Senior Data Scientist, People Analytics

Avalara, Inc.; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Avalara is seeking a senior People Analytics Data Scientist to architect advanced analytics and AI-powered solutions that shape our global workforce strategy. In this role, you’ll go far beyond traditional reporting and apply machine learning, causal inference, and AI-augmented listening tools to answer the most complex questions about how people work, grow, and thrive at Avalara.

This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship and reports to the Head of People Analytics.

Qualifications

• Advanced analytics for workforce strategy using machine learning, causal inference, and AI-powered listening.
• Experience designing AI-assisted listening programs and predictive insights for executive decisions.
• Strong collaboration with People, Finance, and business leaders in a global SaaS environment.

Responsibilities

• Design and deploy machine learning and predictive models, including NLP, sentiment analysis, and generative AI applications to surface workforce signals at scale.
• Leverage AI tools to automate data pipelines, accelerate hypothesis testing, and enhance the speed and accuracy of insight delivery.
• Serve as a practitioner and advocate for AI-first analytics, helping the People team adopt new AI capabilities and embedding them into everyday workflows.
• Lead the analytics approach for employee listening programs, including engagement surveys, pulse checks, lifecycle touchpoints, and feedback channels.
• Build NLP and text analytics models to mine open-ended survey responses, exit interviews, and qualitative feedback at scale.
• Design listening architectures that integrate structured (HRIS, performance) and unstructured data.

Skills

Machine learning

Causal inference

NLP

Text analytics

Predictive modeling

AI-first analytics

Data pipelines

Job description

What You’ll Do

Avalara is looking for a senior People Analytics Data Scientist who will architect advanced analytics and AI-powered solutions that shape our global workforce strategy. In this role, you’ll go far beyond traditional reporting and apply machine learning, causal inference, and AI-augmented listening tools to answer the most complex questions about how people work, grow, and thrive at Avalara.

What sets this role apart is true end-to-end ownership: from building data foundations and designing AI-assisted listening programs to delivering predictive insights that drive executive decisions. You’ll operate at the intersection of people science, AI, and strategy and partner with senior People, Finance, and business leaders in a rigorous, evidence-based global SaaS environment. This role reports to the Head of People Analytics.

This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship

#LI-Remote

What Your Responsibilities Will Be

AI-Powered People Analytics

• Design and deploy machine learning and predictive models, including natural language processing (NLP), sentiment analysis, and generative AI applications to surface workforce signals at scale.
• Leverage AI tools to automate data pipelines, accelerate hypothesis testing, and enhance the speed and accuracy of insight delivery.
• Serve as a practitioner and advocate for AI-first analytics, helping the People team adopt new AI capabilities and embedding them into everyday workflows.

Employee Listening & Workforce Intelligence

• Lead the analytics approach for employee listening programs, including engagement surveys, pulse checks, lifecycle touchpoints, and always-on feedback channels—translating signal into actionable intelligence.
• Build NLP and text analytics models to mine open-ended survey responses, exit interviews, and qualitative feedback at scale, identifying themes, sentiment trends, and early attrition signals.
• Design listening architectures that integrate structured (HRIS, performance) and unstructured