando is Europe's leading online fashion platform, known for its technological innovation and customer-centric approach

Market leader in European e-commerce fashion with significant investment in AI/ML capabilities
Central role in Berlin tech hub with significant influence across European markets
Innovation-driven environment with strong emphasis on technical excellence and diversity
Advertisement
Ad Space
Apply Now

Data Sources & Analysis Information

Job Listings Data

The job listings displayed on this platform are sourced through BrightData's comprehensive API, ensuring up-to-date and accurate job market information.

Sauge AI Market Intelligence

Our advanced AI system analyzes each job listing to provide valuable insights including:

  • Industry trends and market dynamics
  • Salary estimates and market demand analysis
  • Role significance and career growth potential
  • Critical success factors and key skills
  • Unique aspects of each position

This integration of reliable job data with AI-powered analysis helps provide you with comprehensive insights for making informed career decisions.