Senior Principal Applied Scientist (all genders)

Description

The Size & Fit team works on a core problem in online fashion: helping shoppers pick the right size and fit of clothes and shoes so they feel confident buying. Better fit means happier customers, fewer returns and sustainable, profitable growth.

The team is made up of applied scientists, software engineers, product managers and design experts who work together on solutions that deliver results quickly and can scale. It runs proven, widely used tools such as ML-based size recommendations, and it also iterates fast on newer AI, including diffusion models, image and video generation and 3D try-on.

The role is Sr. Principal Applied Scientist. You will apply your scientific depth and leadership to these problems, using large proprietary datasets to run hands-on research and build production systems serving over 50 million customers. You will work with GenAI and computer vision models that help customers express their fit preferences, advise on the scientific roadmap and mentor other scientists.

Responsibilities

• Raise the scientific standard in computer vision and machine learning by encouraging rigorous peer review and sharing of knowledge.
• Work with Product Management and Design to shape requirements, turning vague business goals into technical solutions, MVPs and iterative roadmaps.
• Keep up with computer vision methods such as GANs and diffusion models, as well as broader AI and ML. Encourage the team to publish at major conferences. Interest in data engineering and ML engineering is a bonus.
• Set up repeatable, agile processes and advise on them. Make sure the team's systems meet high standards for MLOps and reliability.
• Support the growth of junior and senior team members through candid, non-defensive feedback, performance management and coaching toward world-class research and engineering.

Requirements

• A PhD in computer science, machine learning, computer vision, AI or a closely related field, plus 5+ years of post-doctoral experience in industry or academia.
• A long record of taking large-scale ML projects through the full lifecycle: problem analysis, data work, literature review, production deployment, monitoring and ongoing maintenance.
• Deep hands-on skill in building and deploying AI/ML models, including Python, PyTorch and modern ML frameworks. You can prototype and iterate quickly and ship scalable solutions to hard business problems.
• In-depth experience in 3D computer vision (such as GenAI, diffusion models, NeRFs, Gaussian splatting and 3D reconstruction) and/or scaling modern AI/ML techniques to high-impact business problems.
• Fluent English, and able to explain complex ideas clearly to technical peers and senior leaders so decisions get made on time.
• An active mentor who develops and promotes junior and senior applied scientists.
• A strong, proven publication record in venues such as CVPR, ICCV, ECCV, NeurIPS, ICLR, ICML, PAMI or IJCV.
• Apply even if you do not meet every requirement. You may be a good fit for this or other roles.

Conditions

Hybrid working, with up to 60% remote work per week. Day-to-day practice is set by each team to suit how it collaborates.

Work from abroad for up to 30 working days a year.

25 days of paid vacation a year for full-time employees.

Candidates are assessed only on qualifications, merit and business needs. Applications are welcome from everyone, and you do not need to include a photo, age or marital status in your CV.

Tell the company about any accommodations you may need during the hiring process.

Benefits

• Employee share programme.
• 40% off fashion and beauty products sold and shipped by the company, 30% off Lounge by the company, and discounts from external partners.
• 2 paid volunteering days a year.
• Health and wellbeing options, including SportAbo in Zurich.
• Swiss SBB Halbtax (half-fare travelcard).
• Mental health support and coaching.
• Training platform and biannual peer-to-peer reviews to support your development.