Tom Murarik
Senior Data Scientist | Operational Research Specialist
About
In my current role I lead projects under direct oversight of the senior leadership team, driving millions of pounds of savings in logistics costs. Leveraging mathematical skills, software development best practices and business acumen, I devise and deliver high-impact data science and optimisation projects. Enhanced by a pragmatic application of cutting-edge mathematical research, my agile team delivers efficient solutions at a fast pace across the business.
Experience
Senior Data Scientist
Ocado Logistics, Hertfordshire | Jul 2025 - Present
- Network optimisation: solving highly constrained facility location problems using CP-SAT
- Multi-objective optimisation: finding optimal driver shifts by pairing Monte Carlo simulations with metaheuristics
- ML forecasting: reduced error rate of Excel-based hourly sales forecasting processes by 40% with time-series ML
- Simulation: wrote large-scale digital twin of the network, deployed on GCP, enabling millions in last mile savings
- Refactoring of vehicle routing codebase to Rust; implementing cutting-edge vehicle routing algorithms such as FILO
- HPC development for large-scale routing simulations, incl. oversight over how to expand in-house compute
- Leading upskilling initiatives for Ocado's analysts, incl. sessions on Agentic AI and advanced analytics concepts
- Continuous collaboration with stakeholders to ensure all projects solve real, impactful business problems
Operational Research Software Developer
Optrak Vehicle Routing Software, Hertfordshire | Sep 2023 - Jul 2025
- Agile work in interdisciplinary teams; taking mathematical concepts from client spec to development to deployment
- Development of meta- and hyper-heuristic architectures in Scala for a state-of-the-art vehicle routing optimiser
- Design and deployment of ML pipelines with PyTorch/Docker, data engineering using ZIO/PostgreSQL
- Improved optimiser performance while decreasing run-time, presented at the VeRoLog conference 2025
- Stakeholder engagement: secured new business from cash-and-carry providers at industrial conferences
Software Engineer
WeBuyAnyCard, Surrey | Jun 2021 - Sep 2022
- Full time role for an e-commerce company: API development, databases and card-sorting robot arm prototyping
Education
MSc Operational Research with Data Science
University of Edinburgh | Graduated Sep 2023
Distinction - Finished in the 98th percentile of the cohort and came top in several classes
Dissertation: "A Multi-Objective Evolutionary Search Strategy for Feature Selection in Machine Learning Models"
Developed a novel multi-objective evolutionary algorithm for automated feature selection in machine learning pipelines. The approach balanced prediction accuracy with model interpretability, using Pareto optimization to identify optimal feature subsets. The work demonstrated significant improvements over traditional feature selection methods across multiple benchmark datasets.
🏆 Runner-up in the Operational Research Society's May Hicks Award
BSc Chemistry
University College London | Graduated 2020
First-Class Honours
Publications
A Multi-Objective Evolutionary Search Strategy for Feature Selection in Machine Learning Models
Currently in pre-print
This paper presents a novel multi-objective evolutionary algorithm for feature selection that simultaneously optimizes prediction accuracy and model interpretability. The approach uses Pareto-based optimization to explore the trade-off space between these competing objectives, enabling practitioners to select feature subsets that best align with their specific requirements. Experimental results across diverse datasets demonstrate superior performance compared to traditional single-objective feature selection methods.
Awards & Public Engagement
🏆 Awards & Recognition
- May Hicks Award - Runner-Up — Operational Research Society (2023) For MSc Dissertation on multi-objective evolutionary feature selection
- UCL Provost Stipend — University College London (2020) Awarded for services to the Department of Chemistry
- BUCS First Boat Stroke — UCL Rowing (2017) Competitive rower at UCL for three years; stroke position in first boat at BUCS 2017
🎤 Conferences & Public Engagement
Conference Presentations
- VeRoLog Conference 2025 - Improved Optimiser Performance Research (2025) Presented research on improving vehicle routing optimiser performance while decreasing run-time
Guest Lectures & Teaching
- Guest Lectures on Operational Research (2023-Present) Guest lectures at several universities and colleges, promoting Operational Research as a discipline
Publications & Media
- Impact Magazine Contributor (2023-Present) Article contributor to the Operational Research Society's semi-annual publication
Other Contributions
- Ocado Analyst Upskilling - Agentic AI & Advanced Analytics (2025) Leading training sessions for Ocado's analysts on cutting-edge topics including Agentic AI and advanced analytics