Director, Data Science

Upwork ($UPWK) is the world’s work marketplace. We cater to everyone from solo startups to vast Fortune 100 companies, providing a robust, trust-based platform that empowers businesses and talented individuals to collaborate in fresh ways and unlock their potential. Last year, over $3.8 billion of work was executed through Upwork by skilled professionals who are seizing greater control over their careers by choosing work they're passionate about and reshaping their professional trajectories. The Analytics, Data Science, and Economics team is seeking for an experienced Director of Data Science to direct strategy and decision-making across a variety of teams and levels at the company. Our Data Scientists strive to unveil insights through machine learning methodologies that then transmute into pertinent recommendations, directing decisions for the entire organization. This is a distinctive opportunity to construct a function from an early stage. Your Responsibilities: - Utilize quantitative analysis and data presentation to discern beyond the numbers and comprehend what propels our business. - Direct a team to create models that deliver insights to assist business and product leaders in understanding marketplace dynamics, customer value, user behaviors, fraud activities, and long-term trends. - Recruit, expand, and cultivate a team of data scientists. - Establish stringent processes to choose models in partnership with the business, oversee their execution, and establish an operational rhythm for revisiting and retraining models. - Partner with our machine learning engineering and data platforms teams on tooling and shared feature stores. - Manually deploy prototype models into production to personalize product experiences. - Advocate data science techniques within the larger Analytics, Data Science, and Economics team and mentor others seeking to develop more advanced capabilities. What it takes to catch our eye: - A degree in Math, Physics, Statistics, Economics, Computer Science, or a similar field. - A strong history of managing data science teams. - Experience with user segmentation, cohort analyses, mix modeling, random forest, regression models, and other advanced techniques. - The ability to solve ambiguous problems in a systematic, hypothesis-driven, data-supported manner. - An enthusiasm for details. - Proficiency in Python. - Previous experience in a two-sided marketplace or ecommerce business. The annual base salary for this position in California and Washington ranges between $217,000 - $275,000. This range reflects the minimum and maximum salary for this position in those states, and individual base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Additionally, this position is eligible for the annual bonus plan or sales incentive plan and eligibility to participate in our long term equity incentive program. Come change how the world works. At Upwork, you'll shape talent solutions for today's world. We are primarily a remote organization, building exciting remote works opportunities for a global community of professionals. Although we have physical offices in San Francisco and Chicago, we also support the hiring of full-time corporate employees in 19 states in the United States. A member of our recruitment team will provide further details regarding whether you are located in a state where we are hiring corporate full-time employees. Our vibrant culture is built on shared values that underpin our organization. These values revolve around trust, risk-taking, customer focus, and excellence. Our overarching mission is to create economic opportunities so that people can live better lives. We foster an environment where individuals can bring their authentic selves to work, nurturing personal and professional growth through development opportunities, mentorship programs, and the participation in Upwork Belonging Communities. We take pride in providing exceptional benefits to our employees, including comprehensive medical insurance for you and your family, unlimited PTO, a 401(k) plan with matching contributions, 12 weeks of paid parental leave, and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. For a detailed exploration of these benefits, our company values, working principles, and overall employee experience, we invite you to visit our Life at Upwork page. Upwork is proud to commit to recruiting and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we never discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as an individual with a disability, or any other applicable legally protected characteristics. To understand more about how Upwork processes and protects your personal information during the application process, please review our Global Job Applicant Privacy Notice.