Staff Data Scientist

Staff Data Scientist 6 Month Contract to Hire Remote About Our Client Our client is building the next generation of real-time social media advertising marketplaces. Their platform is rights-aware, fair, and deeply optimized for creators and advertisers. It blends marketplace mechanics, creator-audience dynamics, and real-time decision cycles to solve the next gap in digital advertising automation. They are expanding their science and engineering team with a Staff Data Scientist who will be instrumental in shaping the algorithms and models that power this novel dynamic marketplace. The Role This is a high-impact operations research role for someone who thrives at the intersection of data collection, analysis, and marketplace pricing design. As a Staff Data Scientist, you will architect, evaluate, and refine the models and algorithms that determine how content, creators, and advertisers interact—timing, pricing, matching, quality, and more. You will influence product direction, collaborate directly with engineering, and develop real-time intelligence systems that differentiate the platform as a next-generation digital content creation environment. What You’ll Do Core Modeling & Optimization • Develop and refine the mathematical and algorithmic foundations of the dynamic marketplace (matching, pricing, pacing, ranking, timing signals). • Design timing-linked and event-driven optimization models that support live offer updates. • Build and maintain predictive models across supply, demand, engagement, and performance forecasting. • Create simulation frameworks to stress-test and validate marketplace behavior under varying conditions. Emerging Algorithms • Leverage emergent AI tools to enhance model development, from generative experimentation to real-time predictive tuning. • Explore opportunities for learning-based optimization. • Adapt to rapid user, creator, and advertiser behavior shifts. Measurement, Reporting & Experimentation • Build robust reporting and analytics systems to measure marketplace health (liquidity, fairness, revenue efficiency, matching quality). • Translate data insights into product and engineering recommendations that impact marketplace mechanics at scale. • Define how success is measured—and how to tune the marketplace as it evolves. Cross-Functional Leadership • Partner closely with engineering to implement models in production and optimize for real-time performance. • Influence strategic decisions across product and marketplace development. • Mentor other scientists and engineers, helping establish best practices and high scientific rigor across the team. What We’re Looking For • 6–10+ years of experience in data science, operations research, or applied machine learning (marketplace or adtech experience a strong plus). • Expertise in optimization methods (linear/nonlinear programming, stochastic modeling, dynamic programming, or similar). • Strong experience building algorithmic systems that operate in real-time or near–real-time environments. • Proficiency with applied ML and statistical modeling. • Experience working with or developing simulation environments for marketplace or systems modeling. • Ability to translate complex findings into actionable product and engineering direction. • Strong coding skills (Typescript, Python, DynamoDB, plus experience with production workflows). • Excellent communication and a collaborative mindset. Nice to Have • Experience with social media, adtech, or two-sided marketplaces. • Prior work on pacing, bidding, or ranking systems. • Knowledge of creator-audience dynamics or recommendation systems.