Applied Scientist Jobs in Minnesota
Applied Scientist jobs in Minnesota concentrate in healthcare technology, financial services, and enterprise software, with the Twin Cities metro anchoring the state's demand across every seniority level from entry-level research positions to principal and staff scientist roles. Minneapolis and Saint Paul together form one of the most active markets in the Midwest, with Rochester and Bloomington also generating consistent openings. Well-established employers such as UnitedHealth Group, 3M, and Optum have deep applied scientist hiring pipelines in Minnesota, particularly in machine learning, natural language processing, and predictive analytics. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find Applied Scientist JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 6+ Applied Scientist jobs











Pay is based on several factors which vary based on position. These include labor markets and in some instances may include education, work experience and certifications. In addition to your pay, Target cares about and invests in you as a team member, so that you can take care of yourself and your family. Target offers eligible team members and their dependents comprehensive health benefits and programs, which may include medical, vision, dental, life insurance and more, to help you and your family take care of your whole selves. Other benefits for eligible team members include 401(k), employee discount, short term disability, long term disability, paid sick leave, paid national holidays, and paid vacation. Find competitive benefits from financial and education to well-being and beyond at https://corporate.target.com/careers/benefits.
JOIN TARGET AS A SR DATA SCIENTIST – 1:1 PERSONALIZATION, AUDIENCE and EXPERIMENTATION
About Us:
Working at Target means helping all families discover the joy of everyday life. We bring that vision to life through our values and culture. Learn more about Target here.
A role with Target Data Sciences means the chance to help develop and manage state of the art predictive algorithms that use data at scale to automate and optimize decisions at scale. Whether you join our Applied Data Sciences or Machine Learning teams, you’ll be challenged to harness Target’s impressive data breadth to build the algorithms that power solutions our partners in Digital Marketing, Supply Chain Optimization, Advanced AI, Search and Personalization rely on. Every Scientist on Target’s Data Sciences team can expect modeling and data science, software/product development of highly performant code for model performance at scale.
As a Sr Data Scientist you will support the development of machine learning models that power one-to-one personalization at scale. In this role, you will design, build, and deploy advanced models that deliver highly relevant, individualized experiences across marketing and digital channels. You will collaborate with cross-functional partners in product, engineering, marketing, and analytics to define strategy, lead experimentation, and ensure that personalization drives measurable impact for our guests and business.
Responsibilities:
- Model Development: Design, build, and optimize ML models for one-to-one personalization, including recommendation systems, ranking models, customer propensity models, and reinforcement learning approaches
- Experimentation & Measurement: Develop testing frameworks (A/B, multi-armed bandits, causal inference) to rigorously measure the impact of personalization initiatives within marketing optimization
- Collaboration: Partner closely with product managers, engineers, and business stakeholders to translate business problems into data science solutions
- Scalability & Deployment: Ensure models are production-ready, scalable, and integrated into digital platforms with high reliability and performance
- Innovation: Stay current on advances in ML/AI (deep learning, embeddings, transformers, large language models, reinforcement learning) and evaluate their application for personalization use cases
Core responsibilities of this job are articulated within this job description. Job duties may change at any time due to business needs.
About you:
- 4-year degree in quantitative disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics) or equivalent industry experience
- 3+ years of applied data sciences experience, end to end with digital marketing and measurement teams
- Experience with statistical tools of A/B testing both at the customer level as well as matched–market testing
- Strong hands-on experience in personalization/recommendations, applied ML, NLP, and deep learning
- Experience with real-time systems, online learning, and recommendation algorithms at scale
- Demonstrated proficiency in Python, SQL, and modern ML libraries such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-learn
- Experience with large-scale data platforms – GCP Vertex AI, Spark, Databricks, Snowflake, etc.
- Proven track record of building and deploying applied ML models in production environments
- Extensive problem-solving skills: develop creative and innovative solution to help solve real-world business problems using data sciences approaches
- Motivated, team player with ability to collaborate effectively across global team
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to clearly tell data driven stories through appropriate visualizations, graphs, and narratives
This position will operate as a Hybrid/Flex for Your Day work arrangement based on Target’s needs. A Hybrid/Flex for Your Day work arrangement means the team member’s core role will need to be performed both onsite at the Target HQ MN location the role is assigned to and virtually, depending upon what your role, team and tasks require for that day. Work duties cannot be performed outside of the country of the primary work location, unless otherwise prescribed by Target. Click here if you are curious to learn more about Minnesota.
Benefits Eligibility
Please paste this url into your preferred browser to learn about benefits eligibility for this role: https://tgt.biz/BenefitsForYou_DAmericans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
In compliance with state and federal laws, Target will make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please reach out to candidate.accommodations@HRHelp.Target.com. Non-accommodation-related requests, such as application follow-ups or technical issues, will not be addressed through this channel.
See All 6 Applied Scientist Jobs in Minnesota
Find roles in Minnesota that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Applied Scientist JobsApplied Scientist Jobs by City in Minnesota
Where Minnesota roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Applied Scientist Job Market in Minnesota
A snapshot from current Minnesota openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Energy
- Consulting & Professional Services
What Minnesota Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in applied scientist jobs across Minnesota.
- Master's or PhD in computer science, statistics, or a related quantitative field
- Proficiency in Python, R, or Scala for building and deploying production models
- Experience designing and evaluating machine learning or deep learning systems
- Ability to work with large-scale structured and unstructured datasets using cloud platforms
- Strong communication skills to present technical findings to non-technical stakeholders
- Familiarity with MLOps practices including model versioning, monitoring, and deployment pipelines
Applied Scientist Jobs in Minnesota: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a applied scientist in Minnesota?
Applied scientists in Minnesota are not required to hold a state-issued license, but employers consistently expect a graduate degree in a quantitative discipline such as computer science, statistics, applied mathematics, or engineering. Most candidates build their path through a master's or doctoral program at institutions like the University of Minnesota or Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, followed by research internships or industry fellowships that produce a demonstrable portfolio of deployed models or published work.
How much do applied scientists make in Minnesota?
Applied scientists in Minnesota earn a median of about $128,800 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $65,730 for the lowest 10% to over $179,640 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire applied scientists in Minnesota?
Minnesota applied scientist roles are posted by Target, Optum, and NextEra Energy and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Minnesota's concentration of healthcare technology and financial services firms means a significant share of these openings focus on predictive modeling, clinical AI, and risk analytics.
Which Minnesota cities have the most applied scientist jobs?
Minneapolis, Eden Prairie, and Saint Paul account for the largest share of applied scientist openings in Minnesota. The Twin Cities metro drives the majority of demand because UnitedHealth Group, Optum, and 3M headquarters are located there, while Rochester's concentration around Mayo Clinic and its affiliated technology partners sustains a steady pipeline of health-focused applied science roles.
Are there remote applied scientist jobs in Minnesota?
Yes, and more than most fields. Applied scientist work is primarily analytical and can be performed remotely where data infrastructure is cloud-based. About 75% of applied scientist openings tied to Minnesota are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the desk-based nature of the role. Positions involving embedded research teams or close collaboration with clinical or hardware groups tend to require more on-site presence.
How can I get hired as a applied scientist in Minnesota with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a research internship or co-op with a Minnesota employer during a graduate program, which frequently converts to a full-time offer. UnitedHealth Group and Optum run structured new-graduate programs that place candidates into junior applied scientist roles, and 3M recruits research associates who transition into applied science tracks. Candidates moving laterally from data analyst or data engineer roles strengthen their case by completing public projects that demonstrate model-building end to end, particularly in healthcare or financial data.
Where can I find and apply to applied scientist jobs in Minnesota?
You can find and apply to applied scientist jobs in Minnesota on Migrate Mate, which lists current Minnesota openings updated regularly. Search the listings to see roles that match your experience level and specialty, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 6 Applied Scientist Jobs in Minnesota
Find roles in Minnesota that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Applied Scientist Jobs