Staff Data Scientist

Chainalysis; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 186,000; Full time

Job summary

Chainalysis is seeking a Staff Data Scientist to join our Research and Intelligence organization in London. You’ll lead analytical, statistical, and ML work across UTXO and EVM blockchain data, building production-ready methods that power our analytics platform for customers worldwide.

You’ll mentor colleagues, own multiple projects end-to-end, and collaborate with Research, Global Intelligence, Product and Engineering to move research from prototype to scalable systems.

Qualifications

• Advanced statistics, ML, and data science work in industry or research.
• Expert-level Python and SQL, production-grade code.
• Experience applying analytical techniques to large, messy datasets.
• Ability to learn unfamiliar domains quickly; blockchain exp welcome.
• Ability to own and prioritise multiple projects and drive delivery.

Responsibilities

• Lead concurrent production data-science projects and translate problems into actionable work.
• Develop and validate analytical methods, models, heuristics, and algorithms across blockchain data.
• Stay current with advances in data science and blockchain analysis; pilot new techniques.
• Identify inefficiencies, make architectural decisions, and balance system health with new work.

Skills

Python

SQL

Statistics

Machine Learning

Data Science

Graph algorithms

Education

PhD or equivalent quantitative training

Tools

Databricks

Dbt

Spark/PySpark

Terraform

AWS

Postgres

Job description

Chainalysis is inspired by solving the hardest technical challenges and creating products that build trust in cryptocurrencies. We’re a global organization who thrive on the challenging work we do and doing it with other exceptionally talented teammates. Our industry changes constantly, and our job is to create user-facing products supported by our best-in-class data, allowing us to adapt to those rapid changes and bring maximal value to our customers.

We’re looking for a Staff Data Scientist to join our Research and Intelligence organisation in London. You’ll work across flexible, cross-functional squads within the Data Science team, leading analytical, statistical, and machine‑learning work across both UTXO and EVM blockchains. The team develops behavioural heuristics, graph algorithms, statistical models, and machine‑learning techniques that power some of the most advanced blockchain analysis in the industry. Much of the work is state of the art and ahead of academia; your work will shape the data that fuels Chainalysis products and customers globally. This role is ideal for someone energised by deeply technical, ambiguous problems at the intersection of statistics, machine learning, algorithms, and large‑scale on‑chain analysis—and who wants to own multiple projects and systems end to end, shape technical direction, and deliver company‑level impact. In this role, you’ll:

• Own and prioritise multiple concurrent production data‑science projects or systems, translating broad problem statements into actionable work, managing evolving requirements, and delivering measurable outcomes.
• Design, develop, and validate novel analytical methods, statistical models, behavioural heuristics, and algorithms across UTXO, EVM, and other blockchain data to attribute on‑chain activity and uncover customer‑relevant insights.
• Stay current on advances in data science and blockchain analysis; evaluate and pilot techniques such as graph computation, statistical modelling, and machine learning on large‑scale on‑chain datasets.
• Identify and resolve inefficiencies in code, methodology, and workflows; make architectural decisions; define and track quality metrics; understand upstream and downstream dependencies; and balance long‑term system health and technical debt against new delivery.
• Drive cross‑functional alignment by clearly articulating and defending methodology and results, challenging assumptions when warranted, and building consensus as requirements evolve.
• Mentor team members across levels within your domain, support onboarding, contribute to technical hiring, and share knowledge through documentation and presentations.
• Collaborate across Research, Global Intelligence, Product, and Engineering to move research from prototype to dependable production systems and create tools or platforms that multiply team output.

We’re looking for candidates who have:

• Deep expertise in statistics, machine learning, computer science, physics, mathematics, or another quantitative discipline, demonstrated through advanced industry or research work.
• Expert‑level proficiency in Python and SQL, with a track record of writing clean, testable, production‑quality code.
• Demonstrated experience applying advanced analytical techniques (e.g. graph algorithms, ML, statistical inference) to large, messy datasets.
• Demonstrated ability to learn unfamiliar technical domains and data models quickly; prior blockchain experience is welcome but not required.
• A demonstrated ability to own and prioritise multiple concurrent projects or systems, make sound architectural and methodological decisions, and drive cross‑functional stakeholders toward delivery.
• An analytical, open‑minded approach to problem solving – comfortable navigating ambiguity and willing to dive into problems outside your day‑to‑day scope.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex methodology to diverse audiences, mentor technical practitioners, and share knowledge across a team.

Nice to have:

• A PhD or equivalent research training in a quantitative field, and/or familiarity with Databricks, dbt, Spark/PySpark, or similar large‑scale data platforms.
• Experience modifying infrastructure‑as‑code (e.g. Terraform) or contributing to production data pipelines.
• Experience building shared tools or platforms that multiply team output and onboarding others onto them.
• Experience with UTXO, EVM, or other blockchain data, graph computation, and/or the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

Technologies we use:

• Python
• SQL
• Databricks
• Dbt
• PySpark / Spark
• Terraform
• AWS
• Postgres
• AI at Chainalysis

AI is not a feature at Chainalysis - it is a new way of working. One that turns instructions into work done, and helps us move faster than the threats we’re built to counter, and we expect our employees to take ownership of the output and ensure quality. As the world’s most trusted blockchain analytics platform, Chainalysis sits at a rare intersection of proprietary data, regulatory relationships and crypto expertise that makes it uniquely placed to shape and lead the next era of AI‑driven intelligence - and we expect everyone here, regardless of role, to be an active part of it. AI fluency is tied directly to how we measure performance and how we plan to win. There is no substitute for your own curiosity. We provide the tools, workflows, and space to experiment - but the expectation is that you develop these capabilities yourself, bring ideas, and collaborate across teams to reinvent the way work gets done. We are not using AI to do less. We are using it to do what was never possible before.

About Chainalysis

Chainalysis is the blockchain data platform, making it easy to connect the movement of digital assets to real‑world services. Powered by deep blockchain data and AI, organizations can investigate illicit activity, manage risk exposure, and develop innovative market solutions built on the industry’s most trusted blockchain intelligence. Our mission is to build trust in blockchains, blending safety and security with an unwavering commitment to growth and innovation.

You belong here.

At Chainalysis, we believe that diversity of experience and thought makes us stronger. With both customers and employees around the world, we are committed to ensuring our team reflects the unique communities around us. We’re ensuring we keep learning by committing to continually revisit and reevaluate our diversity culture. We encourage applicants across any race, ethnicity, gender/gender expression, age, spirituality, ability, experience and more. If you need any accommodations to make our interview process more accessible to you due to a disability, don’t hesitate to let us know.