Associate Data Scientist

Within our Corporate Continuous Improvement and Machine Learning team located in Denver – Leprino is seeking an Associate Data Scientist to analyze manufacturing data and support analytics that improve how our plants operate. This role focuses on practical data science, model support, and translating complex production data into insights that help teams improve efficiency, quality, and reliability across our manufacturing network.

At Leprino, starting compensation for this role typically ranges between $90,000 and $102,000. This position has an annual target bonus of 5%.

What You’ll Do:

• Collect and prepare manufacturing data from MES, SAP, and historian systems for analysis.
• Clean, transform, and validate datasets so engineers and analysts can trust the information.
• Explore production data to uncover patterns, trends, and unusual process signals.
• Build clear dashboards and visual summaries that help teams understand manufacturing performance.
• Write Python scripts to analyze operational data and support model development.
• Apply statistical and machine learning methods to support quality monitoring and process improvement.
• Support the testing and refinement of predictive models used across production environments.
• Work closely with colleagues in operations, maintenance, controls, and data teams to clarify analytical needs.
• Translate complex findings into practical insights that plant teams can apply quickly.
• Document data definitions, analytical assumptions, and model outputs so knowledge remains accessible.
• Contribute to improvement efforts that strengthen manufacturing efficiency and product quality.
• Grow your data science capabilities through coaching, hands-on projects, and collaboration across the organization.

You Have At Least (Required Qualifications):

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Industrial Engineering, Statistics, or a related field.
• One to three years of relevant experience, including internships, co-ops, or applied academic projects.
• Working knowledge of Python used for data analysis, scripting, and model development.
• Experience using Python data libraries such as Pandas or NumPy for data preparation and analysis.
• Basic SQL skills used to extract and organize datasets for analysis.
• Exposure to data visualization tools such as Matplotlib, Seaborn, or Power BI.
• A foundational understanding of statistics and machine learning concepts used in applied analytics.
• The ability to travel internationally for production or customer visits when needed.

We Hope You Also Have (Preferred Qualifications):

• A Master’s Degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Industrial Engineering, Statistics, or a related field.
• Experience analyzing operational data within a manufacturing company.
• Familiarity with manufacturing systems such as MES or industrial data historians.
• Experience building dashboards or visual analytics that help operations teams understand production performance.

At Leprino, we believe in equal employment opportunity and make employment decisions based on each individual’s unique talents, experience, skills, and knowledge; we do not discriminate on the basis of any personal characteristics. We know we are better together and are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive culture in which all employees can thrive.

Offering You In Return:

A chance to be part of a global team of individuals passionate about producing and delivering high-quality products that help feed and nourish families around the world. Leprino could not be where it is today without our incredible employees. That is why we share in our success together by rewarding you for your hard work. Hiring great people who are in it for the long run is our goal. Through competitive salaries and bonuses, life, medical/dental/vision coverage, voluntary benefits, employee assistance programs, wellness incentives, tuition assistance, vacation, ten paid holidays, sick time, paid parental leave, annual merit increases, as well as the LFC Profit-Sharing & 401(k) plan. Your impact will be noticed and rewarded, as you seek to further our company, our customers, and one another.

Our Story:

Leprino’s history dates back to the 1950s, when Jim Leprino first started making small batches of mozzarella for local markets and eateries in the Little Italy neighborhood of Denver. We’ve grown a bit since then. Today, Leprino is the world’s largest manufacturer of mozzarella and lactose, and a leading producer of whey protein. Still owned by the Leprino family, our sights are set to be the “World’s Best Dairy Food and Ingredient Company.” From a small corner grocery store we have grown to over 5,500 employees throughout the globe. Will you join us on our journey?