VP of Data Science

Attain; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Attain is seeking a VP of Data Science to own the science behind our products and lead a team of data scientists. You will set defensible methodological standards, work with product, engineering, and ML teams, and communicate complex modeling concepts to clients and executives.

You will drive attribution, incrementality, and ROAS validation, translating sophisticated analyses into strategic decisions for commercial teams, while guiding the data science roadmap and external collaborations.

Qualifications

• Deep expertise in causal inference, incrementality, attribution, and media mix modeling with strong Bayesian and experimental design grounding.
• Hands-on with large-scale consumer datasets and understanding imputation, matching, coverage gaps, and bias correction.
• Track record owning measurement science or methodology in AdTech/MarTech or data-driven consumer platforms.
• Ability to clearly present questions, concerns, and limitations to ensure unambiguous decision-making.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, bridging technical and commercial audiences.
• Willingness to lead a data science team and translate commercial pressure into a scientific roadmap.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain the standards for measuring impact, proving causality, and validating data for Attain's products.
• Own the modeling behind products, including attribution, census balancing, incrementality, and validation regimes.
• Set standards for core calculations and ensure consistent, defensible implementation after product decisions.
• Represent Attain's methodology to engineering, commercial stakeholders, and external partners.
• Translate advanced methods into actionable product decisions and business recommendations.
• Collaborate with Engineering and ML leadership on modeling infrastructure and standards, without owning the infrastructure.
• Develop and lead the data science team and manage external consultants with domain expertise.

Skills

causal inference

incrementality

attribution

media mix modeling

Bayesian methods

experimental design

large-scale data handling

AdTech/MarTech domain expertise

effective communicator

stakeholder advisory

Python

ML tooling

cloud data stack

Education

MS/PhD/MBA in economics, statistics, or related quantitative field

equivalent demonstrated depth

Tools

Python

Cloud data stack

Job description

About Attain

Built for consumers and companies, alike. In a world driven by data, we believe consumers and businesses can coexist. Our founders had a vision to empower consumers to leverage their greatest asset—their data—in exchange for modern financial services. Built with this vision in mind, our platform allows consumers to access savings tools, earned wages and rewards without cost or hidden fees. In exchange, they give permission to use their real-time data for research, insights and targeted advertising.

About the role

As Attain's VP of Data Science, you'll own the science behind our products, and be the person clients and partners trust when they want to stress-test our numbers. Attain's differentiation isn't just that we have data; it's that our methodologies are defensible. You'll set the standard for what "defensible" means and be comfortable being the one in the room when a sophisticated buyer or a partner's data science team wants a peek under the hood to understand how our products work. This role reports into the SVP of Engineering and sits at the intersection of methodology, product, and client trust. You'll work closely with product, engineering, and ML teams on how we model and validate at scale, and just as closely with commercial teams on how that science shows up in front of clients.

You'll be a great fit for the role if

• You have deep expertise in causal inference, incrementality, attribution, and media mix modeling, and the statistical grounding (Bayesian methods, experimental design) to defend it under pressure
• You've worked hands-on with large-scale consumer datasets (transaction, purchase, panel, or identity data) and know the real tradeoffs in imputation, matching, coverage gaps, and bias correction
• You've built your career in AdTech/MarTech, and have personally owned methodology in front of both internal and external stakeholders
• You know how to be a strong advisor, not just a decision-maker; you can lay out every question, concern, and limitation on a product or methodology choice clearly enough to ensure there is no ambiguity in the decision-making process
• You have excellent communication and presentation skills, and can move comfortably between a technical ML/engineering audience and a commercial/executive one, and you're credible with both
• You'd rather disclose the limits of a model proactively than get caught defending it after the fact
• You're excited to lead a team of data scientists who combine methodological depth with a product and client mindset

What a typical week will look like

• Define and maintain the standards for how Attain measures impact, proves causality, and validates modeled data
• Own the modeling behind our products, e.g. census balancing, attribution, audience targeting, incrementality, and the validation regimes that back them
• Set and document the standard for how core calculations (attribution windows, touch-model methodology, ROAS conventions) are implemented consistently and defensibly, once Product has decided what those calculations should be
• Represent Attain's methodology to both engineering and commercial stakeholders, and sometimes externally as well
• Translate advanced methods into product decisions and business recommendations for commercial teams, and translate commercial pressure back into a realistic scientific roadmap
• Partner closely with Engineering and ML leadership on modeling infrastructure and standards, without owning that infrastructure directly
• Develop and lead our team of data scientists
• Partner with and manage engagements with external consultants who bring domain-specific expertise

Preferred Qualifications

• 10+ years in data science within AdTech/MarTech, with 4+ years leading a team
• Track record owning measurement science or methodology at a senior level in AdTech, MarTech, or a data-driven consumer platform
• Advanced degree (MS/PhD/MBA) in economics, statistics, or a related quantitative field, or equivalent demonstrated depth
• Experience presenting and defending modeling approaches to external clients, partners, or regulators
• Strong Python and modern ML/statistical tooling; comfortable operating on a cloud data stack
• Experience building and scaling a data science team
• Prior experience with panel-based or modeled/synthetic consumer data specifically is a strong plus