Head of Applied Science & Engineering - Search

Role: We are looking for a Head of Applied Science to lead the scientific strategy and execution for Search across Europe’s largest fashion & lifestyle platform. This leader will define the long-term vision for Search relevance and discovery, leveraging machine learning, AI, and experimentation to help millions of customers find the right products quickly and confidently. You will lead a team of managers and principal applied scientists & engineers responsible for developing and deploying state-of-the-art query understanding, retrieval, and ranking models for Search, working closely with Product, Engineering, Analytics, and Design. Responsibilities: - Define and drive the long‑term Applied Science strategy, aligning roadmap investments with customer needs and business priorities. - Lead the development of advanced ML models for query understanding, retrieval, ranking, and personalization to improve Search relevance. - Build and inspire high‑performing teams of Applied Scientists and ML engineers, fostering a culture of scientific rigor, mentorship, and continuous learning. - Optimize for business outcomes by balancing relevance, diversity, monetization, and operational efficiency. - Accelerate innovation by investing in scalable machine learning platforms, data infrastructure, and experimentation frameworks. - Establish best practices for model governance, offline evaluation, online experimentation, and standardized scientific methods across teams. - Drive adoption of emerging AI/ML techniques and collaborate cross‑functionally with Product, Engineering, UX, and leadership to define priorities and influence broader strategy. Qualifications: - Proven experience leading high‑performing Applied Science or Machine Learning organizations. - Track record of defining technical vision and delivering business impact through AI and machine learning. - Ability to attract, develop, and retain exceptional scientific talent. - Deep expertise in machine learning, information retrieval, learning‑to‑rank, NLP, or related disciplines. - Strong understanding of experimentation, causal inference, statistical modeling, and evaluation methodologies. - Experience deploying and operating large‑scale machine learning systems in production. - Demonstrated ability to translate customer problems into scientific solutions that deliver measurable business impact. - Experience balancing customer experience, operational considerations, and commercial objectives. - Strong strategic thinking with the ability to prioritize long‑term investments alongside near‑term delivery. - Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills. What We Offer: - 27 days of holiday per year (full‑time) - 2 paid volunteering days per year - Employee shares program - 40% discount on fashion and beauty products sold and shipped by Zalando, 30% discount on Lounge by Zalando, plus external partner discounts - Relocation assistance (subject to prior agreement) - Family services, including counseling and support - Health and wellbeing options (including Wellhub, formerly Gympass) - Mental health support and coaching - Development opportunities through training platform and biannual peer‑to‑peer review