Staff Data Scientist, Forecasting

Pinterest; California (MO); Hybrid; USD 165,000 - 339,000; Full time

Job summary

Pinterest is seeking a technical lead for the forecasting team to own strategy and implementation of forecasting models for key metrics (e.g., monthly active users), delivering accurate forecasts at scale.

You will lead the full modeling lifecycle end‑to‑end: problem framing, feature engineering, model development and prototyping, experimentation and deployment, with a focus on explainability and scalability. This role involves mentoring data scientists and partnering with BizOps/Finance.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of post-graduate and industry experience in time-series forecasting with web-scale data.
• Proven ability to build adjustable, well-calibrated forecasting systems that inform decisions.
• Strong background in statistics/econometrics; MS or PhD preferred.
• Expertise in Python and SQL; experience with data pipelines (Airflow) is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Be the technical lead for the forecasting team, owning strategy and implementation of models for key metrics.
• Lead the full modeling lifecycle end-to-end: framing, feature engineering, development, experiments, deployment and monitoring.
• Set the forecasting vision, define architectures, and collaborate with Engineering on platform scalability.
• Translate forecasts into decisions; present outputs and scenarios to senior leadership with clarity.
• Drive time-series impact beyond point forecasts: anomaly detection, root-cause analysis, attribution.
• Embed forecasting into business rhythms with BizOps/Finance and product teams, guiding strategic planning.
• Lead and mentor at least two data scientists, elevating quality and impact through feedback.

Skills

Forecasting models

Time-series modeling

Python

SQL (Hive/Presto/Spark)

Leadership

Education

MS/PhD preferred

Tools

Airflow

Forecasting platform

Job description

About Pinterest:

Millions of people around the world come to our platform to find creative ideas, dream about new possibilities and plan for memories that will last a lifetime. At Pinterest, we’re on a mission to bring everyone the inspiration to create a life they love, and that starts with the people behind the product.

Discover a career where you ignite innovation for millions, transform passion into growth opportunities, celebrate each other’s unique experiences and embrace the flexibility to do your best work. Creating a career you love? It’s Possible.

At Pinterest, AI isn't just a feature, it's a powerful partner that augments our creativity and amplifies our impact, and we’re looking for candidates who are excited to be a part of that. To get a complete picture of your experience and abilities, we’ll explore your foundational skills and how you collaborate with AI.

Through our interview process, what matters most is that you can always explain your approach, showing us not just what you know, but how you think. You can read more about our AI interview philosophy and how we use AI in our recruiting process here.

What you’ll do:

• Be the technical lead for the forecasting team. Own the strategy and implementation of forecasting models of key company metrics (e.g., monthly active users), delivering accurate, interpretable forecasts at scale.

• Lead the full modeling lifecycle end to end: problem framing, feature engineering, model development and prototyping, experimentation and backtesting, deployment, monitoring-drip detection, and explainability.

• Set the forecasting technical vision. Define model architectures and standards, and partner with Engineering to shape the forecasting platform for efficient training/inference today and the scalability needed for the next generation of models.

• Translate forecasts into decisions. Present outputs, scenario analyses, and recommendation frameworks to senior leadership with clarity and brevity. This is a high-visibility role with regular VP-level exposure.

• Drive broader time-series impact beyond point forecasts—e.g., anomaly detection, automated root‑cause analysis, campaign/channel attribution, and early‑warning signals for business health.

• Embed forecasting into the business. Partner with BizOps/Finance and product teams to integrate forecasts and insights into operational rhythms, executive decision-making, and strategic planning.

• Lead and mentor. Guide the work of at least two data scientists, raising the bar on technical quality, execution, and impact through candid, continuous feedback and coaching.

What we’re looking for:

• 8+ years of combined post-graduate academic and industry experience building and shipping production time-series/forecasting models with web-scale data.

• A track record of delivering adjustable, well‑calibrated, and explainable forecasting systems that informing decision‑making.

• Strong background in time-series modeling and applied statistics/econometrics; advanced degree (MS or PhD) preferred.

• Expertise in at least one scripting language (ideally Python).

• Strong SQL skills (Hive/Presto/Spark SQL) and experience building reliable data pipelines/workflows (e.g., Airflow).

• Business acumen and ownership mindset—able to simplify complex problems, connect model outputs to business levers, and prioritize for impact.

• Excellent communication skills—able to distill complex analyses and uncertainty into concise narratives for executive audiences.

• Proven technical leadership—success leading critical projects and materially influencing the scope and output of other contributors.

Relocation Statement:

• This position is not eligible for relocation assistance. Visit our PinFlex page to learn more about our working model.

In-Office Requirement Statement:

• We let the type of work you do guide the collaboration style. That means we're not always working in an office, but we continue to gather for key moments of collaboration and connection.

• This role will need to be in the office for in-person collaboration 1-2 times/quarter and therefore can be situated anywhere in the country.

At Pinterest we believe the workplace should be equitable, inclusive, and inspiring for every employee. In an effort to provide greater transparency, we are sharing the base salary range for this position. The position is also eligible for equity. Final salary is based on a number of factors including location, travel, relevant prior experience, or particular skills and expertise.

Information regarding the culture at Pinterest and benefits available for this position can be found here.

US based applicants only

$164,695-$339,078 USD

Our Commitment to Inclusion:

Pinterest is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit. We want to have the best qualified people in every job. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or religious creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, status as a protected veteran, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information or characteristics (or those of a family member) or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state or local laws. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.