Data Science Manager, Machine Learning & Causal Inference

Discord is looking for an experienced and passionate Machine Learning (ML) & Causal Inference (CI) Manager, to lead our User Experiences ML & CI Data Science group.

As a part of the larger Data Science & Engineering department, the User Experiences ML & CI team produces ML & CI models used to understand the dynamics of the Discord ecosystem and drive internal decision-making - eg. audience segmentation, lifecycle modeling, understanding the causal relationship between metrics. As manager of this team, you will own the vision for your group, build a roadmap to achieve your vision, and drive strategic impact with your stakeholders teams (DS, PM, Eng teams) proactively and autonomously!

Our team directly impacts the strategy and roadmaps that improve Discord for its more than 150M (and many more future) users. Come work with world-class data scientists who combine deep technical expertise with a collaborative mindset and humility to achieve Discord's mission of providing people with belonging in online communities. If you're passionate about data, impact, and working on an amazing team, read on!

What You'll Be Doing

• Develop and own the roadmap & prioritization for predictive modeling and causal inference to understand user dynamics on the platform
• Mentor and guide the team to use state-of-the-art machine learning and causal inference techniques to provide a deeper understanding of the product, users, and communities.
• Influence our experimentation platform decisions, best practices, and experimentation accuracy
• Inform the direction of our ML & CI tech stack through collaboration with our Data Platform team
• As a member of our Data leadership team, inform architectural decisions, establish best practices, develop lean scalable processes, and contribute to the overall direction of the Data organization at Discord!

You Will Thrive In This Role If

• 3+ year of people management experience in ML & CI domains; track record of leading successful teams in a cross-functional & collaborative environment
• PhD in quantitative field and 6+ years of experience in using ML and/or CI techniques to make an impact on vague and challenging business problems.
• 4+ years of industry experience in developing, productionizing, and maintaining applied machine learning models for internal use cases (i.e. low SLA, batch models)
• Expertise in the following domains: linear models, neural networks, tree-based models, and unsupervised learning
• Proficiency with Python and SQL
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex findings and technical approaches to a variety of audiences.
• Last but not least - a collaborative attitude and a healthy dose of natural curiosity!

Bonus Points

• Experience in experimentation on social media or other consumer products with network effects (eg. cluster based testing)
• Interest in conducting literature reviews, translating and championing best scientific practices to a wide range of functions across the company.
• Experience writing technical articles related to machine learning & causal inference.
• Experience with R.
• Passion for Discord or online communities.

#buildbelonging

(New York City only*) Minimum salary of $206,000/year + equity and benefits Note: Disclosure as required by NYC Pay Transparency Law
(Colorado only*) Minimum salary of $175,100 /year + equity and benefits *Note: Disclosure as required by sb19-085(8-5-20).

Benefits and Perks

• Comprehensive medical insurance including Health, Dental and Vision (plus up to $20,000 for gender affirmation procedures)
• Mental health resources and quarterly wellness stipends
• 16+ paid holidays, 4 weeks of PTO + use-what-you-need sick days 
• Paid parental leave (plus fertility, adoption and other family planning benefits)
• Flexible long-term work options (remote and hybrid)
• Volunteer time off
• A diverse slate of Employee Resource Groups 
• Plus commuter contributions and other perks for office-based employees

About Us

Discord is a voice, video and text app that helps friends and communities come together to hang out and explore their interests — from artists and activists, to study groups, sneakerheads, plant parents, and more. With 150 million monthly users across 19 million active communities, called servers, Discord has grown to become one of the most popular communications services in the world. Discord was built without selling ads or user data and instead, offers a premium subscription called Nitro that gives users special perks like higher quality streams and fun customizations.

We’re working toward an inclusive world where no one feels like an outsider, where genuine human connection is a click, text chat, or voice call away. A place where everyone can find belonging. Challenging? Heck yes. Rewarding? Double heck yes. It’s a mission that gives us the chance to positively impact millions of people all over the world. So if this strikes a chord with you, come build belonging with us!