Applied Scientist

Zillow Group Inc.; United States; Remote; USD 132,000 - 223,000; Full time

Job summary

Zillow Group Inc. in the United States seeks an Applied Scientist specializing in traditional econometrics and machine learning, focused on time series and hierarchical forecasting.

You will collaborate with economists, data scientists, and engineers to build forecasts of the housing market at regional scales. The role emphasizes model development, feature extraction from economic and demographic drivers, and deployment to production, with monthly forecast cycles and scenario modeling to

Qualifications

• 2+ years of proven experience in time series/spatial forecasting.
• Strong background in econometrics and ML methods.
• Experience with large-scale datasets and distributed computing frameworks.
• Proficiency in model evaluation, backtesting, and forecast accuracy metrics.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with other applied scientists, data scientists and economists to develop hierarchical forecasts for the housing market at regional levels.
• Identify economic and demographic driving forces and extract features predicting housing trends 1–2 years ahead.
• Work with engineering to deploy models into production environments.
• Contribute to monthly forecast production and communicate outlook to business partners and leadership.
• Develop scenario models for stress testing and broader forecasting framework.

Skills

Time series forecasting

Hierarchical forecasting

Econometrics

Machine learning

Statistical analysis

Large-scale datasets

Spark

Education

Master’s or PhD degree in relevant field

Tools

Spark

Python

Cloud platforms (AWS/GCP)

Distributed computing

Job description

About the team

Join our dynamic team, leveraging a comprehensive database of over 100 million homes, transactions, and users to predict and analyze housing market trends. As an Applied Scientist specializing in traditional econometrics and machine learning with a focus on time series and hierarchical forecasting, you will play a critical role in shaping our understanding and forecasting of the housing market.

About the role

• Collaborative Forecast Development: Work alongside other applied scientists, data scientists and economists to develop hierarchical forecasts for the housing market at various regional levels:
• Feature Extraction: Identify economic and demographic driving forces of housing market growth across regions and extract features that predict housing market trends 1 to 2 years in the future.
• Model Deployment: Collaborate closely with the engineering team to deploy models into production environments.
• Forecast Production: Contribute to monthly forecast production, communicating forecast performance and the housing market outlook to business partners and senior leadership team.
• Scenario Modeling: Develop scenario models that capture a wide range of housing market outcomes and contribute to a company-wide stress-testing framework.

This role has been categorized as a Remote position. “Remote” employees do not have a permanent corporate office workplace and, instead, work from a physical location of their choice, which must be identified to the Company.

U.S. employees may live in any of the 50 United States, with limited exceptions. In California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Washington state, and Washington DC the standard base pay range for this role is $139,400.00 - $222,600.00 annually. This base pay range is specific to these locations and may not be applicable to other locations. In Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia the standard base pay range for this role is $132,400.00 - $211,600.00 annually. The base pay range is specific to these locations and may not be applicable to other locations. In addition to a competitive base salary this position is also eligible for equity awards based on factors such as experience, performance and location. Actual amounts will vary depending on experience, performance and location. Employees in this role will not be paid below the salary threshold for exempt employees in the state where they reside.

Who you are

• Keen Housing Market Observer: Strong interest and understanding of the housing market and the economic factors that influence it.
• Innovative Problem Solver: Passionate about working on innovative solutions to time series, panel data, and hierarchical forecasting problems, conducting independent research, and applying research methods to real-world problems.
• Technical Proficiencies: Strong foundation in traditional econometric methods and modern machine learning techniques. Proficient in data cleaning, preprocessing, and feature engineering for time series data. Experience with large-scale datasets and familiarity with distributed computing frameworks such as Spark. Ability to design and implement robust model evaluation and validation strategies, including cross-validation and backtesting. Experience with metrics for time series forecasting accuracy and performance assessment. Proficient in cloud-based platforms and tools for deploying and monitoring machine learning models. Proficient in building AI agent to automate manual work.
• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, capable of conveying complex concepts to a broad audience.
• Experience: 2+ years of proven experience working in time series/spatial forecasting space.
• Educational Background: Master’s or PhD degree in Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Econometrics, Physics, Earth Sciences, or a related scientific field.

Get to know us

At Zillow, we’re reimagining how people move—through the real estate market and through their careers. As the most-visited real estate platform in the U.S., we help people navigate buying, selling, financing and renting with greater ease and confidence. Whether you're working in tech, sales, operations, or design, you’ll be part of a company reshaping an industry and helping more people make home a reality.

How we work is a key part of that transformation

Through Cloud HQ, our strategic approach to distributed work, most employees have the flexibility to work from wherever they’re most productive—enabling us to move fast, stay connected and deliver on our people promise.

Zillow is honored to be recognized among the best workplaces in the U.S. Zillow was named one of FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® in 2026, and included on TIME’s America’s Best Companies 2026 list, reflecting our commitment to creating an innovative, inclusive, and engaging culture where employees are empowered to grow.

Zillow Group is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive, innovative environment with the best employees. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please contact your recruiter directly. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with applicable state and local law.

Los Angeles County applicants: Job duties for this position include: work safely and cooperatively with other employees, supervisors, and staff; adhere to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicate effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and follow all federal, state, and local laws and Company policies. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness and professionalism, and safeguard business operations and the Company’s reputation. Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

At Zillow, flexibility isn’t a perk - it’s how we work. Cloud HQ is our distributed work model, built on trust, clear systems, and the belief that you can do great work from wherever you are. It’s not about where you work. It’s about moving forward - together.