Senior Data Scientist, Algorithms, Forecasting and Realtime Optimization Platform

Senior Data Scientist role on Lyft's Forecasting and Real-Time Optimization Platform (FORTOP) in REM, Seattle, WA (hybrid), with a salary range of USD 136,160 to 170,200 per year, and requiring MS or PhD and at least 5 years of experience.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with engineers, product managers, and business partners to frame problems mathematically and in business terms, guiding roadmaps across cross-functional teams
• Conduct exploratory data analysis to deepen understanding of the problem and the marketplace
• Build, fit, and evaluate time series forecasting and machine learning models
• Produce production-ready model code and work with software engineers to deploy and scale models and algorithms in production with attention to correctness, efficiency, consistency, and technical debt
• Design and run both simulated backtests and live experiments; analyze results, communicate findings, and support launch decisions
• Establish and enhance monitoring of model and signal health; develop scalable tooling to improve the efficiency of operational tasks

Requirements

• MS or PhD in Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, Operations Research, Computer Science, or other quantitative fields, or equivalent work experience
• 5+ years of professional experience in a technology company with a product
• Proven experience building and evaluating time series forecasting and machine learning models, ideally in real-time or large-scale production settings
• Solid foundation in core ML concepts — feature engineering, model evaluation, and managing the bias-variance tradeoff
• Proficiency with Python and modern ML libraries; experience in a production coding environment
• End-to-end data experience including querying, aggregation, analysis, and visualization
• Interest in solving unstructured and non-standard mathematical problems
• Strong written and verbal communication; ability to align stakeholders and influence decisions through reasoning and data

Technologies

• Python

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Mental health benefits
• Family building benefits
• Child care and pet benefits
• 401(k) plan with company match
• Paid time off (discretionary for salaried; 15 days for hourly)
• 18 weeks of paid parental leave
• Subsidized commuter benefits
• Lyft credits and Lyft Pink membership