Senior Applied Scientist - Warehouse Fulfillment Quality Algorithms

About the role

As a Senior Applied Scientist you will join a team of software engineers and applied scientists focused on maintaining Zalando's delivery time promise. You will translate real‑world logistics problems into mathematical models and design algorithms, while also building and maintaining the software systems that run these algorithms.

Key responsibilities

• Model, solve, and implement research‑driven software frameworks for warehouse fulfillment quality.
• Own the full development cycle from business requirement analysis and prototyping to production‑ready implementation, testing and operational support.
• Collaborate closely with software engineers to align algorithmic solutions with system constraints and influence future system design.
• Apply abstract thinking to identify correlations between problems, methodologies and solutions, continuously pushing technical boundaries.

Required profile

• Strong academic background in combinatorial optimization and ability to recognise these concepts in complex real‑world problems.
• Preference for simple, elegant solutions while understanding when advanced algorithms are necessary.
• Professional software engineering experience, ideally with a JVM‑based language, and a willingness to deepen software engineering skills.
• Interest in logistics order‑processing domain and ability to work in an agile, cross‑functional team.
• Excellent English communication skills for conveying complex concepts internationally.

Required skills

• Combinatorial optimization
• JVM‑based programming language (e.g., Java, Scala)
• Software engineering best practices

What we offer

• 27 days of holiday per year, increasing with tenure
• Discounts on fashion and beauty products, plus external partner offers
• Family support services, pension scheme, employee shares, and health & wellbeing options
• Development opportunities through training platforms and peer‑to‑peer reviews
• Relocation assistance where applicable