# Principal Data Scientist

**Company:** [Databricks](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/databricks)
**Location:** Remote
**Role:** Data Science
**Experience:** 15+ years
**Skills:** Statistics, Causal Inference, Forecasting, Machine Learning, Experimentation, Optimization, Data Science, Quantitative Research
**Posted:** 2026-03-10

> Principal Data Scientist serves as the statistical authority, translating complex data science insights into actionable narratives for C-suite and Board. Drives data-driven decisions through strategic analyses, methodology standards, and cross-functional influence. Requires PhD and 15+ years experience.

## Job Description

## The Impact You Will Have
- **Executive translation.** Translate complex data science findings into clear, actionable narratives for the CEO, C-suite, and Board of Directors — ensuring data science insights directly inform the company's most critical decisions.
- **Statistical authority.** Serve as the company's chief statistical voice and the final quality backstop for analytical rigor in high-stakes executive decisions. Advance the state-of-the-art in how Databricks applies statistical methods to business problems.
- **Org-wide uplevel.** Raise the communication bar across the entire Data Science organization by setting standards, coaching teams, and co-authoring key executive-facing deliverables. Make every DS team better at telling their story.
- **Strategic insights.** Produce deep strategic analyses on revenue, platform health, operational efficiency, and competitive positioning — the kind of synthesized, judgment-rich insight that AI cannot autonomously create.
- **Cross-functional influence.** Partner with engineering VPs, product leaders, and executive staff to embed a data-driven decision-making culture across the company. Be the trusted analytical advisor in rooms where critical decisions are made.
- **External thought leadership.** Represent Databricks externally as a data science thought leader at industry conferences, in publications, and in the broader statistical community. Build an external identity that attracts world-class talent.
- **Methodology and standards.** Define and evolve company-wide scientific methodologies — experimentation frameworks, forecasting systems, causal inference approaches — to match and push industry state-of-the-art.

## What We Look For

### Required
- 15+ years of experience in data science, statistics, or quantitative research spanning industry and/or academia.
- Proven track record of presenting statistical and data science concepts to C-suite and Board-level audiences, with measurable impact on executive decision-making.
- Broad expertise across data science disciplines: experimentation, causal inference, forecasting, optimization, and machine learning.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication — the ability to make complex statistical concepts intuitive and compelling for non-technical executives.
- Track record of upleveling teams: setting analytical standards, mentoring senior data scientists, and improving org-wide output quality.
- Experience at the intersection of statistics and large-scale technology or data platforms.
- Ph.D. in Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field.

### Preferred
- Academic research or teaching background in statistics or a quantitative field.
- Industry experience at multiple tier-1 technology companies.
- Published research or recognized thought leadership in applied statistics.
- Experience building or leading a "Chief Statistician" or equivalent function.
- Experience in infrastructure, platform, or systems-oriented data science.

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