At Coupang, innovation moves at the speed of our deliveries. As a member of the Global Operations Technology organization, I help design and build the systems that make it possible for customers to receive their orders within hours. It’s a remarkable blend of technology and logistics and every day, I see how our work transforms complex challenges into meaningful impact for millions of people.
Turning data into delivery
My team is focused on developing algorithms that make our fulfillment network more intelligent and efficient. The problem we’re solving—known as the multi-commodity flow problem—is all about figuring out the best way to move items from our warehouses to customers.
When an order comes in, it’s an optimization problem where we decide which warehouse we should use to satisfy each customer’s orders, which is unknown ahead of time. Since the same product might exist in multiple locations, choosing the optimal route directly affects how fast we can deliver and how effectively we can manage costs. Intelligently selecting which warehouse to fulfill the order from—and determining the transportation path from that warehouse to the customer—is proportionate to our ability to Wow the Customer.
Earlier this year, we replaced a rule-based system with a new model grounded in operations research, designed to select fulfillment paths based on cost and efficiency. This model has processed billions of orders, achieved significant fulfillment cost savings, and improved our systems’ ability to follow warehouse targets, all while maintaining the same level of quality and selection.
A global team with a startup spirit
Our team spans multiple countries and I’m constantly inspired by how the problem space is ripe for optimization and how collaborative we are. The team operates with deep respect and openness across regions, which makes cross-border collaboration both smooth and rewarding. Despite the geographic distance, the culture feels very startup-like because there are so many opportunities where we can make an immediate impact. We’re constantly exploring creative ways to collaborate effectively across regions.
Looking ahead: Scaling science and mentorship
I foresee my career at Coupang going toward delivering supply chain optimization at scale, being able to educate and mentor junior team members as well as colleagues across different organizations, and staying close to the latest academic and technological developments while continually pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in supply chain science.
Coupang provides the perfect environment for that blend of innovation, rigor, and scale. If you’re thinking about joining the Data Science team at Coupang, my biggest piece of advice is this: be comfortable understanding the business domain deeply and maintain a high level of discipline when it comes to delivering results.
Join us
At Coupang, data science is driving innovation that directly shapes the customer experience. If you’re passionate about solving complex, real-world problems at scale and want your work to make an immediate impact, come build the future of commerce with us.
Employee stories |
Paul Stroup, Senior Director of Data Science and Engineering for Fulfillment Optimization within Global Operations Technology at Coupang, leads global teams of data scientists, ML engineers, and software engineers who are transforming how fulfillment operates at scale.
Employee stories |
At Coupang the L&D team is responsible for enterprise-wide initiatives to grow employees, part of our commitment to “Hire and Develop the Best.” C-MAP provides training for managers across Coupang, to grow their ability to manage teams and support them to deliver excellence and wow our customers.
Employee stories |
CLS is a Coupang-owned subsidiary dedicated to providing total logistics services encompassing parcel delivery, cargo transportation, forwarding, warehouse operation, and sortation. Meet Chan from the Rocket Install Development team who embodies our leadership principle ‘Wow the Customer.’