Hilti

Role Overview

At Hilti, we drive innovation and accelerate the development of AI solutions to make a measurable impact for our customers in the global construction industry. As a Data Science pod lead, you will lead a small (2-4 people) team of Data Scientists working on high-impact AI use cases across marketing, sales, and digital platforms, driving the development and delivery of end-to-end AI solutions that create measurable business impact. You will combine strong technical expertise (ML + GenAI) with leadership and strategic ownership: shaping solution design, aligning stakeholders, developing your team, and ensuring that solutions scale and deliver sustained value.

What you’ll do

1) Business, Strategy & Impact Ownership

• Own the identification, prioritization, and delivery of AI use cases aligned with business and customer needs, improving digital net sales, productivity, and customer experience.
• Define success metrics and evaluation approaches; connect model outcomes to business decisions and measurable impact.

• Translate business strategy into a clear Data Science roadmap and ensure alignment with senior stakeholders.
• Communicate progress, risks, and outcomes clearly to non-technical stakeholders and senior leadership.

2) Data Science Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Data Scientists, fostering both technical excellence and strong business understanding.
• Set clear objectives, provide continuous feedback, and support career development and growth of team members.
• Support hiring and onboarding to build a strong and balanced team.
• Ensure effective resource allocation and workload balancing across initiatives.

3) Governance, Prioritization & Pod Ownership

• Own the Data Science pod structure, ensuring clear roles, responsibilities, and efficient collaboration within and across teams.
• Drive governance and prioritization processes, aligning closely with CPOs, Product Owners, and stakeholders to focus on the highest-value initiatives.
• Ensure transparency in prioritization, trade-offs, and resource allocation across the portfolio of use cases.
• Continuously improve ways of working, processes, and coordination between Data Science and cross-functional teams.

4) Delivery Leadership, Quality & Ways of Working

• Own project planning, scope, and execution trade-offs; align timelines, dependencies, and milestones with stakeholders.
• Drive technical design decisions and document them; proactively identify risks and escalate early to keep delivery on track.
• Champion quality standards (testing, code review, documentation, monitoring principles) to ensure robust solutions that provide continuous value.
• Coach and mentor other team members through pairing, feedback, and knowledge sharing; strengthen team methodology and craftsmanship.
• Thrive in an agile environment and adapt quickly to evolving business needs and fast-moving AI technologies. 

4) Technical Leadership & Solution Design (ML + GenAI)

• Provide technical guidance on end-to-end Data Science solutions using machine learning, statistical methods, and GenAI approaches (including agentic/multi-agent patterns where relevant).
• Stay close to technical work to guide design decisions, unblock teams, and ensure high-quality outcomes.
• Promote best practices in modeling, experimentation, reproducibility, and engineering standards.
• Ensure alignment with data platform, architecture, and enterprise standards.

5) Delivery Excellence, Quality & Ways of Working

• Own delivery across multiple projects: planning, scope, dependencies, and execution trade-offs.
• Ensure strong engineering practices (testing, code review, documentation, monitoring) to deliver robust and scalable solutions.
• Proactively identify risks, resolve blockers, and ensure timely delivery of impactful solutions.
• Champion structured ways of working and an agile mindset adapted to fast-evolving AI technologies.

6) Cross-Functional Collaboration & AI Strategy Contribution

• Work with global cross-functional journey teams to ensure alignment, adoption, and impact of AI solutions.
• Influence across marketing, sales, and digital platform stakeholders to ensure teams focus on solving the right problems.
• Contribute to the broader AI strategy and innovation pipeline by identifying new opportunities, engaging with emerging technologies, and supporting strategic initiatives.

What you’ll bring 

• Master’s degree or PhD in a quantitative discipline (Computer Science, Mathematics, or related scientific fields). 
• 6+ years of full-time experience as a Data Scientist, ML Engineer, or AI Engineer, withat least 2+experience in leadership or team management roles. 
• Proven hands-on experience in Machine Learning, GenAI, multi-agent frameworks, andproduction-grade systems; strong curiosity and passion for the field.
• Strong Python proficiency and software engineering fundamentals.
• Demonstrated experience leading teams, managing stakeholders, anddeliveringbusiness impact through AI solutions.

• Excellent problem-solvingskills, attention to detail, and ability to collaborate in cross-functional teams with diverse stakeholders and goals.
• Strong communication skills in English, with the abilityto explain complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
• Experience withresourceplanning, governance, prioritization processes,and articulating trade-offs between cost and benefits.

What’s in it for you

Joining Hilti Digital & Marketing Services (HDMS) means becoming part of a modern, people‑centered workplace with benefits designed to help you thrive both professionally and personally, a truly international environment that values diverse perspectives, fuels innovation, and encourages cross‑cultural collaboration, supportive, close‑knit leadership offering clarity, coaching, and meaningful involvement in decision‑making, challenging responsibilities that strike the right balance between autonomy and teamwork, ownership of your career, giving you the freedom and support to shape your own development path, and also:

• Hybrid working model, with the option to work from home up to 50% of the time.
• Comprehensive health insurance fully covered for you and your family.
• Competitive pension scheme to support longterm financial security.
• Annual Solidarity Day, allowing you to volunteer for social causes that matter to you.
• On‑site crèche facility (subject to availability) to support employees with young children.
• Legal assistance program (EKIE) providing guidance on various legal and administrative matters.