Job Summary

Startup Inno is seeking a highly experienced and innovative Lead Data Scientist – Search & Recommendation Systems to drive the design, development, and optimization of intelligent search and recommendation platforms. In this leadership role, you will be responsible for building scalable machine learning models that enhance user experience, increase engagement, and deliver highly personalized content and product recommendations.

You will work closely with engineering, product, and business stakeholders to translate complex business challenges into data-driven solutions. As a technical leader, you will mentor a team of data scientists and play a key role in defining the companys data science strategy in the area of search relevance, ranking, and personalization.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end development of search and recommendation systems, from data exploration and feature engineering to model deployment and monitoring.

• Design and implement ranking algorithms, collaborative filtering, content-based and hybrid recommendation models.

• Optimize search relevance using NLP techniques, semantic search, embeddings, and learning-to-rank methods.

• Collaborate with product managers and software engineers to integrate models into production systems.

• Define experimentation frameworks (A/B testing, online/offline evaluation) to measure model performance and business impact.

• Mentor and guide junior data scientists, providing technical direction and code reviews.

• Establish best practices for data science workflows, model versioning, and reproducibility.

• Communicate insights and recommendations clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Strong proficiency in Python and data science libraries (NumPy, Pandas, Scikit-learn, PyTorch/TensorFlow).

• Deep understanding of machine learning algorithms, especially for recommendation systems and information retrieval.

• Hands-on experience with NLP, embeddings (Word2Vec, BERT, transformers), and semantic search.

• Solid knowledge of SQL and experience working with large-scale datasets.

• Experience with big data tools and platforms such as Spark, Hadoop, or cloud-based data services (AWS, GCP, Azure).

• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to translate business needs into technical solutions.

• Excellent communication and leadership skills.

Experience

• 7+ years of experience in data science, machine learning, or applied AI roles.

• At least 3 years in a leadership or senior technical role.

• Proven experience building and deploying search, ranking, or recommendation systems in production environments.

• Experience working in fast-paced startup or product-driven environments is a strong advantage.

Working Hours

• Full-time position.

• Flexible working hours with a hybrid or remote-friendly model.

• Core collaboration hours aligned with global teams.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong understanding of user behavior analytics and personalization strategies.

• Ability to work with unstructured and semi-structured data.

• Knowledge of MLOps practices, CI/CD for ML, and model monitoring.

• Strategic thinking with a business-oriented mindset.

• Ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and manage multiple priorities effectively.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based incentives.

• Equity or stock options in a high-growth startup.

• Flexible work arrangements (remote/hybrid).

• Health insurance and wellness programs.

• Learning and development budget for conferences, certifications, and courses.

• Collaborative, innovative, and inclusive work culture.

Why Join Startup Inno?

At Startup Inno, you will be part of a forward-thinking organization where data and innovation drive everything we do. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of intelligent search and recommendation systems at scale. You will work with cutting-edge technologies, influence product strategy, and lead a talented team in building impactful AI-driven solutions that directly affect millions of users.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit their updated resume along with a brief cover letter highlighting their experience in search and recommendation systems. Applications can be sent through our official careers page or directly to the Startup Inno recruitment team. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for technical and leadership interviews.