Data Scientist

The Data Scientist will define, build, and continuously enhance analytical and machine learning models for an AI-driven aviation market intelligence tool. The work supports market sizing, forecasting, and opportunity identification, with close collaboration across product, engineering, and data teams to ensure models perform reliably and fit into real-world workflows.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and own scalable analytical and machine learning models for market sizing, forecasting, opportunity identification, and optimization use cases.
• Convert ambiguous business questions into structured modeling plans, including feature engineering, model selection, and evaluation frameworks.
• Design and analyze experiments, statistical tests, and validation approaches to measure model quality and business impact.
• Deploy and integrate models into production systems in partnership with data engineering and backend teams, focusing on reliability, scalability, and performance.
• Work with large, complex, and imperfect datasets by defining data requirements and supporting preprocessing and feature pipelines.
• Ensure model outputs are explainable and interpretable, and align with business logic to support user trust and adoption.
• Monitor, validate, and improve model performance using testing, retraining, versioning, and feedback loops.
• Collaborate with product teams to define analytical features, inform roadmap decisions, and embed model-driven insights into decision-making workflows.

Required Qualifications

• Strong foundation in statistics, machine learning, and predictive modeling, including regression, classification, clustering, time series, and experiment design (for example, A/B testing).
• Proficiency in Python and SQL, with experience using common machine learning libraries such as scikit-learn, pandas, and numpy.
• Experience delivering end-to-end ML workflows: preprocessing, feature engineering, model training, evaluation, deployment, and monitoring.
• Familiarity with production ML practices, including model versioning, performance optimization, retraining, and monitoring for drift or degradation.
• Experience working with large-scale or complex datasets, including missing data, inconsistencies, and real-world data limitations.
• Ability to communicate model logic, assumptions, and outputs clearly to non-technical stakeholders and cross-functional partners.
• Experience collaborating with product managers, data engineers, and software engineers to deliver analytical features in production environments.
• Strong problem-solving skills and effectiveness in ambiguous environments where requirements evolve.
• Bachelor’s degree in data science, statistics, mathematics, engineering, computer science, or a related quantitative field.
• 3 to 5+ years of experience in data science, machine learning, or advanced analytics roles in a product or business-driven environment.
• Demonstrated experience developing, deploying, and improving predictive models that support business decision-making.
• Experience building analytics or ML-driven products such as forecasting, optimization, recommendation systems, or market intelligence tools.
• Experience designing experiments or statistical validation approaches to evaluate model performance and business outcomes is preferred.
• Experience with cloud platforms or distributed data processing (such as AWS, Azure, or Spark) is preferred but not required.
• Experience in aviation, supply chain, or related industries is a plus but not required.
• Master’s degree preferred.

Technologies

• Python
• SQL
• scikit-learn
• pandas
• numpy
• AWS
• Azure
• Spark

Compensation and Benefits

• Competitive salary range: $115,000 to $130,000 annually.
• Eligible for a bonus.
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match.
• Generous paid time off program.
• Professional development and career advancement opportunities.
• AAR provides a competitive benefits package including medical/dental/vision/life/and AD&D insurance, a 401(k) savings plan with employer match, paid time off and holiday pay, along with opportunities for professional development and growth.

Work Location and Schedule

• Location: Wood Dale, IL (onsite)
• Primary location: United States-Illinois-Wood Dale
• Schedule: Full-time
• Overtime status: Exempt

Physical Demands and Work Environment

• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Employee may be regularly required to sit, stand, bend, reach, and move about the facility.
• Environmental characteristic: office setting.
• Candidates should be able to adapt to a traditional business environment.

Additional Role Details

• Job category: Information Technology