Data Scientist Salary in Dortmund (2026)
Data scientists in Dortmund earn €48,000–€100,000 per year, with a median around €67,000. Dortmund's data science market is shaped by insurance analytics (claims prediction, fraud detection, risk modeling), logistics optimization (warehouse efficiency, route planning, demand forecasting), and TU Dortmund AI research — three domains with massive datasets and clear ML ROI.
Key Facts
- Dortmund data scientists earn €48K–€100K/year, median €67K
- Insurance data science at Signal Iduna focuses on claims, fraud, and risk modeling
- Logistics optimization ML involves route planning, demand forecasting, warehouse efficiency
- TU Dortmund AI research collaboration creates academic-commercial opportunities
- Domain knowledge (insurance, logistics) adds 10-12% salary premium
Salary by Experience Level
- Junior (0–2 years): €43,000–€53,000
- Mid-level (3–5 years): €56,000–€73,000
- Senior (6+ years): €70,000–€100,000
Dortmund's Unique Data Science Landscape
Insurance dominates: Signal Iduna employs data scientists for claims prediction, fraud detection, automated underwriting, risk assessment, and customer churn modeling. Understanding insurance business logic and actuarial concepts significantly helps. Mid-level insurance data scientists earn €56K–€70K.
Logistics optimization is growing: The Ruhr logistics ecosystem generates massive operational data — warehouse movements, transport routes, demand patterns, inventory levels. Data scientists work on route optimization algorithms, demand forecasting, warehouse efficiency ML, and supply chain anomaly detection. Mid-level logistics DS earn €54K–€68K.
TU Dortmund AI research: The university's strong AI research (Lamarr Institute presence, machine learning chair) creates opportunities for research-oriented data science, academic-commercial collaborations, and spin-off companies. Research DS roles pay €50K–€65K with publication opportunities.
Materna consulting DS work on diverse client projects across public sector and enterprise.
Technical Stack
Python (pandas, scikit-learn, TensorFlow/PyTorch), SQL, cloud platforms (AWS and Azure both common), and domain-specific tools (actuarial software for insurance, operations research libraries for logistics).
Domain Expertise Premium
Data scientists with insurance background or logistics/operations research knowledge earn 10-12% more than generalists. Understanding BaFin regulations (insurance) or supply chain operations adds significant value.
Top Hiring Companies
Career Advice
Choose your domain path early. Insurance data science (Signal Iduna) offers stable, intellectually challenging work with actuarial depth — learn insurance business logic and survival analysis. Logistics data science offers industrial-scale optimization problems — learn operations research and supply chain domain knowledge. TU Dortmund research collaboration offers cutting-edge AI work with publication opportunities. All paths have clear career progression and Dortmund's low living costs amplify purchasing power.
Data Scientist Insights — Dortmund
Data Scientist salaries in Dortmund range from €48,000 to €100,000, a 78% spread that reflects significant variation based on experience level, specialization, and company size. The median of €67,000 sits below the midpoint, suggesting more positions cluster toward the entry-to-mid-level end of the range.
Dortmund's cost of living index of 69/100 represents moderate living costs. At a median salary of €67,000, data scientist professionals here enjoy solid purchasing power relative to higher-cost tech hubs.
The hiring landscape for data scientist in Dortmund is anchored by employers like Signal Iduna, TU Dortmund, and Logistics Tech, along with 2 other notable employers. Larger employers in this market typically offer compensation at the upper end of the range, often supplemented with equity, signing bonuses, and comprehensive benefits.
Demand for data scientist in Dortmund centers around expertise in Python, Machine Learning, Statistics, plus 2 other core competencies. Candidates with strong proficiency across these areas tend to command offers closer to the €100,000 ceiling, and have natural transition paths into roles like ML Engineer or Data Engineer.
Related Roles in Dortmund
Explore salary information for similar positions and compare compensation across different roles.
| Role | Location | Salary Range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Analyst | Dortmund | €38,000 - €68,000 | €50,000 |
| Senior Data Analyst | Dortmund | €58,000 - €82,000 | €66,000 |
| Senior Data Scientist | Dortmund | €70,000 - €115,000 | €85,000 |
| Product Manager | Dortmund | €45,000 - €88,000 | €64,000 |
| Senior Product Manager | Dortmund | €68,000 - €105,000 | €82,000 |
| DevOps Engineer |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average data scientist salary in Dortmund?
Data scientists in Dortmund earn €48,000–€100,000 per year, with a median around €67,000. Junior roles start at €43,000–€53,000, mid-level pays €56,000–€73,000, and senior data scientists earn €70,000–€100,000.
What makes Dortmund's data science market unique?
Dortmund offers deep specialization in insurance data science (claims prediction, fraud detection, risk modeling at Signal Iduna) and logistics optimization ML (route planning, demand forecasting, warehouse efficiency serving the Ruhr logistics ecosystem). TU Dortmund's AI research excellence adds academic-commercial collaboration opportunities. Unlike Berlin's startup ecosystem, Dortmund focuses on domain-specific applied ML with clear business ROI.
Do I need insurance or logistics domain knowledge for DS roles in Dortmund?
Not strictly required, but highly valued. Understanding insurance products, actuarial concepts, and claims processes helps significantly at Signal Iduna. Understanding supply chain operations, warehouse automation, and transport logistics helps at logistics tech companies. Companies provide domain training for strong quantitative candidates, but domain knowledge accelerates onboarding and commands premium pay.
How does insurance data science differ from typical consumer product DS?
Insurance DS involves more statistical modeling (survival analysis, loss distributions), regulatory constraints (BaFin compliance, explainability requirements), structured data (decades of claims and policy data), and business metric complexity (loss ratios, reserves, combined ratios). Less A/B testing and product experimentation; more actuarial modeling and risk assessment. Intellectually deep and stable.
What is the career path for data scientists in Dortmund?
Junior (€43K–€53K) → Mid (€56K–€73K) → Senior (€70K–€100K) → Lead DS or ML Engineering Manager (€85K–€115K). At Signal Iduna, progression includes insurance domain expertise. At TU Dortmund, research-oriented paths exist. Domain specialization is key to advancement. Moving companies every 3-4 years typically adds 15-20%.
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