Sr. Data Scientist
TargetSmart
Job Description:
The Senior Data Scientist is a highly technical, creative problem solver who thrives in a collaborative, client-focused environment. They are responsible for designing, building, and validating advanced statistical and machine learning models that support TargetSmart’s consulting clients as well as national-scale models serving hundreds of TargetSmart’s VoterBase clients. They partner closely with internal teams and external clients to design custom analytics solutions, contribute to proposal development, and translate complex statistical findings into clear, actionable insights. The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise with strong communication skills and a passion for data-driven decision-making to improve social outcomes.
Responsibilities:
• Design, develop, and deploy predictive models using advanced statistical methods and machine learning techniques
• Collaborate with the Director of Research Solutions to integrate polling data with custom and national-scale models
• Conduct rigorous model validation to ensure accuracy, reliability, and quality standards are met
• Produce clear, effective presentations and documentation to support analytics deliverables
• Engage directly with clients to understand project requirements and provide data-driven recommendations
• Partner with TargetSmart’s product team to develop and integrate new analytics products and solutions
Requirements
Skills and Qualifications:
• Four (4) or more years of professional experience developing predictive models using large, complex datasets
• Proficiency in statistical and programming languages such as Python and R
• Strong working knowledge of SQL
• Experience working across multiple database environments
• Prior experience working with clients in a consulting or client-facing capacity
• Exceptional attention to detail and the ability to critically evaluate and improve one’s own work
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences
Nice to Have Skills and Qualifications:
• Experience with R and/or SPSS
• Familiarity with Snowflake or similar cloud data warehouses
• Experience working with political, civic, or advocacy data
• Experience with one or more data visualization platforms (e.g., Tableau, Looker, R Shiny, ArcGIS)
• Experience using Alteryx
Benefits
We believe that a diverse, inclusive staff is a fundamental strength. We’re committed to hiring people of all races, ethnicities, religions, ages, sex, genders, sexual orientations, and gender identities. Women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and members of untapped groups are strongly encouraged to apply and are welcome on our teams.
COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION
Including a 401(k) with generous company matching.
100% REMOTE WORKING OPPORTUNITY
Always have been and always will be.
TOP-NOTCH MEDICAL COVERAGE
Domestic-partner inclusive, health, dental, vision, life, cancer coverage, and long-term disability insurance for you and your dependents.
GENEROUS PAID TIME OFF
23 days of PTO per year. We believe in work-life balance and encourage you to use your time off.
PAID PARENTAL LEAVE
10 weeks of fully paid time off. All genders qualify equally, and the policy includes adoptions.
TargetSmart Culture
TargetSmart thrives on a unique atmosphere and culture. Our professionals, at all levels, work primarily as virtual teams spread across the country. We encourage remote working and provide the necessary technology to facilitate it. We also foster an open environment (virtually, of course) where team members seek input from and are encouraged to collaborate and exchange ideas with their colleagues at all levels of the company. We decentralize decision-making wherever possible and put authority where the knowledge is. It’s our belief that this creates an atmosphere of respect and integrity where we all work together toward common goals. We believe that a diverse, inclusive staff is a fundamental strength. We’re committed to hiring people of all races, ethnicities, religions, ages, sex, genders, sexual orientations, and gender identities. Women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and members of untapped groups are welcome on our teams.
About TargetSmart Communications
TargetSmart is a leading provider of political data and technology that enables campaigns and organizations to successfully communicate with large audiences, personalize outreach, and create lasting relationships. Our superior politically-focused, consultative approach combines consumer data, databases, data integration and consulting solutions for personalized multichannel marketing strategies. TargetSmart leverages over 25 years of experience in data management to deliver high-performance, reliable data products and solutions.