Senior Data Scientist - Relay

Senior Data Scientist @ RELAY

Relay is fundamentally reshaping how goods move in an online era. Backed by Europe’s largest-ever logistics Series A ($35M), led by deep-tech investors Plural (whose portfolio spans fusion energy and space exploration), Relay is scaling faster than 99.98% of venture-backed startups. We're assembling the most talent-dense team the logistics industry has ever seen

THE TEAM

• ~90 people, more than half in engineering, product and data
• 45+ advanced degrees across computer science, mathematics and operations research
• Thousands of data points captured, calculated, analysed and predicted for every single parcel we handle
• An intellectually vibrant culture of first‑principles thinking, tight feedback loops and relentless experimentation

Work Alongside Industry Leaders

Andy Turner – Director of Data

Andy Turner has built and led data teams across global enterprises and high growth scale ups on five continents. He has delivered cloud native platforms, launched AI products end to end, and holds patents for novel machine learning applications in the UK Capital Markets. Trained in statistics at Oxford, he pairs strong technical fundamentals with clear judgement, a commercial focus, and a bias to deliver.

Relay’s Mission

Relay exists to free commerce from friction. Today, high delivery costs act as a hidden tax on e-commerce, quietly shaping what can be sold online and limiting who can participate. We envision a world where more goods move more freely between more people, making the online shopping experience seamless and accessible to everyone.

In this future:

• Delivery feels invisible—free shipping is the default, and logistical friction disappears from consumers' minds.

• Retailers of all sizes thrive equally online, whether selling a £5 item or a £500 one, as delivery becomes universally efficient and cost-effective.

Just as the internet eliminates friction from communication, Relay removes friction from the movement of goods, enabling broader participation and creating new opportunities for merchants and consumers alike.

The Opportunity

Senior Data Scientist - Relay Network

The Network Data Science team is responsible for modelling, forecasting, and optimising how parcels, couriers, and costs flow through Relay’s delivery network. We work across the business to guide operational decisions, shape commercial strategy, and ensure the network scales sustainably. Example projects include:

• Forecasting parcel volumes at multiple horizons to inform hiring, shift allocation, pitstop scaling, and pricing

• Building operational and financial models to simulate trade-offs between cost, quality, and growth across the network

• Structuring fragmented datasets into usable insight using AI and programmatic approaches

• Embedding forecasting and planning models into live tooling used by operators, analysts, and finance teams

• Supporting strategic planning for new zone launches, infrastructure investment, and client expansion

• Acting as a thought partner to operations, commercial, and finance leads to bring a scientific lens to high-stakes planning and investment decisions

Senior Data Scientist - Attribution & Explainability

The Attribution & Explainability team acts as Relay’s internal detective squad, uncovering hidden inefficiencies, guiding smarter decisions, and driving meaningful impact across the business. Positioned at the centre of Relay’s operations, we partner with teams across logistics, finance, commercial, and beyond to bring clarity to complex problems and identify opportunities for improvement.

Our work helps illuminate which parts of the network are operating effectively and where bottlenecks, losses, or misalignments are occurring. Example projects include:

• Developing frameworks to identify where parcels are delayed or lost in the network, and designing interventions to resolve these bottlenecks

• Modelling the impact of future network expansion on operational constraints, helping to shape Relay’s long-term growth strategy

• Analysing marketplace dynamics to better understand the cost structures and incentives for last-mile couriers

• Collaborating with the broader data team to build forecasting models that inform high-level strategic planning

• Acting as a thought partner to operations, commercial, and finance leads, bringing a scientific, data-driven perspective to critical planning and investment decisions

Who Will Thrive in this role?

• 6+ years of experience in data science, with a strong record of delivering models into production

• Deep experience with Python and SQL

• Strong foundations in statistics and probability, with experience applying them in operational and/or financial contexts

• Comfort working in ambiguity and navigating messy or incomplete data

• Effective communication skills — you can explain technical results clearly to non-technical audiences

• Comfortable having strategic conversations with senior stakeholders, working across functions and disciplines to drive impact

Who Thrives at Relay?

Relayers share core traits, captured in our guiding principles, "The Relay Edge":

• Aim with Precision: You define problems clearly and measure your impact meticulously.

• Play to Win: You chase bold bets, tackle the hard stuff, and view constraints as fuel, not friction.

• 1% Better Every Day: You believe that small, consistent improvements lead to exponential growth. You move quickly, deliver results, and learn from every experience.

• All In, All the Time: You show up and step up. You take ownership from start to finish and do what it takes to deliver when it counts.

• People-Powered Greatness: You invest in your teammates. You give and receive feedback with care and candour. You build trust through high standards and shared success.

• Grow the Whole Pie: You seek out win-win solutions for merchants, couriers, and our customers, because when they thrive, so do we.

Compensation & Benefits

• Generous equity, richer than 99% of European startups, with annual top-ups to share Relay’s success.

• Private health & dental coverage, so comprehensive you’d need to be a partner at a Magic Circle law firm to match it.

• 25 days of holidays

• Enhanced parental leave.

• Hardware of your choice.

• Extensive perks (gym subsidies, cycle-to-work, Friday office lunch, covered Uber home and dinner for late nights, and more).

Fast and Focused Hiring Process

1. Talent Acquisition Interview - 30mins

2. Hiring Manager Discussion - 45mins

3. Python Live Coding - 60mins

4. Case Study - 60mins

5. Relay Operating Principles & Impact- 60mins

6. Decision and offer within 48 hours. Our process mirrors our pace of work.

Relay is an equal‑opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.