Senior Data Science Manager, User Growth

Duolingo; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 204,000 - 306,000; Full time

Job summary

Duolingo is seeking a Senior Data Science Manager to lead the data science function within Growth, owning forecasting, analytics, and BI for User Growth. You will lead a team of 6–10 data scientists, coaching career development and expanding the team by hiring exceptional talent.

The role partners with Engineering, Product and Finance to elevate data-driven decisions. The ideal candidate combines deep technical fluency in forecasting, ML, and experimentation with proven leadership ability and

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading data science teams in product analytics and growth.
• Background in forecasting, experimentation, and ML modeling.
• Strong focus on causal inference and rigorous analytics.
• Ability to hire, coach, and scale a high-performing data science team.
• Excellent written and verbal communication for senior stakeholders.
• Deep knowledge of data/analytics ecosystems and tooling.

Responsibilities

• Set the analytical vision and roadmap for User Growth data science.
• Lead a 6–10 data scientist team and grow it over time.
• Embed data scientists within product development teams.
• Own experimental design, execution, and interpretation.
• Develop user growth forecasting systems with cross-functional partners.
• Drive BI strategy, dashboards, and analytics infrastructure.
• Translate findings into clear narratives for leadership and partners.

Skills

Data science leadership

Forecasting

Experimentation

Causal inference

SQL

Python/R

Communication

Team building

Education

Graduate degree in Data Science/Statistics/Economics or related

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 environment where talented scientists do their best work.
• Strong command of SQL, Python or R, and data/analytics engineering ecosystems. You do not need to write production pipelines, but you need to go deep when the work requires it.
• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to distill complex quantitative work into crisp, actionable insights for diverse audiences.

Exceptional candidates will have...

• Experience operating at a high-growth, data-intensive consumer technology company.
• Experience developing and implementing a long-range analytical vision that shaped product strategy and business outcomes.
• Demonstrated success in building forecasting systems or attribution models at scale.
• Experience navigating the transition from growth-stage to scaled public company, including the analytical demands that come with investor-grade reporting and forecasting.
• Experience with AI and machine learning as applied to user behavior modeling, notification optimization, or personalization.
• An impressive Duolingo streak.

The offered salary is dependent upon several factors, including work experience, skills, and internal peer comparisons. The posted range is subject to change in the future. For this role, base salary is supplemented by equity compensation. We encourage you to talk with your recruiter for more information related to compensation for this role!

Salary Range: $204,000 - $306,000 USD

Benefits: Take a peek at how we care for our employees' holistic well-being with our benefits here.

Accommodations: We will do everything we can within reason to make sure that your interview takes place in an environment that fairly and accurately assesses your skills. If you need assistance or accommodation, please contact [e-mail].

Equal Employment Opportunity: Duolingo is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

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