Senior Data Science Manager, User Growth

EngineersOfAI; New York (NY); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Duolingo seeks a Senior Data Science Manager to lead the data science function within Growth, owning forecasting, product data science, and business intelligence. You will head a team of 6 to 10 data scientists, coaching careers and expanding the team by attracting top talent over time.

The role requires deep technical fluency in forecasting, causal inference, ML modeling, experimentation, and strong leadership to raise the bar for the analytics organization.

Qualifications

• Graduate degree in Data Science, Statistics, Economics, or related quantitative field
• Experience with causal inference, experimentation, and machine learning models
• Proven ability to build, lead, and grow a high-performing data science team

Responsibilities

• Set the analytical vision and roadmap for User Growth data science aligned with company priorities
• Lead a team of 6–10 data scientists, fostering growth, rigor, and impactful delivery
• Embed data scientists within product development teams while maintaining stakeholder cohesion
• Own experiments and analyses to drive decisions on user acquisition, activation, retention, and reengagement
• Develop and maintain forecasting systems and deliver credible forecasts for leadership decision-making
• Drive BI strategy within Growth, including dashboards and analytics infrastructure
• Translate findings into clear narratives for senior leadership and cross-functional partners
• Collaborate across Product, Engineering, Design, Marketing, and Finance to elevate product development

Skills

Data science leadership

Forecasting

Experimentation

Statistical modeling

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

People management

Education

Graduate degree in Data Science/Statistics/Economics or related field

Tools

SQL

Python

R

Job description

Our mission at Duolingo is to develop the best education in the world and make it universally available. It’s a big mission, and that’s where you come in!

At Duolingo, you’ll join a team that cares about educating our users, experimenting with big ideas, making fact-based decisions, and finding innovative solutions to complex problems. You’ll have limitless learning opportunities and daily collaborations with world-class minds — while doing work that’s both meaningful and fun.

Join our life-changing mission to develop education for our half a billion (and growing!) learners around the world.

Read our blog to learn more.

About the role...

Our mission at Duolingo is to develop the best education in the world and make it universally available. With over 500 million users and rapid expansion across new subjects and markets, Duolingo's growth trajectory demands world-class analytical leadership. We're hiring a Senior Data Science Manager to lead the data science function within our Growth pillar, one of the most consequential areas of the business.

This person will own all aspects of product data science, forecasting, and business intelligence for User Growth. They will lead a team of 6 to 10 data scientists spanning staff to junior levels, with a mandate to coach, develop, and grow their careers while also expanding the team by hiring exceptional talent over time. The ideal candidate combines deep technical fluency in forecasting, statistical/ML modeling, and experimentation with genuine leadership ability: the kind of person who raises the bar for everyone around them.

This role reports to the Head of Data Science & Analytics and partners closely with cross-functional leadership in Engineering, Product, Design, and Finance.

You will...

• Set the analytical vision and roadmap for User Growth data science, ensuring the team's work is tightly aligned with company-level priorities and pillar-level goals.
• Lead a team of 6 to 10 data scientists. Build a culture of professional growth, intellectual rigor, creative problem-solving, and shipping impact. Grow the team over time by attracting and hiring outstanding talent.
• Support and evolve the practice of embedding Data Scientists within product development teams, simultaneously maintaining strong stakeholder connection and function cohesion.
• Own the design, execution, and interpretation of experiments and analyses that drive decisions on user acquisition, activation, retention, and reengagement. Improve and advocate for the methodological standards that ensure we learn reliably from every test.
• Develop and maintain user growth forecasting systems. Partner with Finance and Product to deliver credible, timely forecasts of key growth metrics and ensure leadership has the quantitative foundation to set targets and allocate resources.
• Drive business intelligence strategy within Growth, including the metrics layer, self-serve dashboards, and the analytical infrastructure that enables others to operate with data fluency.
• Translate complex analytical findings into clear narratives for senior leadership and cross-functional partners. Influence strategic decisions through a combination of technical depth and effective communication.
• Collaborate across organizational boundaries with Product Management, Engineering, Design, Marketing, and Finance to elevate every phase of product development.

You have...

• Experience using data science and analytics to solve product and business problems.
• Experience managing 5+ person data science teams.
• A graduate degree in Data Science, Statistics, Economics, or a related quantitative field, or equivalent demonstrated expertise in formal analytical techniques.
• Applied industry experience using causal inference, experimentation, and/or machine learning models. You routinely use analytical tools in messy real world settings where details, confounds, and the validity of assumptions matter.
• Proven ability to build, lead, and grow a high-performing data science team. You have a track record of hiring well, developing people across levels, managing performance, and creating an