THE ROLE AND THE TEAM
Lounge by Zalando is an online shopping club for fashion and lifestyle products, serving millions of members across 20+ European markets. At the core of our high-growth strategy is pricing and assortment optimization. The Pricing Algorithms team is responsible for the Demand-based Pricing algorithm at Lounge.
As the Applied Science Manager, you will enable talented scientists and engineers to deliver effective and scientifically-sound solutions to one of our most impactful business problems. Developing a world-class pricing algorithm is a great opportunity to directly contribute to a key pillar of Lounge’s future success: machine learning, econometrics, and operations research drive our efforts to optimize discounts on ca. 5 billion EUR or goods each year.
We are looking for a leader with experience in guiding scientific work, delivering impact from science-based systems, and managing a large codebase. You will support a team of Applied Scientists and Software Engineers—managing the design, implementation, and iteration cycle for forecasts and price optimizations, while also ensuring the operational excellence of our production pricing system. This position is a unique opportunity to connect with exceptional talents from many different backgrounds, and lead one of the highest-impact teams at Lounge.
WHAT WE’D LOVE YOU TO DO (AND LOVE DOING)
•Lead a high-performing, interdisciplinary team of Applied Scientists and Engineers, leveraging your commercial acumen to translate complex algorithmic capabilities into tangible business value.
•Mentor and grow technical talent, guide career trajectories, and foster an inclusive, highly collaborative team culture.
•Lead the team in defining and executing roadmaps, skillfully navigating the inherent uncertainty and complexity of our projects. Oversee identification and development of high-impact pricing levers.
•Raise the bar for Applied Science excellence, inspiring the team to define and adopt cutting-edge best practices and engineering standards.
•Communicate and problem-solve effectively across all levels, acting as a trusted partner to product managers and commercial stakeholders.
WE’D LOVE TO MEET YOU IF…
•PhD or MSc in a quantitative field, with at least 5+ years of industry experience in Machine Learning, operations research, forecasting, economics, or other similar algorithmic fields.
•2+ years of experience in people and project leadership within ambiguous environments. You are familiar with agile or project management methodologies tailored to the unpredictable nature of R&D.
•Proven track record in developing solutions from initial idea to production.
•Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a proven ability to bring clarity and structure to ambiguous technical problems.
•Strong experience with Python in applied context. A solid understanding of software engineering tools and best practices to help smoothly translate scientific research