Dairy Data Scientist

Job Description

Are you passionate about dairy science and interested in using data to improve herd performance, animal health, and farm decision-making?

VAS, a URUS Group company, is looking for a Dairy Data Scientist who brings strong knowledge of dairy production and the ability to apply statistics, analytics, and programming to real-world dairy challenges.

This role sits at the intersection of dairy science, research, analytics, and technology. You’ll work with veterinarians, nutritionists, dairy scientists, farm operators, data engineers, and software teams to analyze biological, production, sensor, and operational data and turn it into meaningful insights for the dairy industry.

What You’ll Do

• Analyze dairy production, herd health, nutrition, reproduction, sensor, genomic, and operational data.
• Apply statistical analysis and predictive modeling to identify trends, risks, and opportunities related to herd performance.
• Support dairy research initiatives, field trials, experimental design, data analysis, and technical reporting.
• Use tools such as Python, R, SQL, Databricks, or similar analytics platforms to explore and analyze complex datasets.
• Help develop dashboards, reports, decision-support tools, and automated analytics.
• Evaluate precision dairy technologies, herd-management systems, automated milking systems, IoT devices, and other emerging technologies.
• Partner with veterinarians, nutritionists, farm managers, researchers, data scientists, and engineers.
• Translate scientific findings and analytical results into practical recommendations for dairy operations and business teams.

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in Dairy Science, Animal Science, Agricultural Science, Statistics, Data Science, Veterinary Science, Biology, or a related field.
• Meaningful academic, research, or professional experience related to dairy cattle, dairy production, herd health, nutrition, reproduction, milk production, or animal science.
• Experience using data and statistics to answer scientific or operational questions.
• Some hands-on programming or analytics experience with tools such as Python, R, SQL, SAS, or similar technologies.
• Knowledge of statistical analysis, experimental design, or predictive modeling.
• Ability to communicate scientific and analytical findings to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Curiosity and willingness to learn new data platforms and technologies.

Even Better If You Bring

• Master’s or PhD with research focused on dairy production, animal science, nutrition, reproduction, genetics, or animal health.
• Experience working with dairy herd-management, DHIA, sensor, genomic, or precision dairy data.
• Experience with Databricks, PySpark, Delta Lake, or cloud-based analytics platforms.
• Experience with machine learning or predictive modeling.
• Experience with Power BI, Tableau, or other visualization tools.
• Peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, or technical research reports.
• Direct exposure to dairy farm operations and an understanding of how scientific recommendations translate into day-to-day farm decisions.

Why This Role

This is an opportunity to combine dairy science with modern analytics and help solve meaningful problems affecting herd health, production efficiency, sustainability, and farm profitability.

You don’t need to arrive as an expert in every technology we use. If you bring strong dairy knowledge, scientific curiosity, quantitative skills, and some coding experience, we want to hear from you.

About Us

For the past 40 years we’ve woken up each day to support those that never stop feeding the world – and we have no plans to quit. We set the standard for farm management solutions and fix our eyes on raising the bar to meet the next generation of expectations.

Our software and information solutions help collect and connect a farm's data – from herd management to feed performance, tracking and more. These insights are a source of truth, empowering producers and their trusted advisors to make profit-driven and sustainable management decisions.

Whether near or far, large or small, VAS is at the heart of your dairy.

VAS has deep roots in the industry through its origin within the URUS family of companies. As a holding company with cooperative and private ownership, URUS is a family of businesses at the heart of the dairy and beef industry – Alta Genetics, GENEX, Genetics Australia, Leachman Cattle, Jetstream, PEAK, SCCL, Trans Ova Genetics and VAS. Each organization has its unique identity, products, and services. These companies work globally to provide cutting-edge dairy and beef genetics, customized reproductive services to maximize conceptions, dairy management information to take producers to the frontline of progressive dairy farming, and an array of products and services to help bovines reach their full genetic potential. URUS has 9 brands in 17 retail countries and employs nearly 2,800 people globally.