Lead Data Scientist

Take your career further with McLane!

McLane teammates, the driving force behind our success, are diverse professionals who work together seamlessly to keep our operations running smoothly. As a teammate, you will pair your dedication, expertise, and collaborative spirit with your fellow teammates to serve America's most beloved brands. McLane leaders think long-term, act with purpose, and inspire high performance. They lead with accountability, communicate clearly, and drive results through collaboration, innovation, and continuous growth. They empower each teammate to learn from industry leaders, develop their skills, and build lasting connections nationwide.

We're looking for a hands-on Lead Data Scientist to drive high impact analytics, machine learning, and AI solutions from concept to production. This role blends deep technical expertise with leadership, setting direction, mentoring others, and turning complex data into measurable business outcomes.

This is a hybrid position which will require the candidate to report and work from the office at least three days a week. Therefore, interested candidates should be within a 50-minute radius from Temple, TX.

Benefits you can count on:

• Day 1 Benefits: medical, dental, and vision insurance, FSA/HSA, and company-paid life insurance.
• Paid time off begins day one.
• 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan after 90 days.
• Additional benefits: pet insurance, maternity/paternity leave, employee assistance programs, discount programs, tuition reimbursement program, and more!

What You'll Do

• Lead the design, development, and deployment of advanced data science and ML/AI solutions.
• Own end to end model lifecycle: problem framing, feature engineering, training, validation, deployment, and monitoring.
• Build and deploy production grade models using Python, statistics, and modern ML techniques.
• Implement ML Ops and Data Ops best practices, including CI/CD, monitoring, and model governance.
• Deploy and manage models in cloud environments (GCP and Azure) using Docker and containerized workflows.
• Partner with cross functional teams to translate business needs into data driven solutions.
• Mentor junior scientists and set technical standards and best practices.

What We're Looking For

• Strong expertise in Python, statistics, data science, machine learning, and AI.
• Proven experience with cloud platforms. (GCP and/or Azure)
• Hands on experience with Docker, container deployment, and scalable architectures.
• Solid background in ML Ops and Data Ops for production systems.
• Education & Experience: bachelor's or master's degree in data science, Computer Science, Statistics, or a related field, with 7+ years of progressive data science experience, including technical leadership or project ownership.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to influence technical and non technical stakeholders.
• This position requires the ability to read, write, and understand English at a level sufficient to perform job-related tasks effectively and safely. This includes understanding work instructions, safety protocols, and communications essential to the role. The requirement is directly related to the nature of the job and ensures compliance with workplace safety and operational standards.

Why Join Us

• Own mission critical enterprise communications at scale.
• Make visible impact on reliability, cost control, and executive confidence.
• Work with trusted partners, modern platforms, and complex networks.
• Be recognized as a go to expert and operational leader.
• Grow your career through mentorship, influence, and continuous learning.

Fit the following? We want you here!

• Teamwork oriented
• Organized
• Problem solver
• Detailed

Our roadmap. Our story.

We've been forging our path as a leader in the distribution industry since 1894. Building an expansive nationwide network of team members for 130+ years has allowed us to stay agile for our clients across the restaurant, retail, and e-commerce industries. We look to the future and are ready to continue making industry-defining moves by embracing the newest technology into our practices, continuing team member training, and emphasizing our people-centered culture.

Candidates may be subject to a background check and drug screen, in accordance with applicable laws.

All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

For our complete EEO and Pay Transparency statement, please visit https://www.mclaneco.com/legal/employment/