Senior Data Scientist, Algorithms, Forecasting and Realtime Optimization Platform

Lyft; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 136,160 - 170,200; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Mental health benefits

Family building benefits

Child care benefits

Job summary

Lyft is seeking a Senior Data Scientist for the FORTOP team to design, train, and apply ML models delivering real-time and forecast signals that drive pricing and supply decisions. You will partner with engineers, PMs, and business partners to frame problems and shape roadmaps in a fast-paced environment.

The role requires 5+ years in a tech setting, strong Python and ML library skills, and end-to-end data expertise.

Qualifications

• MS/PhD in statistics, math, economics, OR, CS or related quantitative field or equivalent experience.
• At least 5+ years in a tech company with a product.
• Experience building and evaluating time series forecasting and ML models for real-time/large-scale production.
• Strong ML fundamentals: features, evaluation, bias-variance.
• Proficiency with Python and modern ML libraries; production coding experience.
• End-to-end data work: querying, aggregation, analysis, visualization.
• Passion for solving complex mathematical problems.
• Strong written and verbal communication to align stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Frame problems mathematically and with business context; shape cross-functional roadmaps.
• Conduct exploratory data analysis to understand problems and markets.
• Develop, fit, and evaluate time series forecasting and ML models.
• Write production model code; collaborate with engineers to scale models in production.
• Design backtesting and live experiments; analyze data and inform launches.
• Define and improve monitoring of model health; build tooling to boost efficiency.

Skills

Time series forecasting

Machine learning

Python

Data analysis

Production coding

Communication

Education

MS/PhD in quantitative field

Tools

Python libraries

SQL

Production tooling

Job description

At Lyft, our purpose is to serve and connect. We aim to achieve this by cultivating a work environment where all team members belong and have the opportunity to thrive.

Data Science is at the heart of Lyft's products and decision-making. As a member of the Science team, you will work in a dynamic environment, where we embrace moving quickly to build the world's best transportation. Data Scientists take on a variety of problems ranging from shaping critical business decisions to building the machine learning models and algorithms that power our internal and external products.

The Forecasting and Real-Time Optimization Platform (FORTOP) team in Lyft's Rideshare Experience & Marketplace (REM) org provides reliable, real-time market supply and demand signals and forecasts that power the systems making critical automated decisions for Lyft's business. These signals feed many of Lyft's most important marketplace products, including Dynamic Pricing, Real-Time Supply Management, Fulfillment, etc. As a Senior Data Scientist on FORTOP, you will improve marketplace efficiency by designing, training, and applying machine learning models that deliver accurate real-time and forecast signals under dynamic conditions. We're looking for a driven Senior Data Scientist who is passionate about solving challenging problems with machine learning, and who is excited to work in a fast-paced, innovative, and cross-functional environment where they will take on some of the most interesting and impactful modeling problems in ridesharing.

Responsibilities:

• Partner with Engineers, Product Managers, and Business Partners to frame problems, both mathematically and within the business context, and shape roadmaps across cross-functional teams
• Perform exploratory data analysis to gain a deeper understanding of the problem and the marketplace
• Develop, fit, and evaluate time series forecasting and machine learning models
• Write production model code; collaborate with Software Engineers to implement and scale models and algorithms in production, with attention to correctness, efficiency, consistency, and technical debt
• Design and implement both simulated backtesting and live experiments; analyze experimental and observational data, communicate findings, and facilitate launch decisions
• Define and uplevel monitoring of model and signal health; build and scale tooling that improves the efficiency of operational tasks

Experience:

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, Operations Research, Computer Science, or other quantitative fields or related work experience
• 5+ years professional experience in a technology company setting involving a product
• Proven experience with building and evaluating time series forecasting and machine learning models, ideally in real-time or large-scale production settings
• Strong grasp of core ML fundamentals — feature engineering, model evaluation, and managing the bias-variance tradeoff
• Proficiency with Python and modern ML libraries, and experience working in a production coding environment
• End-to-end experience with data, including querying, aggregation, analysis, and visualization
• Passion for solving unstructured and non-standard mathematical problems
• Strong written and verbal communication; ability to align stakeholders and influence outcomes through reasoning and data

Benefits:

• Great medical, dental, and vision insurance options with additional programs available when enrolled
• Mental health benefits
• Family building benefits
• Child care and pet benefits
• 401(k) plan with company match to help save for your future
• In addition to 12 observed holidays, salaried team members have discretionary paid time off, hourly team members have 15 days paid time off
• 18 weeks of paid parental leave. Biological, adoptive, and foster parents are all eligible
• Subsidized commuter benefits
• Monthly Lyft credits and complimentary Lyft Pink membership

Lyft is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive workplace that fosters belonging. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, age, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by law. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with applicable federal, state and local law.

Lyft highly values having employees working in-office to foster a collaborative work environment and company culture. This role will be in-office on a hybrid schedule — Team Members will be expected to work in the office 3 days per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Lyft considers working in the office at least 3 days per week to be an essential function of this hybrid role. Your recruiter can share more information about the various in-office perks Lyft offers. Additionally, hybrid roles have the flexibility to work from anywhere for up to 4 weeks per year. #Hybrid

The expected base pay range for this position in the Seattle area is $136,160 - $170,200, not inclusive of potential equity offering, bonus or benefits. Salary ranges are dependent on a variety of factors, including qualifications, experience and geographic location. Your recruiter can share more information about the salary range specific to your working location and other factors during the hiring process.