Sr. Data Scientist - Advertising Technology

Expedia Expedia · Hospitality · Seattle, WA +1

Senior Data Scientist role focused on advertising technology, using data, experimentation, and applied modeling to improve ad delivery, ranking, auctions, and bidding performance. The role involves developing and deploying ML models, analyzing large datasets, designing experiments, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to build production-scale intelligent systems. Experience with modern deep learning architectures and advertising/marketplace systems is preferred.

What you'd actually do

  1. Develop and deploy advanced machine learning models to solve complex business challenges and drive data-informed decision making.
  2. Analyze large-scale datasets and design robust experiments to uncover actionable insights and optimize Expedia Group’s products and services.
  3. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to architect and implement end-to-end data pipelines and intelligent systems that operate at production scale.
  4. Lead and mentor data scientists and engineers, fostering technical excellence and a culture of continuous learning.
  5. Safely integrate and operate AI/ML‑enabled solutions that improve outcomes, ensuring models are reliable, ethical, and scalable.

Skills

Required

  • Bachelor’s degree or higher in Statistics, Economics, Computer Science, Data Science, or a related quantitative field
  • 6–8+ years of professional experience in data science, applied science, or analytics roles
  • Proven experience developing and deploying ML and statistical models for real-world business problems at scale
  • Deep expertise in statistics, applied data analysis, and experimentation design
  • Strong experience designing, executing, and interpreting A/B and causal experiments, including identifying confounders and limitations
  • Advanced proficiency in SQL and experience working with large-scale datasets using Spark or Databricks
  • Proficiency in Python and experience with ML frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow or MxNet
  • Experience working with modern deep learning architectures, such as Transformers/BERT, DCN, GNNs, GANs, or diffusion models
  • Excellent communication skills, with the ability to influence decisions and clearly explain complex analyses to senior technical and non-technical stakeholders

Nice to have

  • Significant experience working on advertising or marketplace systems, including ad delivery, auctions, bidding, ranking, or pricing
  • Applied experience with ML models used in ads, such as CTR/CVR prediction, ranking, or optimization models
  • Strong understanding of auction mechanics (first-price vs. second-price, pacing, budget constraints) and marketplace dynamics
  • Experience with incrementality measurement, causal inference, and policy evaluation in production environments
  • Ability to mentor junior data scientists, set analytical standards, and review others’ work
  • Background in ads, marketplaces, e-commerce, or travel platforms

What the JD emphasized

  • advertising or marketplace systems
  • ad delivery, auctions, bidding, ranking, or pricing
  • ML models used in ads
  • CTR/CVR prediction, ranking, or optimization models
  • auction mechanics
  • incrementality measurement, causal inference, and policy evaluation

Other signals

  • Develop and deploy advanced machine learning models
  • Analyze large-scale datasets and design robust experiments
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to architect and implement end-to-end data pipelines and intelligent systems that operate at production scale
  • Safely integrate and operate AI/ML‑enabled solutions that improve outcomes
  • Apply expertise in AI-driven systems, tools, or workflows, and leverage AI/ML concepts to deliver impactful real-world products