Lead Data Scientist, Inference

Socket.dev; San Francisco, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Strava is seeking a data science professional to join a strategic role that links product and marketing efforts to tangible outcomes for athletes and the business.

You will develop measurement approaches, causal frameworks, and metric strategies to drive high-leverage results across the company, with a hybrid model that requires three days on-site in San Francisco.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in data science or related quantitative domain with measurement strategies experience.
• Depth in causal inference methods and real-world failure modes.
• Strong SQL proficiency and comfort with Python for statistical data processing.
• Python production-quality code for statistical analysis and experimentation tooling.
• Ability to communicate quantitative findings to technical and non-technical partners.

Responsibilities

• Design measurement strategies for complex initiatives using experimental and quasi-experimental methods.
• Expand understanding of user experiences and business performance; evolve metric strategies.
• Lead deep root-cause investigations and develop novel approaches for undefined problems.
• Serve as domain expert in inference, raising the bar for causal evidence quality across teams.

Skills

Data science

Causal inference

SQL proficiency

Python for statistics

Communication skills

Job description

About Strava

Strava is the app for active people. With over 200 million athletes in more than 185 countries, it's more than tracking workouts-it's where people make progress together, from new habits to new personal bests. No matter your sport or how you track it, Strava's got you covered. Find your crew, crush your goals, and make every effort count. Start your journey with Strava today.

Our mission is simple: to motivate people to live their best active lives. We believe in the power of movement to connect and drive people forward.

About This Role

The Data Science team at Strava works across the organization to find solutions to the highest-leverage, and often the most challenging, problems facing the business. We use machine learning, causal inference, and measurement systems to synthesize Strava's unique data assets into models, metrics, and recommendations that our leadership team can act on with confidence.

This is a strategic individual contributor role that works to link the efforts of our product and marketing teams to tangible outcomes for our athletes and for our business. You'll develop novel scientific approaches to measuring out business, developing the necessary causal frameworks and models, and help teams develop and evolve our metric strategy to ensure development across the company points toward the highest-leverage outcomes

We follow a flexible hybrid model that translates to more than half of your time on-site in our San Francisco office - three days per week.

What You'll Do:

• Design measurement strategies for Strava's most complex initiatives, applying experimental and quasi-experimental methods (geo testing, difference-in-differences, IV, synthetic control, etc..) to quantify business outcomes

• Expand Strava's understanding of the relationship between user experiences and business performance and evolve org-wide metric strategies, connecting product development and marketing efforts to high quality results

• Lead deep root-cause investigations into business and product performance, developing novel approaches for problems that don't have an established playbook.

• Serve as a domain expert in inference for the data team horizontally, reviewing measurement designs and raising the bar for causal evidence quality across DS, Analytics, and cross-functional partners

What You'll Bring to the Team:

• 5+ years of experience in data science or a related quantitative domain with experience owning measurement strategies and employing both experimental and quasi-experimental methods

• Depth in causal inference methods and their real-world failure modes, with the judgment to know when each approach is credible and when it isn't.

• Strong SQL proficiency and comfort writing Python for statistical data processing

• Python proficiency, with comfort writing production-quality code for statistical analysis and experiment tooling

• Ability to communicate quantitative findings as a clear narrative to technical and non-technical partners in product, finance, and senior leadership

Why Join Us?

Movement brings us together. At Strava, we're building the world's largest community of active people, helping them stay motivated and achieve their goals.

Our global team is passionate about making movement fun, meaningful, and accessible to everyone. Whether you're shaping the technology, growing our community, or driving innovation, your work at Strava makes an impact.

When you join Strava, you're not just joining a company—you're joining a movement. If you're ready to bring your energy, ideas, and drive, let's build something incredible together.

Strava builds software that makes the best part of our athletes' days even better. Just as we're deeply committed to unlocking their potential, we're dedicated to providing a world-class, inclusive workplace where our employees can grow and thrive, too. We're backed by Sequoia Capital, TCV, Madrone Partners and Jackson Square Ventures, and we're expanding in order to exceed the needs of our growing community of global athletes. Our culture reflects our community. We are continuously striving to hire and engage teammates from all backgrounds, experiences and perspectives because we know we are a stronger team together.

Strava is an equal opportunity employer. In keeping with the values of Strava, we make all employment decisions including hiring, evaluation, termination, promotional and training opportunities, without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, physical handicap, mental disability, medical condition, disability, gender or identity or expression, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, marital status, height and/or weight.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

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