Job Description

Make a difference.

As a Senior Data Scientist, you will build and operationalize internal AI and machine learning capabilities that automate sales, customer service, and administrative workflows to applied ML models that drive the business. You will establish practices, platforms, and models that will define the Company AI at scale.

You will also work across Graybar’s AI portfolio designing and deploying intelligent agents, building retrieval-augmented generation systems, developing applied ML models, and collaborating with SaaS partners and Microsoft AI services to deliver production-grade AI solutions.

In this role you will:

• Design, build, and deploy agentic AI solutions for sales, customer service, procurement, and operations using Azure OpenAI, Copilot Studio, and Semantic Kernel.
• Develop, validate, and deploy ML models for business use cases including demand forecasting, classification, anomaly detection, and optimization
• Implement retrieval-augmented generation architectures on Microsoft tooling, including chunking strategies, embedding models, vector search, and hybrid retrieval.
• Own the ML lifecycle end-to-end: experiment tracking, model registration, deployment, monitoring, and retraining using Azure ML with CI/CD in Azure DevOps.
• Develop prompt engineering strategies, evaluate LLM outputs, and implement guardrails to minimize hallucination and ensure accuracy in production.
• Partner with data engineering teams and SaaS vendors (Canals.ai, Fragment.ai) to improve data pipelines, evaluate vendor model performance, and build proprietary capabilities where warranted.
• Collaborate with AI Product Owners and the GenAI team to translate business problems into data science workstreams, provide technical guidance for Copilot Studio makers, define success metrics, and validate business value.
• Present model results, AI capabilities, and recommendations in terms that non-technical business leaders understand and can act on.
• Effectively collaborate and communicate with all team SMEs.

What your bring to the table:

Minimum

• 5+ years of experience in data science, machine learning engineering, or applied AI
• Experience building and deploying LLM-powered applications in production environments
• Expert-level proficiency in Python and SQL
• Experience with cloud ML platforms (Azure ML, AWS SageMaker, or GCP Vertex AI)
• Foundation in classical ML (regression, classification, clustering, time series forecasting) and statistical methods
• Experience with at least one agentic AI or LLM orchestration framework
• Four-year degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or related field

Preferred

• Experience with the Microsoft AI ecosystem: Azure OpenAI, Azure AI Search, Azure ML, Microsoft Fabric, Copilot Studio, Semantic Kernel
• Master’s or PhD in a quantitative field
• Experience building AI solutions for sales, customer service, supply chain, or operations use cases
• MLOps experience: CI/CD pipelines for model deployment, experiment tracking (MLflow), model monitoring and retraining
• Experience with deep learning frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow) for NLP or document intelligence tasks
• Experience in electrical distribution, wholesale distribution, manufacturing, or B2B operations
• Familiarity with SAP S/4 HANA data structures or ERP data integration
• Experience collaborating with AI SaaS vendors while building proprietary capabilities

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

Knowledge

• Knowledge of machine learning algorithms and statistical methods
• Knowledge of LLM architecture, prompt engineering, fine-tuning approaches, and production deployment patterns
• Knowledge of data engineering fundamentals: data pipelines, data quality assessment, ETL/ELT processes, and lakehouse architectures
• Understanding of responsible AI principles: bias detection, fairness, explainability, and data governance

Skills

• Analytical and problem-solving skills
• Consulting-grade communication skills
• Technical leadership skills – ability to set standards, make architectural decisions, and provide guidance to technical and non-technical colleagues building AI solutions
• Data storytelling – ability to visualize and narrate model outputs in ways that drive business decisions

Abilities

• Ability to operate as a self-directed senior IC in a founding role – setting priorities, building processes, and delivering results
• Ability to bridge the gap between cutting-edge AI research and practical, production-grade applications
• Ability to work across the full spectrum from classical ML to generative AI, selecting the right approach for each problem rather than defaulting to the newest technology
• Ability to collaborate effectively with product owners, engineers, SaaS vendors, and business stakeholders
• Ability to learn business operations deeply – understanding sales workflows, order processing, procurement cycles, and lighting project management to inform model design

Work Shift and Hours: Monday - Friday, standard business hours

Hybrid office environment (Clayton, MO; 3 days per week on-site). Remote candidates will be considered for exceptional qualifications.

Compensation Details: The expected base salary for this position is starting at $170,000 annually depending on experience.

The Value of Graybar:

At Graybar, we are known for our comprehensive benefits and our employee stock ownership plan! Most regular, full-time employees at Graybar may be eligible for a variety of benefits like:

• Multiple plan options for Medical, Dental, Vision, and Prescription Drug benefits.

• Life Insurance coverage for you and options for your family.

• Save on expenses with Flexible Spending Accounts.

• Enjoy our Disability Benefits at no cost to you.

• Share in our success with Profit Sharing Plans.

• 401(k) Savings Plan with company match to help secure your future.

• Paid Vacation & Sick Days to spend time away from work or in case of an illness.

• Rest and recharge during our Paid Holidays throughout the year.

• Take advantage of our Paid Wellness Day to focus on preventive care and prioritize your health.

• Volunteer with Community Time Off to give back to the community.

• Predictable Work Schedules to plan your life: no weekends or nights for most roles.

• Celebrate your and others' achievements with our Employee Recognition Program.

• Reach your career goals with our Educational Reimbursement and Career Development Programs.

• And More Perks that support your well-being and career growth.

Benefit eligibility may vary across locations and roles, so be sure to check in with your recruiter for more information.

Why should you join Graybar?

At Graybar, our employees are the heart and soul of our company. We believe that employees with diverse perspectives bring the ideas and innovative thinking we need to solve our biggest challenges and compete in an ever-changing world. Consistent with our values, we welcome people from all backgrounds, cultures and experiences into our company because we believe it’s the right thing to do and the right way to run our business.

We want each of our employees to know that they matter and to feel a sense of belonging, ownership and inclusion at Graybar. We believe that everyone should be treated with dignity and respect, and we work to build a collaborative environment where our employees have the opportunity to grow, learn and make a difference, both as individuals and as part of the team.

That’s what our employee ownership culture is all about: working as one team and moving forward together, while honoring the unique value each person brings to our company.

Apply now and find out what’s next for you.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Vet/Disabled

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