Data Scientist – Decision Support, Analytics and Automation

When it comes to being wild, we know a thing or two. We’re not afraid of trying something new or the hard work it takes to make it happen. It’s in our DNA. We’ve turned a family recipe into a new snacking category. And the wilderness into the world’s largest meat snack business, that’s still proudly family owned and operated.

We’re a company built by innovators, and are driven to not only satisfy your hunger, but to also feed your journey – whether that journey is on the road, on the run, at the campground, at the playground, in the office or in the moment. It’s a journey we share with you. It’s the journey forward of our people, of our communities, of our category…with a reverence for quality and an irreverence for the status quo.

At Jack Link’s Protein Snacks, we see every moment of every day as an opportunity to move forward, to forge new ground. To realize our vision of becoming the World’s #1 Protein Snack Company. We never give up. You never give up. Together, we keep going. Are you wild enough to join us?

Jack Link’s Protein Snacks is a global leader in snacking and the No. 1 meat snack manufacturer worldwide. Family-owned and operated with headquarters in Minong, Wisconsin, Jack Link’s Protein Snacks also has a large corporate hub in Downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company is made up of over 4,000 passionate team members, across 11 countries, who share an uncompromising commitment to delivering awesome products and feeding the journey of those who move things forward. The Jack Link’s Protein Snacks portfolio of brands includes, Jack Link’s, Lorissa’s Kitchen, MATADOR Jerky, BiFi and Peperami.

JOB SUMMARY

Jack Link’s is building an end-to-end decision support capability that integrates forecasting, measurement, optimization, and scenario planning to power commercial decisions across sales, marketing, finance, and planning. In this hands-on role, you will design, build, and productionize machine learning, optimization, and agentic AI solutions—delivering accurate forecasts, trusted measurement, and practical “what-if” scenarios that drive growth, margin, and efficiency. You will also lead the development and orchestration of AI agents and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) workflows to automate and augment commercial work. This is a hands-on ML engineering role with strong business partnership and technical leadership responsibilities, supported by a collaborative team of product owners, developers, data engineers, and architects. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop, scale, and optimize forecasting and scenario planning capabilities to support strategic and operational decisions. 
• Evolve measurement programs focused on commercial investment evaluation, forecasting accuracy, and planning effectiveness—especially in trade optimization. 
• Evolve optimization analytics to improve resource allocation decisioning (e.g., trade spend, pricing, PPA, promo mix) 
• Design, develop, and deploy AI agents within the commercial data and analytics ecosystem to drive automation, productivity, and measurable business impact. 
• Implement MLOps and AIOps best practices using Azure Machine Learning, Azure DevOps, and Microsoft Fabric for model lifecycle management, CI/CD, and automated monitoring. 
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate advanced analytics into business workflows and ensure scalability and governance. 
• Continuously monitor and optimize models for accuracy, fairness, and compliance with enterprise standards. 
• Perform other duties as assigned.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a Team Member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The work environment is a plant/office setting with varying degrees of temperatures and noise levels. Exposure to manufacturing equipment movement and wet/slippery floors. However, the vast amount of work is conducted in a climate-controlled office. Travel may be required.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a Team Member to be successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job the Team Member is regularly required to sit, use hands and fingers, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The Team Member is occasionally required to stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms. The Team Member must occasionally lift and/or more up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

• Bachelor’s degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Statistics, or related field.
• 5+ years of full-time, professional experience in data science, analytics, or similar.  
• Demonstrates a deep interest and strong understanding of consumer behavior and decision-making, including behavioral economics principles, purchasing dynamics, and responses to marketing stimuli, to inform data-driven solutions and business applications 
• Possesses strong training in statistics and data science, enabling discernment in identifying, evaluating, and selecting the most appropriate methodological approaches for complex analytical and forecasting challenges. 
• Hands on experience working with enterprise, consumer, and market performance data.  
• Proficiency in Python for data science and automation. 
• Strong understanding of forecasting models, scenario planning, and optimization techniques.  
• Hands on experience with 2 or more scenario planning techniques: Monte Carlo Simulation, Digital Twin Modeling, Sensitivity Analysis, What-Ifs, and Optimization Algorithms. 
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines, model monitoring, and governance frameworks. 
• Excellent communication skills to translate analytics into actionable insights.  

Preferred Qualifications 

• Master’s degree in Data Science, Analytics, or quantitative related field. 
• Experience working in CPG, Retail and E-Comm, Media and Entertainment, Tech platform (Meta, TikTok etc.) or at a specialized commercial analytics/measurement firm. 
• Hands-on experience with Azure Machine Learning, Azure DevOps, and Microsoft Fabric. 
• Experience deploying AI agents or intelligent automation solutions in enterprise environments. 
• Experience with data engineering principles, including ETL, data quality, and integration. 
• Familiarity with Microsoft Power BI or other visualization tools for reporting and insights. 

The salary range for this role is $130,000 - $150,000 (Annually).  Actual salaries will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to external market data, internal equity, location, and candidate skill set and experience. Base pay is just one component of Jack Link’s Total Rewards package for Team Members. Other rewards may include annual incentive and program-specific awards. Jack Link’s provides a variety of benefits to eligible Team Members, including medical, dental and vision benefits, life and disability insurance, 401k participation, paid holidays, and paid time off.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:
Jack Link’s provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic that is protected by federal, state or local law.

E-VERIFY:
Jack Link’s is participant in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees.  For information about the E-Verify program, please visit:  http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify/employees

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.