Principal Data Scientist, IT Analytics

This onsite Principal Data Scientist role in Fort Worth, TX leads the OR&AA analytics team within American Airlines IT, delivering advanced analytics capabilities and providing technical leadership across business units.

Responsibilities

• Direct the OR&AA teams in designing, validating, and deploying analytical models, tools, and systems that improve customer satisfaction, profitability, and operational reliability.
• Offer technical direction and strategic vision for analytics initiatives spanning the OR&AA team and the broader organization.
• Lead initiatives to enhance policies, processes, and technology solutions affecting customers and staff.
• Identify opportunities for competitive advantage through innovation, applying novel techniques in pioneering applications and measuring impact.
• Build trusted relationships with business leaders; collaborate with partners to translate business needs into advanced analytics solutions.
• Provide technical mentorship to team members within and beyond OR&AA.
• Recognize technical gaps within the OR&AA team and coordinate training to raise the unit’s capabilities.

Requirements

• A Master of Science degree in Data Science, ML/AI, Operations Research, Industrial Engineering, Statistics, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline.
• At least five years of experience developing ML/AI, operations research, and analytics solutions.
• A minimum of three years leading ML/AI, operations research, and analytics projects, formally or informally.
• Two or more years of Python experience developing ML/AI, Generative AI, and operations research solutions.
• Proven ability to cultivate strong relationships with business partners, IT counterparts, and external groups.
• Proficiency in one or more domains such as ML/AI, Generative AI, Data Science, Statistics, Optimization, Simulation, or Forecasting.

Technologies

• Python

Benefits

• Travel perks
• Health benefits
• Wellness programs
• 401(k) program
• Additional benefits

Education and Prior Job Experience (Preferred Qualifications)

• 5+ years of experience implementing large, complex projects.
• 2+ years building and deploying advanced analytics solutions to support Contact Centers and Digital Customer Experience.
• 2+ years building and deploying advanced analytics solutions to support Loyalty and Marketing.
• 2+ years building Large Language Model based solutions.
• 2+ years building Agentic AI solutions.
• 2+ years building NLP models.
• 2+ years building customer engagement and predictive customer analytics models.
• 2+ years building targeted offers and personalization models.
• 5+ years of Python experience developing machine learning/AI solutions.
• 2+ years developing analytical models in a Cloud environment.
• 2+ years working closely with software engineering teams to implement complex analytics solutions.
• 2+ years coordinating with privacy and legal teams.

Skills, Licenses & Certifications

• Proven ability to cultivate robust relationships with IT counterparts, business partners, and external groups.
• Ability to drive results with an aptitude for engaging employees across multiple workgroups.
• Capability to prioritize a long list of potential projects within resource constraints.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and apply best practices.
• Strategic thinking with sound judgment and initiative in decision making.
• Capacity to manage multiple responsibilities concurrently while collaborating with others.
• Excellent analytical, planning and organizational skills.
• Experience working with Agile project management methodologies and tools.