Being a Data Scientist at Nory

Ernest (Ernie) So is a Data Scientist on Nory’s Data team, focused on building machine learning models that sit at the core of the product. His work helps power some of Nory’s most critical capabilities, including revenue forecasting and scheduling, giving restaurant operators AI they can actually trust and use.

At a time when hospitality operators are under constant pressure, Ernie’s role is about turning complex decisions into practical, explainable tools that help restaurants stay profitable and resilient.

Finding his way to Nory

Ernie joined Nory nine months ago. Before that, he worked as an applied scientist at Tractable, where he built machine learning models for car damage detection and OCR systems for document understanding.

What drew him to Nory was deeply personal.

Food is very close to my heart. Being able to help solve some of the fundamental problems the hospitality industry is facing felt like a really strong motive for me.

Beyond the mission, Nory stood out because of the opportunity to make a direct impact. There were open, meaningful problems to solve, and the ownership to solve them properly.

The role and responsibilities

As a Data Scientist specialising in machine learning, Ernie is responsible for building and improving Nory’s core algorithms. His day-to-day work focuses on models that underpin revenue forecasting and labour scheduling, two of the most critical and complex areas for restaurant operators.

These are not abstract data problems. They sit right at the intersection of human decision making and operational reality.

Ernie’s work contributes directly to Nory’s broader mission by making AI useful, explainable, and grounded in the realities of hospitality.

The core algorithms are critical for giving customers impactful AI. It has to be explainable and it has to actually help operators run their restaurants.

That focus on explainability is key. If operators cannot understand or trust the outputs, the technology does not work, no matter how sophisticated the model is.

The work he enjoys most

What Ernie enjoys most is solving complex problems that have a direct impact on an industry he cares deeply about. Much of his work involves taking real-world customer challenges and reframing them into machine learning problems that can be solved effectively.

I really enjoy turning customer problems into machine learning problems and breaking down the mental models behind them.

One of the biggest challenges comes from the complexity of operator decision making. Forecasting demand and scheduling the right staffing levels involve countless variables, trade-offs, and constraints. Understanding that domain deeply enough to model it accurately is what makes the work challenging in a good way.

It requires curiosity, patience, and a willingness to sit with ambiguity before jumping to solutions.

Looking ahead at Nory

Looking forward, Ernie is excited by the pace at which Nory is growing. More and more restaurants want to use the platform, and that brings huge opportunities to deliver real value at scale.

We’re growing fast, and there are loads of opportunities to make sure the Nory AI product is genuinely industry leading.

One area he is particularly focused on is labour cost. It remains one of the biggest pain points for customers, especially with the recent UK Budget (Autumn 2025). Nory has already shown that its approach works. The next challenge is scaling those solutions and making them robust across a wide range of restaurant types and operating models.

Advice for joining the team

For anyone considering joining the team at Nory, Ernie’s advice is simple and honest.

Be authentic and curious. You’ll have the freedom to look at age-old problems in hospitality and solve them with innovative ideas.

There is no shortage of intellectually stimulating problems to work on, and food is never far from the conversation.

His favourite part of Nory’s culture is the people. He describes feeling genuinely supported and valued, with space to share opinions and help steer the company as it enters its next phase of growth. "I feel like my opinion is appreciated, and I can help shape where Nory is going", Ernie said.

Beyond work

Outside of work, Ernie has another full-time role looking after his three young children. Flexible working at Nory allows him to balance family life with meaningful, challenging work, making space for both without compromise.