ASOS is evolving towards an AI-enabled operating model where intelligence, automation and AI-powered workflows increasingly shape how we trade, forecast, personalise experiences and operate at scale. We see AI not as a standalone capability, but as a foundational part of how we serve customers, make decisions and run our business.
As part of this evolution, we're looking for a Principal Applied Scientist to help shape and scale Applied Science across ASOS.
This role sits at the intersection of:
Applied Science leadership
AI platform enablement
Federated operating model governance
GenAI-enabled ways of working
Today, Applied Science expertise exists across multiple business domains, including recommendations, forecasting, pricing, consumer modelling and marketing measurement. While this structure enables close alignment with business needs, it can also create opportunities for greater consistency, collaboration and reuse across teams.
In this role, you'll help establish the operating model, standards and technical direction that enable Applied Science teams to deliver impact at scale while maintaining flexibility within their domains.
This is a highly collaborative leadership role that combines technical expertise, systems thinking, stakeholder partnership and the ability to translate strategy into practical outcomes.
What you’ll be doing
Applied Science Operating Model Leadership
Define and evolve the Applied Science operating model across federated business domains.
Establish shared approaches for model development, evaluation, experimentation, deployment and monitoring.
Promote the adoption of common tooling, reusable components and MLOps best practices.
Develop governance frameworks that support consistency while enabling teams to move effectively within their domains.
Encourage reuse of AI capabilities and platform components to reduce duplication and accelerate delivery.
AI Platform & Product Enablement
Partner with Data Platform and Engineering teams to help shape the Applied Science platform roadmap.
Support the prioritisation and simplification of platform requirements across science teams.
Promote reusable frameworks, feature stores, evaluation capabilities and deployment standards.
Foster a strong Applied Science community through technical forums, shared practices and knowledge exchange.
Support the growth of scientific capability through mentorship, technical review and inclusive hiring practices.
Work with senior stakeholders across Product, Technology, Commercial and Operations to align priorities and drive business impact.
Community & Technical Leadership
Help build and strengthen the Applied Science community across ASOS.
Establish forums, review practices and knowledge-sharing mechanisms that encourage collaboration and learning.
Mentor scientists and support the continuous improvement of technical and scientific practices.
Contribute to hiring processes and help develop consistent approaches to technical assessment.
Partner with stakeholders across Product, Technology, Commercial and Operations to align on opportunities and priorities.
Support the adoption of GenAI, AI-assisted tooling and emerging AI-powered ways of working across the Applied Science lifecycle.
Explore opportunities to improve experimentation, feature engineering, model evaluation, documentation and development workflows through AI-enabled approaches.
Identify where AI assistants and autonomous workflows can improve efficiency and productivity.
Collaborate with Engineering and Product teams to shape AI-native ways of working.
Strategic AI Leadership
Contribute to the development of ASOS's broader AI strategy and transformation agenda.
Help translate successful models and experiments into scalable enterprise capabilities.
Contribute to long-term thinking around agentic commerce, personalisation and AI-enabled operating models.
Clearly communicate scientific strategy, opportunities and outcomes to senior and executive stakeholders.
/01 Company Description
We're ASOS, the online retailer for fashion lovers all around the world.
We exist to give our customers the confidence to be whoever they want to be, and that goes for our people too. At ASOS, you're free to be your true self without judgement, and channel your creativity into a platform used by millions.
Everyone needs some help showing up as their best self. We're Disability Confident Committed - let our Talent team know if you need any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process
/02 Job Qualifications
We're interested in candidates who bring experience in several of the following areas. We recognise that expertise can be developed through a variety of career paths and experiences, and we encourage applications from people whose backgrounds may differ from those listed here.
Experience
Experience leading Applied Science, Machine Learning or AI initiatives within large-scale consumer, retail, marketplace or technology environments.
Experience working within federated or matrixed organisations.
Experience delivering production machine learning systems at scale.
Experience developing technical standards, governance approaches and operating models across multiple teams.
Experience collaborating with platform and engineering teams on ML infrastructure and MLOps capabilities.
Experience leading cross-functional initiatives involving multiple stakeholders.
Strong communication skills, with the ability to build alignment and bring people together around shared goals.
Technical Expertise
Knowledge of, or experience with, several of the following areas:
Forecasting and predictive modelling
MLOps and machine learning platform design
Experimentation and evaluation frameworks
Large Language Models (LLMs), GenAI and agentic systems
Modern data and AI ecosystems, including platforms such as Databricks, Azure, feature stores and orchestration frameworks
Leadership Capabilities
Ability to influence and build alignment across teams, regardless of reporting structures.
Strong systems thinking and platform-oriented mindset.
Ability to balance long-term governance with practical delivery needs.
Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
Coaching, mentoring and capability-building experience.
Comfortable operating across strategic, organisational and technical contexts.
/03 Additional Info
BeneFITS’
Employee discount (hello ASOS discount!)
Employee sample sales
25 days paid annual leave + an extra celebration day for a special moment
Discretionary bonus scheme
Private medical care scheme
Flexible benefits allowance - which you can choose to take as extra cash, or use towards other benefits
Opportunity for personalised learning and in-the-moment experiences that enable you to thrive and excel in your role
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
Meet The Team
Meet Zijiao Li -
Tech @ ASOS
Meet Amy Richardson -
Tech @ ASOS
Meet Si Jobling -
Tech @ ASOS
I love working at ASOS in my team because of the great atmosphere. From day one I already felt like being part of the team, everyone is so friendly, approachable and willing to help. It’s the place where you feel trusted and are given the opportunities & time to explore your full potential. As someone who just relocated to London, I also appreciate the international and cultural diverse environment – it’s ok to be whoever you want to be!
As a software engineer with a love for fashion, I feel extremely lucky to be part of a fashion company that priorities technology, innovation and customer experience to the same degree as their clothing.
As someone who left ASOS after 7 years but came back, it speaks volumes how much I love working at ASOS. The obvious reason is the people, not just in Tech but beyond. There's an unspoken respect and authenticity between everyone who works here
Zijiao Li
Tech @ ASOS
I love working at ASOS in my team because of the great atmosphere. From day one I already felt like being part of the team, everyone is so friendly, approachable and willing to help. It’s the place where you feel trusted and are given the opportunities & time to explore your full potential. As someone who just relocated to London, I also appreciate the international and cultural diverse environment – it’s ok to be whoever you want to be!
Amy Richardson
Tech @ ASOS
As a software engineer with a love for fashion, I feel extremely lucky to be part of a fashion company that priorities technology, innovation and customer experience to the same degree as their clothing.
Si Jobling
Tech @ ASOS
As someone who left ASOS after 7 years but came back, it speaks volumes how much I love working at ASOS. The obvious reason is the people, not just in Tech but beyond. There's an unspoken respect and authenticity between everyone who works here
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
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We are Customer First
We couldn’t be ASOS without our customers.
Across every behaviour, value, and all that we do, we see everything through our customers’ eyes. That means never taking anything for granted and always zeroing in on every single detail. So we can always bring our best as a team, and our customers can have an amazing experience, every time.
We are Authentic
We work together to be honest, transparent, and our full authentic selves.
This is our ASOS. Our culture, built on collaboration and togetherness, and supported by what’s real and honest. We know that we win bigger when we win as a diverse team. That means celebrating our differences and using them to help us stand out from the crowd, without losing our authenticity and individuality.
We are Brave
We challenge each other to aim high and reach our potential.
Doing nothing gets us nowhere. We may be proud of everything we’ve done so far, but there’s still so much more to explore. We believe we can always be wiser, faster, stronger, bigger, braver, kinder…so asking ‘why’ isn’t just a question, it’s a necessity. We use our voice to drive us forward, speaking up on the things our people and customers care about and using our curiosity to create possibility.
We are Creative
We know innovation leads to inspiration – it’s what makes us stronger
Change is in our DNA. By acting fast and staying one step ahead of the curve, we can be a leader, not a follower. But for our products and platform to be innovative, they have to be fuelled by creative passion and a deep understanding of our customers and our people.
We always Deliver
We couldn’t be excellent without evidence – so whatever we’re doing, we have proof of why we’re doing it.
It takes facts and data to tell our stories and help us make our decisions in the most effective way possible. This means we can do what we say and own what we do, no matter how long it takes us to do it. We aren’t about nonsense ifs, buts and maybes, we’re about creating an ASOS that’s built for future success on delivered success.
Our Benefits
Employee Discount
The most asked-about benefit! As an ASOSer, you’ll receive an exclusive employee discount. You can also nominate a family member or friend to share your discount with.
Pension
Retirement might not be on your mind right now, but it’s important to prep for it. We offer matched contributions up to 5% to help you save.
Private Medical Care scheme
If you join our Private Medical Care scheme, you’ll get fast and effective access to medical cover.
Bonus
What we achieve is always a team effort. That’s why we offer a discretionary bonus scheme which rewards you based on our group financial and strategic performance.
Celebratory Day!
Get an extra day off in addition to the 25 days of annual leave you get! Spend it celebrating the big days in life, whether it’s birthdays, cultural holidays, weddings and anything else.
Shuttlebus Service (if you're based in our Leavesden office)
It’s more of a work perk, but we offer a free shuttlebus between Watford station and our office in Leavesden.
Sample Sales
We’ve always got fun things happening in our offices, but the one ASOSers get most excited about is our sample sales. Plus, all proceeds from the sample sale get donated to the ASOS Foundation, which helps our charity partners abroad.
Career Development
You’ll have the opportunity for personalised learning and in-the-moment experiences to create a dynamic and agile learning environment that empowers you to thrive and excel in your role.
Summer Hours
We finish at 3pm on Fridays in June, July and August!! This perk doesn’t mean a dip in your salary – it just gives you extra freedom to enjoy those summer weekends however you want.
Location
Our HQ in London
Our HQ in Camden was once a cigarette factory – now, the iconic Art Deco building has been completely renovated with spacious office areas, ASOS Studios (where we shoot all our products), beauty rooms and a free gym. There’s also a subsidised canteen and café.