Senior Data Scientist - AI Agent Development Section, Business Support Development Department (BSD)
At a glance
Senior AI Research role at Rakuten. Tokyo · full-time.
Pay not stated AI Research salary
aimlroles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Build and launch machine learning models and LLM agents that automate merchant communications
- Create RAG systems so merchant inquiries receive accurate answers grounded in relevant context
- Use transaction and behavior data to find ways to grow revenue and improve operational efficiency
- Work with product managers and engineers to bring AI features into the unified merchant interface
- Guide junior data scientists and set team practices for developing and evaluating AI models
What you bring
- A master’s or doctoral degree in computer science, statistics, mathematics or another related quantitative field
- More than five years in data science, machine learning or AI research
- Proficiency in Python and deep learning tools such as PyTorch or TensorFlow
- Strong hands-on experience with LLMs, prompt design and fine-tuning
- Business-level communication in both English and Japanese
Who this fits
This senior role suits someone who can develop LLM-based systems and explain technical needs across business and engineering teams. The position is based at Rakuten Crimson House, the Tokyo head office. Business-level English is required, with a TOEIC score of at least 800 or an equivalent qualification.
From the employer
Job Description:
Business Overview
Rakuten is one of the leading E-commerce companies in the world. Our mission is to empower people and society through the internet while aiming at becoming the "Global Innovation Company."
Department Overview
The Business Support Development Department (BSD) plays a crucial role in supporting various business operations that occur between users, clients, and Rakuten businesses from a systems perspective. Our division provides diverse services across four key domains: DATA, Business Support/Accounting, CRM, and AI Agent, which builds the foundation for leveraging AI across the entire Rakuten organization. We are committed to pursuing business process optimization and efficiency while delivering high value through our system offerings.
AI Agent Development Section, established under BSD in January 2026, is dedicated to building next-generation AI agent application that empower Rakuten’s diverse business units through AI technology.
Our mission is to reshape the digital future of E-commerce by building AI-native solutions that empower Rakuten merchants, catalyze new revenue growth, and radically reduce operational costs.
Our main goal is to unify Merchant Communication Services.
Consolidating fragmented communication services into a single, cohesive merchant interface to streamline communication and user experience.
Position:
Position Details
Design and deploy advanced machine learning models and LLM-based agents to automate and optimize merchant communication. Develop RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) systems to provide accurate, context-aware responses to merchant inquiries. Analyze large-scale transactional and behavioral data to uncover insights that drive revenue growth and operational efficiency. Collaborate with product managers and engineers to integrate AI capabilities into the unified merchant interface. Mentor junior data scientists and establish best practices for AI development and model evaluation within the team.
Mandatory Qualifications:
・Master’s or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related quantitative field.
・More than 5 years of experience in data science, machine learning, or AI research.
・Proficiency in Python and deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow).
・Strong experience with LLMs, prompt engineering, and fine-tuning techniques.
・Excellent communication skills in English and Japanese (to bridge technical and business requirements).
Desired Qualifications:
・Experience in building end-to-end AI agent systems or conversational AI platforms.
・Proven track record of leading data science or AI engineering teams, including mentoring and project management.
・Knowledge of cloud infrastructure (e.g., GCP, AWS) and MLOps practices.
・Experience in E-commerce domain or large-scale B2B SaaS platforms.
・Contribution to open-source AI projects or publications in top-tier AI conferences (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML).
Other Information:
Additional information on Location
Rakuten Crimson House (Head office)
Additional information on English Qualification
・TOEIC Score of 800 above or possess equivalent qualifications
・Business-level English proficiency
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