Data Scienist

Lever, Inc.; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

PTO

Career roadmap / development

Job summary

Xsolla, a global game commerce company based in Los Angeles, seeks a data-driven Data Scientist to build scalable data pipelines and ML feature inputs. You will lead cross-functional efforts with Data Science, ML, and Backend teams while ensuring data quality, governance, and privacy.

Strong ownership and autonomous work style are essential in a fast-paced environment. The role focuses on Snowflake-based architectures, real-time and batch ingestion, and collaboration with Legal, Security, and

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience as a Data Scientist with 3+ years in Spark.
• Strong SQL and Python skills with experience building ETL/ELT at scale.
• Deep understanding of algorithm performance tuning and warehouse orchestration.
• Experience with data pipeline orchestration (Airflow, Prefect, dbt, or similar).

Responsibilities

• Architecture & Development: Design, build, and optimize data pipelines and ETL workflows in Snowflake using Snowpark, Streams/Tasks, and Snowpipe.
• Lead integration across data sources (MySQL, BigQuery, Redis, Kafka, GCP Storage, API Gateway).
• Mentor junior data engineers and collaborate with Data Science, ML, and Backend teams.
• Build dashboards and monitors for pipeline health and data latency metrics.

Skills

Data Scientist

Spark

SQL

Python

ETL/ELT

Data Modeling

Airflow

Big Data

Tools

Snowflake

Kafka

GCP

AWS

dbt

Looker

Tableau

Snowsight

Job description

We are looking for a data-driven problem solver who thrives at the intersection of engineering and science. You have strong ownership and work autonomously in fast-paced environments, balancing velocity with reliability. As a collaborative mentor, you raise the bar for team quality and discipline while translating complex technical concepts into business value. You're passionate about building scalable solutions and have excellent cross-functional communication skills that bridge engineering and business stakeholders.

Xsolla is a global commerce company with robust tools and services to help developers solve the inherent challenges of the video game industry. From indie to AAA, companies partner with Xsolla to help them fund, distribute, market, and monetize their games. Grounded in the belief in the future of video games, Xsolla is resolute in the mission to bring opportunities together, and continually make new resources available to creators. Headquartered and incorporated in Los Angeles, California, Xsolla operates as the merchant of record and has helped over 1,500+ game developers to reach more players and grow their businesses around the world. With more paths to profits and ways to win, developers have all the things needed to enjoy the game.

For more information, visit xsolla.com.

Responsibilities:

• 1. Architecture & Development
• Design, build, and optimize data pipelines and ETL workflows in Snowflake using Snowpark, Streams/Tasks, and Snowpipe.
• Develop scalable data models, Algorithm supporting user 360 views, churn prediction, and recommendation engine inputs.
• Lead integration across data sources: MySQL, BigQuery, Redis, Kafka, GCP Storage, and API Gateway.
• Implement CI/CD for data pipelines using Git, dbt, and automated testing.
• Define data quality checks and auditing pipelines for ingestion and transformation layers.
• 2. Leadership & Collaboration
• Mentor and guide junior data engineers on data modeling, performance tuning, and Snowflake best practices.
• Partner with Data Science, ML, and Backend teams to productionize machine learning features in Snowflake.
• Work closely with Legal, Security, and Infrastructure teams to ensure compliance, privacy, and governance of user data (PII).
• Collaborate with the Director of Data Platforms and product stakeholders to translate business requirements into technical specifications.
• 3. Performance & Scalability
• Tune algorithm performance.
• Establish data partitioning, clustering, and materialized views for fast query execution.
• Build dashboards and monitors for pipeline health, job success, and data latency metrics (e.g., via Looker, Tableau, or Snowsight).
• 4. Governance & Best Practices
• Establish and enforce naming conventions, data lineage, and metadata standards across schemas.
• Lead code reviews, enforce documentation standards, and manage schema versioning.
• Contribute to the company’s evolving data mesh and streaming architecture vision.

Qualification & Skills:

• 5+ years of experience in Data Scientist, with 3+ years in Spark framework.
• Strong SQL and Python skills, with proven experience building ETL/ELT at scale.
• Deep understanding of algorithm performance tuning, query optimization, and warehouse orchestration.
• Experience with data pipeline orchestration (Airflow, Prefect, dbt, or similar).
• Solid understanding of data modeling (Kimball, Data Vault, or hybrid).
• Proficiency in Kafka, GCP, or AWS for real-time or batch ingestion.
• Familiarity with API-based data integration and microservice architectures.
• Preferred
• Experience lead machine learning teams or/and deploying ML feature pipelines.
• Background in ad-tech, gaming, or e-commerce recommendation systems.
• Familiarity with data contracts and feature stores (Feast, Tecton, or custom-built).
• Experience managing small data engineering teams and setting technical direction
• Strong ownership and ability to work autonomously in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent cross-functional communication — can translate between engineering and business.
• Hands-on problem solver who balances velocity with reliability.
• Collaborative mentor who raises the bar for team quality and discipline

$150,000 - $220,000 a year

Benefits:

We are passionate about fostering a supportive environment for our team, so we prioritize the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of our employees and their families through a comprehensive Benefits Program. This includes medical, dental, and vision, PTO, and a personalized career roadmap for each employee. By investing in professional development through training and educational opportunities, we ensure that our team thrives both personally and professionally. Together, we’re not just building a business; we’re cultivating a community that values creativity, collaboration, and the transformative power of play.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

Xsolla is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in accordance with the Fair Chance Act.

Criminal History Consideration:

For the Data Scientist, we will conduct a background check that may include the following

Criminal history check

Employment verification

Education verification

Relevance to Job Responsibilities:

The background check is relevant to this position because of the following role responsibilities

Accessing confidential company data

Ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements

Rights Under the Fair Chance Act:

Applicants are encouraged to inquire about their rights under the Fair Chance Act. If you have questions regarding our hiring practices, please contact [e-mail].