WHO YOU ARE
Join Ingka Group's Group Digital organization and lead the next wave of our omnichannel store expansion. This is a unique opportunity to use data, advanced analytics, and AI to answer one of our most critical strategic questions: where and how should IKEA grow?
Your work will directly influence major investment decisions, defining our physical presence - from large format stores to new city-center touchpoints - for years to come. If you are passionate about using data to solve complex, real-world problems with tangible impact, we would love to meet you.
We are looking for a first-principles thinker who combines intellectual horsepower with a craftsman's pride in their work. You see the big picture but master the details.
• You have a history of delivering material impact. You've spent 5+ years in a fast-paced commercial environment, personally driving 15+ complex analytical products or features from initial concept to production. You don't just build models; you build measurable business value.
• You are technically formidable. With an advanced quantitative degree (PhD/MSc) as your foundation, you are a master of the tools of the trade. This includes:
o Deep fluency in Python for the entire data science workflow (data wrangling, experimentation, statistical modeling) and expert-level SQL.
o A broad command of ML methodologies (supervised/unsupervised, causal inference, optimization, forecasting, generative/Agentic AI, etc) and the critical judgment to know which to apply and when.
o Proven experience building and deploying robust, production-grade ML pipelines in the cloud (GCP preferred), following modern MLOps practices (e.g., Git, CI/CD, containerization, monitoring).
• You think in product terms. You have a strong intuition applying 80/20 thinking to reframe ambiguous problems analytically and estimate business impact. You design analytical tools that are not just powerful, but profoundly useful, creating intuitive dashboards and dynamic visualizations (e.g., in PowerBI, Looker, or Tableau) that empower users to act.
• You are a gifted translator and data storyteller. You can build a compelling, rigorous narrative for any audience—from a technical deep-dive with engineers to a strategic recommendation for a C-level executive.
• You have founder mentality. You take ownership, build cross-functional relationships, and find genuine satisfaction in mentoring others while leading high-performing workstreams.
This is our wish list If you don't recognize yourself in every one of these points, you might still be an excellent candidate for the role. We are looking for exceptional individuals and like to think long-term investing in people's development together with us.
The IKEA culture and values are very much a part of our business and day to day work life. For you to thrive and grow with IKEA it's important for us that you share our values You can read more regarding our values and life at IKEA on our website
WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING DAY TO DAY
Your role is to own and answer our most critical expansion questions. You will:
• Architect the Core Decision Models: Build and deploy the production-grade models that form the backbone of our expansion strategy, including demand forecasting, full P&L simulation, cannibalization analysis, and halo effect estimation.
• Master Causal Inference: Design and execute large-scale experiments and simulations (A/B, geo-lift, synthetic controls) to definitively answer "what if" questions and measure the true causal impact of our investments.
• Build the Expansion Intelligence Engine: Create a suite of scalable, self-service analytical products and APIs that empower leaders to make smarter, faster decisions under uncertainty.
Example problems you will solve:
• For any potential new store location, what is its predicted multi-year P&L? You may need to