Lead Data Scientist, Retail Testing Analytics

Starbucks is seeking a Lead Data Scientist for the Retail Testing Analytics team in Nashville, TN (onsite). In this role, you will help power enterprise testing, experimentation, and measurement with production-grade statistical frameworks, advanced analytics solutions, and optimization algorithms. You will partner across functions to turn business questions into causal measurement and experimentation capabilities, along with decision-support tools that help leaders make confident, data-driven choices.

What you’ll do

• Design and enhance scalable, production-grade frameworks for testing and measurement that can be applied across multiple business domains.
• Develop and integrate advanced methods including causal inference techniques, optimization approaches, and machine learning models into enterprise testing, experimentation, and measurement platforms.
• Evaluate strategic initiatives by partnering with cross-functional teams to quantify business impact, identify opportunities, and enable data-driven decision-making.
• Translate analytics into action by communicating complex findings clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders, including senior leaders.
• Mentor and elevate the team by guiding Data and Decision Scientists in advanced analytics, experimentation design, statistical methodology, optimization, and storytelling best practices.
• Drive technical excellence by fostering a culture of innovation, continuous learning, and analytical rigor.

What you bring

• 5+ years of progressive data science experience, including a track record of developing and deploying end-to-end analytical products, statistical models, or data science solutions with measurable business impact.
• Deep expertise in statistics, causal inference, experimental design, and advanced analytics, including the ability to apply machine learning and optimization to solve complex problems.
• Strong software development skills with advanced proficiency in Python and SQL, plus experience with cloud-based analytics platforms such as Databricks and Azure, including production-grade analytical solutions and data pipelines.
• Experience operationalizing platforms for experimentation, testing, measurement, and causal inference.
• Exceptional communication and data storytelling through presentations, visualizations, dashboards, and written documentation that translate sophisticated concepts into actionable recommendations.
• Experience building enterprise-scale systems in complex, data-rich environments while balancing methodological rigor with practical business needs.
• Leadership and mentoring experience with a strong interest in developing talent and raising the team’s technical capabilities.
• Proven collaboration with business leaders and cross-functional stakeholders to influence strategy and drive measurable outcomes.
• Experience with PySpark and Databricks for distributed computing and large-scale data processing.

Tools you’ll work with

Python, SQL, Databricks, Azure, PySpark

Compensation and benefits

Salary: USD 146,400 - 243,900 per year.

• Medical, dental, and vision
• Basic and supplemental life insurance
• Other voluntary insurance benefits
• Short-term and long-term disability
• Paid parental leave
• Family expansion reimbursement
• Paid vacation from date of hire
• Sick time (accrued at 1 hour for every 25 hours worked)
• Eight paid holidays
• Two personal days per year
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match
• Discounted company stock program (S.I.P.)
• Starbucks equity program (Bean Stock)
• Incentivized emergency savings
• Financial well-being tools
• 100% upfront tuition coverage for a first-time bachelor’s degree through Arizona State University’s online program via the Starbucks College Achievement Plan
• Student loan management resources
• Access to other educational opportunities
• Backup care
• DACA reimbursement