Data Scientist

McDonald’s growth strategy, Accelerating the Arches, encompasses all aspects of our business as the leading global omni-channel restaurant brand. As the consumer landscape shifts we are using our competitive advantages to further strengthen our brand. One of our core growth strategies is to Double Down on the 3Ds (Delivery, Digital and Drive Thru). McDonald’s will accelerate technology innovation so 65M+ customers a day will experience a fast, easy experience, whether at one of our 25,000 and growing Drive thrus, through McDelivery, dine-in or takeaway. 

McDonald’s Global Technology is here to power tomorrow’s feel-good moments.That’s why you’ll find us at the forefront of transformative technology, exploring new and innovative ways to serve our millions of customers and spread happiness one delicious Hot Fudge Sundae-dipped fry at a time. Using AI, robotics and emerging tech, we’re digitizing the Golden Arches. Combine that with our unparalleled global scale, and we’re reshaping all areas of the business, industry and every community that is home to a McDonald’s restaurant. We face complex tech challenges every day. But that’s where our diverse and talented teams come in. They’re made up of the best and brightest from all over the globe, and they thrive in the space where feel-good meets fast-paced.  

Check out the McDonald’s  Global Technology Technical Blog to learn how technology and our global team are directly enabling the Accelerating the Arches strategy. 

McDonald’s is looking for a talented Analytics professional to join our growing Data Science and Analytics organization. This role will interact with both the central corporate headquarters as well as the various regional and global offices.

We are looking to hire a Data Scientist who is passionate about generating business value through advanced analytics. This role will include building predictive models and other analytics solutions and will also include a component of managing projects and building relationships with stakeholders and partners. A successful Data Scientist will be a thought leader with the ability to design optimal solutions for business problems and clearly communicate and translate technical concepts to stakeholders. The position requires someone that seeks to supplement their skills using project experience, self-study, and ongoing training.

Role and Responsibilities:

• Partner with business teams to understand challenges and design scalable solutions
• Apply statistical and machine learning methods to analyze large, complex data sets
• Identify and understand necessary data sources for projects and develop efficient methods for data cleaning and transformation
• Collaborate with Global Technology to ensure that solutions meet current standards and best practices
• Calculate and track the business value generated by analytics solutions
• Build presentations to clearly communicate project statuses and results to stakeholders
• Continuously learn and develop new skills in data science, machine learning operations, and relevant technologies and platforms
• Establish best practices for data analysis and experimentation and communicate these to relevant teams to support organizational goals
• Apply scientific rigor and statistical methods to address various business challenges and drive improvements
• Collaborate cross-functionally to share insights and work with diverse teams to support various projects and initiatives

Benefits eligible: Yes
Bonus eligible: Yes
Long term incentive eligible: Yes
The expected salary range for this role is $129,800 – $165,490 per year 
The above represents the expected salary range for this job requisition. Ultimately, in determining your pay, we may also consider your experience, and other job-related factors.

• Bachelor’s degree and 6+ years of experience in Data Science
• Advanced degree in Data Science, Statistics, Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related discipline a plus
• Experience in operations research a plus
• Deep understanding of high-performance ML algorithms (e.g., gradient-boosted decision trees, deep neural networks, prescriptive analytics models such as linear programming, simulation models, and recommendation systems)
• Strong grasp of statistical techniques, including parameter estimation, hypothesis testing, and regression analysis
• Advanced experience in Python/R/SQL, preferably with cloud deployment experience
• Proven experience leading projects and forming partnerships across teams
• Understanding of how analytics solutions create business value and the ability to quantify and communicate this value
• Experience in building models that have been successfully deployed to production
• Familiarity with big data batch and streaming tools (e.g., Spark, AWS tools, Hadoop) is a plus
• A scientifically rigorous approach to analysis and data, with a keen sense of skepticism, attention to detail, and commitment to high-quality, results-oriented output
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey insights to both technical and non-technical partners
• A collaborative team player who can work effectively with cross-functional leadership to translate insights into actionable strategies
• Self-starter with a high level of intellectual curiosity
• Strong analytical and problem-solving mindset
• Ability to build trust and rapport, fostering a comfortable and effective workplace

Benefits eligible: This position offers health and welfare benefits, a 401(k) plan, adoption assistance program, educational assistance program, flexible ways of working, and time off policies (including sick leave, parental leave, and vacation/PTO). Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on job classification and length of employment. 

Bonus eligible: This position is eligible for a bonus, calculated based on individual and company performance.

Long term Incentive eligible: This position is eligible for stock or other equity grants pursuant to McDonald’s long-term incentive plan.

McDonald’s is an equal opportunity employer committed to the diversity of our workforce. We promote an inclusive work environment that creates feel-good moments for everyone. McDonald’s provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities as part of the application or hiring process or to perform the essential functions of their job. If you need assistance accessing or reading this job posting or otherwise feel you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process, please contact [email protected]. Reasonable accommodations will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

McDonald’s provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to sex, sex stereotyping, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), race, color, religion, ancestry or national origin, age, disability status, medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, protected military or veteran status, citizenship status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Nothing in this job posting or description should be construed as an offer or guarantee of employment.