Principal, Data Scientist - Applied Machine Learning
About The Position
As a Principal Data Scientist, you will lead the design and delivery of machine learning solutions that power personalization and ad targeting across VIZIO. You'll own complex, ambiguous problems end to end—translating product and customer needs into scalable ML models and iterating them through rigorous evaluation and experimentation. You will work closely with Product and Engineering partners to influence direction, navigate technical tradeoffs, and advance long term ML strategy. You will set the technical standard for modeling and experimentation, contribute hands on advanced deep learning models at scale, and mentor other data scientists with a focus on quality and impact. We are a machine learning team focused on personalization across VIZIO’s platform. Leveraging expertise in deep learning and statistical data analysis, the group focuses on creating scalable and powerful deep learning models using frameworks like PyTorch and MLflow. Collaborating closely with cross-functional partners, the team continuously enhances model performance and deployment to deliver impactful user experiences. This environment encourages innovation, rigorous testing, and application of best practices to solve complex challenges in recommender systems and ad targeting, contributing to the platform’s growth and customer engagement.
Requirements
- Extensive experience designing, training, and deploying machine learning models for real-world systems, particularly in personalization, recommendation, ranking, or targeting.
- Deep technical foundations in machine learning and statistics, including representation learning, deep learning architectures, optimization, experimentation, and model evaluation.
- Production Python experience, expertise with distributed data tools such as PySpark, and proficiency with modern ML frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, or JAX.
- Proven ability to lead ambiguous, technically complex initiatives spanning multiple stakeholders from problem formulation through deployment and evolution.
- Experience influencing technical direction, establishing best practices, and driving high-quality machine learning solutions through technical leadership.
- Bachelor’s degree in Statistics, Economics, Analytics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field and 3 years' experience in an analytics related field.
- Master’s degree in Statistics, Economics, Analytics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field and 1 years' experience in an analytics related field.
- 5 years' experience in an analytics or related field.
Nice To Haves
- Data science, machine learning, optimization models
- PhD in Machine Learning, Computer Science, Information Technology, Operations Research, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Econometrics
- Publications or active peer reviewer in related journals or conference
- Successful completion of one or more assessments in Python, Spark, Scala, or R
- Using open source frameworks (for example, scikit learn, tensorflow, torch)
- Background in creating inclusive digital experiences, demonstrating knowledge in implementing Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standards, assistive technologies, and integrating digital accessibility seamlessly.
- Knowledge of accessibility best practices and join us as we continue to create accessible products and services following Walmart’s accessibility standards and guidelines for supporting an inclusive culture.
Responsibilities
- Tackle ambiguous, high-impact problems by translating product and business questions into scalable machine learning solutions.
- Build, evaluate, and iterate on advanced deep learning models for personalization, recommendation, and targeting.
- Design and apply rigorous offline metrics and online experimentation frameworks to measure model and system performance.
- Partner closely with Product and Engineering to align on scope, navigate technical tradeoffs, and drive execution across multiple teams.
- Define and champion best practices for modeling, experimentation, and ML development, with a focus on robustness, scalability, and maintainability.
- Provide technical leadership through design reviews, collaboration, and hands-on problem solving while helping raise the quality and impact of machine learning solutions.
Benefits
- Competitive pay
- Performance-based bonus awards
- Medical coverage
- Vision coverage
- Dental coverage
- 401(k)
- Stock purchase
- Company-paid life insurance
- PTO (including sick leave)
- Parental leave
- Family care leave
- Bereavement
- Jury duty
- Voting leave
- Short-term disability
- Long-term disability
- Company discounts
- Military Leave Pay
- Adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement
- PTO and/or PPTO that can be used for vacation, sick leave, holidays, or other purposes
- Live Better U (Walmart-paid education benefit program for full-time and part-time associates)
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Principal
