[grayclhn]

> Many of our best data science ideas have come from Instacart employees in the field – working directly with our shoppers in our stores, or interacting directly with our customers.

I have no idea what this could mean. Either you're getting algorithm suggestions from your shoppers and customers, or (more likely) "data science" means "user interface."

[jeremystan]

Agreed, that wasn't worded well - i'll try to explain. By 'employees in the field' we mean people who work in operations and management roles in the cities we operate in. They work with shoppers in stores and respond to shopper and customer feedback. They have ideas about how to improve our logistics and our apps - and while many ideas will be about user interfaces, many others will relate to how the algorithms operate behind the UIs.