Senior Data Scientist

Senior Data Scientist

at Thumbtack

Remote, Ontario

A home is the biggest investment most people make, and yet, it doesn’t come with a manual. That’s why we’re building the only app homeowners need to effortlessly manage their homes knowing what to do, when to do it, and who to hire. With Thumbtack, millions of people care for what matters most, and pros earn billions of dollars through our platform. And as one of the fastest-growing companies in a $500B industry we must be doing something right.

We are driven by a common goal and the deep satisfaction that comes from knowing our work supports local economies, helps small businesses grow, and brings homeowners peace of mind. We’re seeking people who continually put our purpose first: advocating for pros and customers, embracing change, and choosing teamwork every day.

At Thumbtack, we’re creating a new era of home care. If making an impact and the chance to do good inspires you, join us. Imagine what we’ll build together.

Thumbtack by the Numbers

• Available nationwide in all 3,143 U.S. counties
• 70 million projects started on Thumbtack
• More than 4 million customers in the last 12 months
• Pros earn billions on our platform
• More than 8 million 5-star reviews for our stellar pros
• 1000+ employees and $3.2 billion valuation (June, 2021)

About the Data Science Team

We’re looking for data scientists with deep expertise in machine learning, optimization, building data products, and/or statistics. As part of a small product team you will have full ownership over your domain, so you should be a person who dreams big, then executes well.

At Thumbtack, the Data Science team is responsible for a wide variety of problems spanning machine learning, statistics, and computer science:

• Characterize marketplace dynamics. Thumbtack’s marketplaces consist of thousands of active markets across our service categories and U.S. cities. Via exploratory data analysis and experimental design, our team works to understand trends and behaviors within these markets.
• Improve customer and service provider matching. Matching and optimization algorithms are fundamental to Thumbtack’s product: we now service millions of matches per week. Identifying better matches between customers and service providers has an incredible impact on the experience of customers and professionals transacting on our platform.
• Model complex relationships in the presence of many confounding factors. Predictive modeling problems are everywhere across our product. Our team works to scope, design and implement machine learning models to support Thumbtack’s product.

Challenge

Our team is at the forefront of a massive amount of user data. We need to think a lot about both scaling as well as how to provide experiences for a wide set of users that we don’t necessarily know a ton about immediately. We are building experiences into our apps to onboard, engage, and re-engage our users and are constantly experimenting to produce delightful and consistent user experiences.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute experiments, collect and analyze data to characterize our product
• Architect and deploy machine learning systems to production
• Design and implement metrics that align with company goals
• Analyze a wide variety of data: structured and unstructured, observational and experimental
• Collaborate with engineering, marketing, and economists to use sound statistical practices.

Must-Have Qualifications

If you don’t think you meet all of the criteria below but still are interested in the job, please apply. Nobody checks every box, and we’re looking for someone excited to join the team.

• M.S. or equivalent experience in Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, Math, Statistics, or other relevant technical field
• Expert knowledge of machine learning techniques: regression and classification, clustering, neural networks, boosted decision trees, etc.
• Ability to effectively read, write, and debug code in programming languages such as Python
• Good knowledge of probability and statistics, including experimental design, optimization, and causal inference
• Excellent written and verbal technical communication skills

Nice-to-Have Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, Math, or Statistics
• Expert knowledge of probability and statistics, including experimental design, predictive modeling, optimization, and causal inference
• Experience with large-scale distributed systems

Thumbtack is a virtual-first company, meaning you can live and work from any one of our approved locations across the United States, Ontario or the Philippines. When it is safe to gather, we will begin to host in-person events on a regular basis. Remote employees will be expected to travel occasionally for these events to a Thumbtack library or offsite team-building location. In cities with 5+ employees, we are establishing local communities, where employees can gather for local events. Additionally, employees in the San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Toronto and Manila areas will have opt-in access to communal workspace at one of our Thumbtack libraries. We always prioritize the health and safety of our employees. Currently, participation in these events and Thumbtack library use are optional. Both require employees to be fully vaccinated.

#LI-Remote

Benefits & Perks

• Virtual-first working model coupled with quarterly in-person events and Camp Thumbtack
• 20+ company-wide holidays including two week-long shutdowns
• Libraries (collaborative workspaces) in San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Toronto, and Manila
• Stipends for remote work support, home office set-up and internet
• Subscriptions and Employee Assistance Program for mental health and well-being
• Cell Phone Reimbursement, Thumbtack services (North America only)

*Currently, Thumbtackers can live anywhere in Ontario or British Columbia, Canada or the Philippines or in any of the following US states: AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, Washington DC. Our long term vision is to hire across all of the United States and Canada, but this expansion will take a few years.