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Staff Data Scientist

Austin, Texas

About CharterUP. CharterUP is transforming the $30 billion group transportation industry with cutting-edge technology and innovative SaaS software, delivering an industry-leading experience for both customers and operators. Trusted by most Fortune 500 companies, our platform connects users to thousands of charter bus and minibus operators nationwide. In just 60 seconds, customers can access real-time availability, transparent pricing, and detailed vehicle options—whether organizing a corporate event, a company shuttle, or a wedding. By streamlining what was once a fragmented and stressful process, CharterUP brings transparency, accountability, and efficiency to an industry overdue for innovation

With CharterUP, group transportation is no longer a hassle but an elevated, reliable experience. Join us as we lead the future of group travel.

Why Join Us

  • Innovative Impact: Be part of the team that's revolutionizing group travel, setting new standards in an industry overdue for change.
  • Growth Opportunities: As a hyper growth company and one of the fastest-growing companies recognized by Inc., there’s no better time to join our dynamic, growth-stage organization.
  • Driven Team: Collaborate with some of the most driven minds in tech, all while working in a remote-first environment with a tech hub in Austin, TX.
  • Funding and Stability: Our $60 million Series A funding was just the start—we’re poised for even greater expansion, and you can be part of this exciting journey. CharterUp has achieved this growth profitability and efficiently, ensuring long-term stability.

About the Role

CharterUP is seeking a founding Staff Data Scientist to launch and build our data science capabilities. As our first dedicated hire, you’ll play a dual role: rolling up your sleeves to design and deploy machine learning models in production while also laying the groundwork for a scalable data science function. Your initial impact will be hands-on, developing and implementing ML models that optimize pricing and availability to directly shape the customer and operator experience. Over time, you’ll expand into forecasting, automation, and optimization, while establishing the principles, infrastructure, and culture that will guide how data informs decision-making across CharterUP. This role offers the rare opportunity to combine immediate technical ownership with the chance to set the foundation for a data-first culture that transforms the future of group mobility.

Title: Staff Data Scientist

Reports to: Chief Product Officer

Location: This position is based in Austin, TX (Hybrid: Monday, Wednesday, Friday in-office).

What You’ll Do

  • Hands-On Model Development: Design, implement, and maintain production ML models with an immediate focus on pricing and availability, expanding into forecasting, automation, and optimization
  • Build and Shape the Function: Establish the principles, infrastructure, and systems for data science, ensuring a scalable foundation that supports long-term growth.
  • Data Infrastructure & Quality: Drive improvements in data pipelines, modeling, and governance to ensure reliable, high-quality data for decision-making.
  • Strategic Partnering: Collaborate closely with executives and cross-functional teams to translate complex data into clear insights, metrics, and recommendations that influence business direction.
  • Champion a Data-First Culture: Promote best practices in experimentation, statistical rigor, and data storytelling, while mentoring peers and setting the stage for a future team.

Key Initial Objectives (6-12 months)

  • Translate pricing and availability insights into scalable systems: Work with Engineering to embed elasticity models, demand forecasts, and operator availability logic into the core platform so they directly influence quotes and surfaced options.
  • Build production-ready pricing and matching levers: Design and implement dynamic rules or models that optimize both customer price acceptance and operator match rates, ensuring supply is surfaced efficiently and profitably.
  • Establish robust testing and monitoring: Put in place frameworks for controlled experiments on both pricing and supply-matching, with clear KPIs that balance margin, conversion, and operator acceptance.
  • Accelerate decision-making with transparency: Ensure pricing and availability strategies are explainable and measurable, with dashboards that make outcomes visible across Product, Sales, Finance, and Ops.
  • Lay the foundation for scale: Develop processes and systems that allow pricing and operator matching to scale beyond one-off analysis, creating a repeatable, trusted capability within the organization.

What You’ll Bring

  • Proven Data Science Leadership: 8+ years of experience in data science with a track record of building and scaling data-driven functions, leading cross-functional teams, and delivering high-impact projects in high-growth or startup environments.
  • Machine Learning & Statistical Expertise: Hands-on experience designing, deploying, and maintaining ML models in production, including pricing, demand forecasting, and availability optimization, paired with deep skills in AI/ML, LLMs, NLP, statistical modeling, experimental design, and advanced analysis.
    Data Infrastructure & Technical Depth: Advanced proficiency with SQL in big data environments, Python/R for large-scale analysis, and strong background in data modeling, pipeline development, and ensuring data quality and governance.
  • Strategic and Business Alignment: Demonstrated ability to align data science initiatives with business goals, translating complex data into clear strategies and actionable insights that drive growth and operational efficiency.
  • Collaboration and Communication: Excellent communicator and partner across technical and non-technical teams, with proven ability to influence at the executive level, mentor peers and junior talent, and champion a data-first culture across the organization.

Recruiting Process

  • Step 1 - Video call: Talent Acquisition interview
  • Step 2 - Video call: Hiring Manager interview
  • Step 3 - Video call: Team interviews
  • Step 4 - Final Case Study & Presentation
  • Step 5 - Offer & reference check
  • Welcome aboard!

Salary

$200,000 - $240,000 USD

Global Benefits & Perks at CharterUP

We believe great people can live anywhere—and they deserve great benefits, too. While offerings may vary slightly by location, we prioritize hiring near our hubs in Austin, Atlanta, Miami, and Denver as we grow our global team.

  • Remote-First Flexibility: Work from anywhere we hire, with built-in flexibility. U.S.-based employees may reside in any of our 19 approved states.
  • Comprehensive Health & Wellness: Medical, dental, and vision insurance, mental health support, virtual care, gym discounts, and family-building benefits. In the U.S., we cover 100% of premiums for employees. International benefits align with local standards.
  • Time Off to Recharge: Paid time off so you can truly unplug. U.S.: 15 PTO days (increasing to 20 after 2 years) + 8 paid holidays. International policies vary by country.
  • Financial Peace of Mind: Company-paid life, short-term, and long-term disability insurance where available.
  • Performance-Driven Culture: Join a fast-moving, ambitious, and collaborative team that wins together.
  • Referral Rewards: Earn bonuses for bringing top talent to the team.
  • Planning for the Future: Long-term financial planning support. U.S.: 401(k) plan. International: region-specific savings programs where applicable.
  • Top-Tier Tech: Choose a Mac or PC, plus monitor, keyboard, and mouse to hit the ground running.

CharterUP is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive, accessible, and respectful workplace. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, marital status, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws in the United States and Canada. If you require accommodation during the recruitment process, please let us know. CharterUP is committed to providing reasonable accommodations during the hiring process. If you need assistance or an accommodation, please contact your recruiter.

Hiring Locations: CharterUP U.S.-based candidates and employees must reside in one of the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

We hire in the U.S. and Canada and are actively expanding our global footprint.

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