Data Scientist Level 2
Type of vacancy: Regular
City: Schiphol Centrum
Hours per week: 40
Education: Wo
Apply before: 09/11/2026
Introduction
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is one of Europe's busiest hub airports, where KLM handles thousands of transfer passengers and their baggage every day. With over 70% of KLM traffic consisting of connecting passengers, the inbound baggage operation runs under constant time pressure: bags must be routed from arriving aircraft to the correct baggage halls, sorted, and loaded onto onward flights — all within tight connection windows.
This is a combinatorial optimization challenge of significant scale. Every few minutes, the system must evaluate hundreds of incoming flights, assign transport devices (containers and bulk carts) to drivers, allocate baggage flows across multiple hall infeeds, and respect hard constraints such as hall capacity, driver availability, and flight departure times — while minimizing the risk and cost of mishandled baggage for passengers with short connections.
Manual planning and rule-based heuristics are no longer sufficient at this complexity and speed. As a Data Scientist on the BagPRO team, you will work on the mathematical optimization models that power this decision engine, improve solver performance (Gurobi), refine cost functions based on mishandled baggage risk, and translate operational constraints into model logic that drives measurable improvements in ground handling performance.
But it does not end there. You might work on an innovation project in KickstartAI (kickstartai.nl), contribute to our partnerships with various universities to drive innovation and research, or play a fundamental role in our community of practice for data science.
What are you going to do?
- Develop and maintain mathematical optimization models that drive real-time baggage flow decisions at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
- Improve and tune solver configurations (Gurobi) for performance under tight operational time constraints (solve cycles of 5–10 minutes)
- Refine objective functions and cost parameters based on mishandled baggage risk, passenger connection criticality, and operational priorities
- Translate complex ground handling constraints — hall capacities, driver availability, inbound flight schedules — into clean model logic
- Collaborate with operations managers, baggage flow controllers, and software engineers to validate model outputs against real-world outcomes
- Analyse post-hoc operational data to identify model gaps and continuously improve solution quality
Where do you land?
You will become part of our Platform Ground D&T baggage value stream team. The team’s focus points are to gain insight into baggage flow and optimization of the same while reducing non-performance costs and mishandled baggage events.
Your profile
- MSc in Operations Research, Applied Mathematics, Industrial Engineering, or a related quantitative field
- Hands-on experience ( with mathematical programming and combinatorial optimization (MIP, LP, CP, or similar)
- Proficiency with optimization solvers such as Gurobi, CPLEX, or OR-Tools
- Strong programming skills in Python, including experience with data processing libraries (pandas, NumPy)
- Ability to model ambiguous, real-world operational constraints rigorously and pragmatically
- Experience working with large, time-sensitive datasets and event-driven data pipelines is a plus
- Familiarity with airport or logistics operations is an advantage, but not a requirement
Competencies:
- Flexibility
- Expertise
- Problem analysis
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Result oriented
- Understanding of company processes
- Planning and organising
Competencies
We offer
- A challenging role with a unique employer in the Netherlandss;
- A gross monthly salary between € 4.348,98 and € 6.212,83;
- Plenty of room for personal development and great advancement opportunities;
- Shift work allowance of up to 30%
- A good pension scheme;
- 8% holiday allowance;
- A year-end bonus of 8.33%;
- A profit-sharing scheme, up to 20%;
- 25 days of paid holiday and 5 additional days off;
- 7 extra days off it you work irregulard shift;
- Great discounts on airline tickets (after at least 6 months of employment);
- A sustainable transport policy - use all public transport for your commute within the Netherlands, free of charge;
- If your job allows: working from home and up to 8 weeks working abroad (within the EU and Caribbean);
- Discount of your health insurance;
- A personal budget for sustainable employability.
Ready for your next destination?
Don’t wait any longer and apply for this function before the final boarding call on 09/11/2026! A motivation letter is no longer required; we will simply ask you a couple of questions during your online application. The selection process consists of two interviews and a security screening.
Candidates who are positively selected for the first interview will receive an email allowing them to choose a suitable time slot themselves. This keeps the process fast and clear, and puts you in control of your schedule. You'll hear from us within two weeks after the vacancy closes. When sufficient suitable candidates have applied, the vacancy might close sooner.
Through your personal candidate profile, you can log in at any time. There you'll find the vacancy you applied for - even after it has closed - as well as a clear dashboard with any other ongoing applications within KLM, including status updates.
Do you have the drive to grow further in this role? Then we look forward to your application. Within two weeks, you will receive a message from us.
Did you know that according to research, women are less likely to apply than men when they don't meet all the job requirements? What a shame. Because, in our view, 'the perfect candidate' is a myth. So, if you have the drive to grow in aspects of this role, we look forward to your application.
A reference check can be part of the application procedure.
Questions?
If you would like to know more about the position, please contact the hiring manager. Call or e-mail the recruiter for questions about the application process. In both cases, don't forget to mention the vacancy number: #22613. At KLM, we believe in the power of diversity. Would you like to read more about this? Please see our statement.
Hiring manager
Rohit Gupta: ROHIT.GUPTA@KLM.COM or +31626251178
Recruiter
Marc van der Eijk: MARC-VAN-DER.EIJK@KLM.COM or +31 639680073
Details from this vacancy are not to be used for marketing purposes.