Applied Scientist
Madrid, Spain
Maps – Maps Places /
Employee, Full Time /
Hybrid
The Applied Scientist in the MAPS POIs team contributes to the design, development, and continuous improvement of data‑driven and machine‑learning solutions that enhance the accuracy, coverage, and usability of TomTom’s maps and Points of Interest products.
This role applies scientific and analytical methods to solve complex, real‑world problems at scale, translating data and models into reliable, production‑ready solutions that create value for TomTom customers and internal stakeholders.
What you'll do:
- Design, implement, and improve machine‑learning models and data‑driven algorithms to address defined product and system challenges within the MAPS POIs domain.
- Analyze large‑scale, structured and unstructured datasets to generate insights and validate hypotheses that inform product decisions.
- Develop production‑quality code and data pipelines that integrate scientific solutions into scalable services and systems.
- Evaluate model performance using appropriate metrics and document experimental results, assumptions, and limitations in a clear and reproducible way.
- Collaborate with engineers, product managers, and program managers to define solution scope, technical approaches, and delivery priorities.
- Contribute to code reviews, technical discussions, and continuous improvement of engineering and scientific practices within the team.
- Support the development of other team members through knowledge sharing, technical guidance, and peer review.
What you'll need:
Core Skills & Capabilities
Functional / Domain Skills
- Applies applied science and machine‑learning techniques to practical product or system problems within a defined domain.
- Designs end‑to‑end solutions that move from problem definition through experimentation to production deployment.
- Selects and adapts appropriate algorithms or modeling approaches based on data characteristics and problem constraints.
Analytical & Problem‑Solving Skills
- Breaks down complex, ambiguous problems into testable components and structured experiments.
- Evaluates trade‑offs between accuracy, scalability, maintainability, and operational impact.
- Identifies risks and limitations in models or data and proposes mitigation approaches.
Technical or Tool‑Related Skills (where essential)
- Develops maintainable, testable, and efficient code to support data processing, modeling, and deployment workflows.
- Works with large‑scale data processing and distributed systems to train, evaluate, and operate models.
- Contributes to the deployment, monitoring, and maintenance of models or data services in production environments.
Communication & Collaboration Skills
- Explains technical concepts, results, and decisions clearly to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
- Participates constructively in cross‑functional collaboration, incorporating feedback and constraints into solutions.
- Produces documentation that supports reproducibility, operational use, and future improvement.
Execution & Accountability
- Owns defined deliverables or components within larger initiatives and follows through to completion.
- Prioritizes work based on agreed objectives, data, and impact.
- Contributes to team standards for quality, reliability, and operational excellence.
Ways of working
- Operates with a moderate level of autonomy on defined problem areas, seeking input for complex or high‑impact decisions.
- Handles problems of medium to high complexity that may involve evolving requirements, data limitations, or system dependencies.
- Makes technical decisions within agreed scope and contributes to broader design discussions.
- Works in close collaboration with other Applied Scientists, Engineers, and Product stakeholders using shared planning and review processes.
Growth, Learning & Skill Development
This role supports continuous development by enabling deeper technical expertise, broader domain understanding, and increased ownership over more complex or higher‑impact problems.
Progression occurs through demonstrated skill growth, expanded decision‑making scope, and sustained delivery of measurable outcomes, rather than tenure or background.
Progression occurs through demonstrated skill growth, expanded decision‑making scope, and sustained delivery of measurable outcomes, rather than tenure or background.
At TomTom, we value roles that can be compared fairly across teams and functions. This position is defined by skills, responsibilities, and contribution, supporting transparent pay setting, equitable evaluation, and internal mobility opportunities for all employees.
What we offer
A competitive compensation package, of course.
Time and resources to grow and develop, including a personal development budget and paid leave for learning days, as well as paid access to e-learning resources such as O’Reilly and LinkedIn Learning.
Time to support life outside of work, with enhanced parental leave plus paid leave to care for loved ones and volunteer in local communities.
Work flexibility, where TomTom’ers, in agreement with their manager and team, use both the office and home to focus, collaborate, learn and socialize. It’s all about getting the best out of both worlds – we ask TomTom’ers to come to the office two days a week, and the remaining three are free to be worked in either location.
Improve your home office with a setup budget and get extra support with a monthly allowance.
Enjoy options to work from your home country and abroad for a set number of days each year, to visit family and friends, or to simply explore the world we’re mapping.
Take the holidays you want with a competitive holiday plan, plus an extra day off to celebrate your birthday.
Join annual events like our Hackathon and DevDays to bring your ideas to life with talented teammates from around the world.
Become a part of our inclusive global culture and have the chance to collaborate with a diverse community – we have over 80 nationalities at TomTom!
Find out more about our global benefits and enjoy additional local benefits tailored to your location.
Meet your team
We’re Maps, a global team within TomTom’s Location Technology Products technical unit. Our team is driven to deliver the most up-to-date, accurate and detailed maps for hundreds of millions of users around the world. Joining our team, you’ll continuously innovate our mapmaking processes, directly contributing to our vision: engineering the world's most trusted and useful map.
At TomTom...
You’ll help people find their way in the world. In 2004, TomTom revolutionized how the world moves with the introduction of the first portable navigation device. Now, we intend to do it again by engineering the first-ever real-time map, the smartest and most useful map on the planet.
Work with a team of 3,300+ unique, curious and passionate problem-solvers. Together, we’ll open up a world of possibilities for car manufacturers, enterprises and developers to help people understand and get closer to the world around them.
After you apply
Our recruitment team will work hard to give you a meaningful experience throughout your journey with us, no matter the outcome. Your application will be screened closely and you can rest assured that all follow-up actions will be thorough, from assessments and interviews all the way through onboarding. To find out more about our application process, check out our hiring FAQs.
TomTom is an equal opportunity employer
TomTom is where you can find your place in the world. Every day we welcome, nurture and celebrate differences. Why? Because your uniqueness is what makes you, you. No matter your culture or background, you’ll find your impact at TomTom. Research also shows that sometimes women and underrepresented communities can be hesitant to apply for positions unless they believe they meet 100% of the criteria. If you can relate to this, please know that we’d love to hear from you.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
