# Principal Data Scientist, Detection

**Company:** [Cloudflare](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/cloudflare)
**Location:** London, United Kingdom, New York, NY
**Role:** Data Science
**Salary:** $215k – $270k/yr
**Experience:** 8+ years
**Skills:** Python, SQL, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Applied Statistics, Fraud Detection, Bot Detection, Abuse Detection, Data Science, Ml Engineering, Large-Scale Data, Model Evaluation
**Posted:** 2026-09-09

> Leads research and strategy for Internet-scale fraud, abuse, and bot detection models, including measurement under ambiguous ground truth. Requires 8–10 years of data science, ML engineering, or software engineering experience and strong Python, SQL, statistics, and machine learning expertise.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities
- Lead research, design, and evaluation of detection models identifying automated, fraudulent, and malicious activity across Internet-scale data.
- Mentor others in uncovering patterns and behaviors that distinguish adversaries from legitimate users.
- Own the detection measurement framework, defining metrics and evaluation strategies for noisy, delayed, or contested ground truth.
- Drive adoption of promising AI and machine learning techniques and represent the company in the broader research community.
- Build cross-functional partnerships with ML Engineers, Data Engineers, and Product teams; influence roadmaps and align detection strategy with company priorities.
- Shape long-term detection strategy by identifying gaps and opportunities across multiple product areas.

## Requirements
- 8–10 years of professional experience in Data Science, ML Engineering, or Software Engineering.
- Experience with fraud, abuse, and/or bot detection on large, high-velocity traffic.
- Strong applied statistics, machine learning, and AI methodology fundamentals.
- Fluency with large-scale data.
- Ability to make ambiguous, high-stakes technical decisions with incomplete information.
- Production experience with Python and SQL.
- Strong programming and engineering best practices in research and production code.

## Nice-to-haves
- Experience working with weak, delayed, absent, or otherwise ambiguous labels.
- Understanding of how detection deployment and response can affect future visibility into adversarial behavior.
- Pragmatic approach to system complexity and tradeoffs.
- Ability to connect technical work to business impact and communicate clearly with technical and non-technical stakeholders.

## Compensation
- New York City hires: estimated annual salary of $215,000–$270,000.
- Eligible for equity participation.

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