Data Scientist Co-op

Company

Cox Automotive - USA

Business Operations

Co-op - Functional

Individual ContributorHybrid - Ability to work remotely part of the week

Yes, 5% of the time

Day

Compensation

Hourly base pay rate is $22.02 - $33.08/hour. The hourly base rate may vary within the anticipated range based on factors such as the ultimate location of the position and the selected candidate’s knowledge, skills, and abilities. Position may be eligible for additional compensation that may include commission (annual, monthly, etc.) and/or an incentive program.

Intern/Co-Op sessions are considered temporary employment. No full-time employment commitments are made. However, depending on our business needs, some interns may be considered for a full-time position following the conclusion of the session conditioned upon the intern graduating from their academic program and being available to commence full-time employment at a specified time.

JOB SUMMARY

The Decision Support organization turns Inventory Solutions' most complex questions into fast, confident decisions, combining business knowledge, mathematics, AI and machine learning, and software engineering to produce the models, applications, and platforms behind those decisions. Within Decision Support, the Strategic Solutions & Enablement (SSE) team sets the shared architecture, tooling, and methodology standards used across the organization and builds the internal-facing decision surfaces teams rely on across areas like transaction intelligence, logistics decisioning, and operational optimization.

As a Data Scientist Co-op on the SSE team, you will work alongside experienced data scientists and engineers on real projects that support business decision-making. This is a multi-term co-op designed to give a student progressively deeper hands-on experience across several terms. You will learn how production data science is done end to end — from framing a business question, to exploring data, to building and validating models, to communicating results — under the guidance and mentorship of the team. You are not expected to own products independently; you are expected to be curious, learn quickly, and contribute meaningfully to the team's work.

PRIMARY DUTIES / KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Learning & Applied Analytics

• Assist data scientists in exploring, cleaning, and preparing data from a variety of internal sources for analysis and modeling.
• Write Python and SQL to extract, transform, and analyze data, building your proficiency with the team's tools and standards.
• Help build, test, and tune machine learning models under guidance, learning classical methods (e.g., regression, gradient boosting, clustering) and applied generative AI approaches.
• Support the creation of prototypes, demos, and visualizations that show how data and AI can be used to solve business problems.

Collaboration & Communication

• Participate in team standups, design discussions, and code/peer reviews, gradually taking on more responsibility across terms.

• Document your work clearly so it can be understood, reproduced, and built on by the team.

• Present findings and progress to the team and, over time, to business partners, adjusting depth for the audience

.

Growth Across Terms

• Return across multiple co-op terms, alternating semesters, building continuity and increasing scope and independence with each term.
• Apply feedback and coursework to progressively more substantial contributions to SSE projects.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Currently enrolled in a Bachelor's degree program in Computer Science, Data Science, Statistics, Industrial Engineering, or a related quantitative field.

• Able to commit to multiple co-op terms, alternating semesters, per a standard university co-op model.

• Foundational Python programming skills (e.g., coursework or projects using Pandas, NumPy, or scikit-learn).

• Working knowledge of SQL and an interest in learning cloud data platforms such as Snowflake and AWS.

• Exposure to statistics and/or machine learning concepts through coursework or projects.

• Strong analytical thinking and a demonstrated ability to learn quickly and work as part of a team.

• Clear written and verbal communication skills

.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Coursework or personal/academic projects involving machine learning, generative AI, or data visualization (e.g., Tableau, Streamlit).
• Familiarity with version control (Git) and collaborative development practices.
• Interest in the automotive industry or in large-scale marketplace data.

CORE VALUES & BEHAVIORS

• Acts with Integrity: Adheres to ethical standards, organizational policies, and personal values.

• Builds Partnerships: Fosters trusting relationships with teammates and stakeholders.

• Collaborates with Intent: Communicates effectively and welcomes feedback to drive better outcomes.

• Develops Trust: Practices transparency and embraces diverse viewpoints.

• Drives Innovation: Explores new ways to solve problems and is willing to experiment and learn.

WHY JOIN OUR TEAM

• Get real, hands-on data science experience on products that operating teams use daily to make decisions.
• Work with modern cloud-native platforms (Snowflake, AWS, Bedrock), applied AI tooling, and rich automotive data at scale.
• Learn directly from experienced data scientists and engineers who mentor through doing, not just formal training.
• Build continuity and depth across multiple terms, with a genuine path toward future full-time opportunities.

Travel: 0-10%

Hybrid – ability to work in-office 1-3 days per week.

To be employed in this role, you’ll need to clear a pre-employment drug test. Cox Automotive does not currently administer a pre-employment drug test for marijuana for this position. However, we are a drug-free workplace, so the possession, use or being under the influence of drugs illegal under federal or state law during work hours, on company property and/or in company vehicles is prohibited.

Benefits of working at Cox may include health care insurance (medical, dental, vision), retirement planning (401(k)), and paid days off (sick leave, parental leave, flexible vacation/wellness days, and/or PTO). For more details on what benefits you may be offered, visit our benefits page.Through groundbreaking technology and a commitment to stellar experiences for drivers and dealers alike, Cox Automotive employees are transforming the way the world buys, owns, sells – or simply uses – cars. Cox Automotive employees get to work on iconic consumer brands like Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book and industry-leading dealer-facing companies like vAuto and Manheim, all while enjoying the people-centered atmosphere that is central to our life at Cox. Benefits of working at Cox may include health care insurance (medical, dental, vision), retirement planning (401(k)), and paid days off (sick leave, parental leave, flexible vacation/wellness days, and/or PTO). For more details on what benefits you may be offered, visit our benefits page. Cox is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer – All qualified applicants/employees will receive consideration for employment without regard to that individual’s age, race, color, religion or creed, national origin or ancestry, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, physical or mental disability, veteran status, genetic information, ethnicity, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by law. Cox provides reasonable accommodations when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with disability, unless such accommodations would cause an undue hardship.

EOE, including disability/vets

Applicants must currently be authorized to work in the United States for any employer without current or future sponsorship. No OPT, CPT, STEM/OPT or visa sponsorship now or in future.

About Us

Cox brings together the world’s greatest minds to help breathe life into new possibilities – and drive innovation for a better future. That’s why we look for individuals who share our pioneering spirit, have imaginative ideas and are fearless when it comes to tackling the world’s biggest challenges.

Our people love technology – and they love making a difference. They have a passion for finding new solutions and working with brilliant colleagues. Every day they dedicate themselves to a huge range of exciting projects, contributing to the Cox vision around the globe.

From engineering new sustainability solutions that conserve water and energy to creating the infrastructure for the smart cities of tomorrow, there’s no challenge too great for our pioneers. And there’s no shortage of opportunities for you to make a difference.

Come and experience the dynamic, collaborative and creative environments where your ideas are welcome and new discoveries are waiting. To help you grow to your full potential, we strive to support our employees in their career aspirations and promote the freedom to explore new horizons.