Contract: Lead Data Scientist – Marketplace Dynamics & Data Science

Upwork ($UPWK) is the world’s work marketplace. We serve everyone from one-person startups to over 30% of the Fortune 100 with a powerful, trust-driven platform that enables companies and talent to work together in new ways that unlock their potential.  

Last year, more than $3.8 billion of work was done through Upwork by skilled professionals who are gaining more control by finding work they are passionate about and innovating their careers.

This is an engagement through Upwork’s Hybrid Workforce Solutions (HWS) Team. Our Hybrid Workforce Solutions Team is a global group of professionals that support Upwork’s business. Our HWS team members are located all over the world.

As a Lead Data Scientist in Upwork’s Marketplace Dynamics & Data Science team, you will play a critical role in understanding and optimizing the dynamics of the world’s largest work marketplace. Your expertise in data science will help shape strategic executive-level decisions across Supply and Demand dynamics, Macroeconomic and Generative AI influences, Customer behavior / segmentation / lifetime value, and Marketplace efficiency.

This role requires a highly analytical thinker with a deep understanding of predictive modeling, causal inference, and experimentation. You will work cross-functionally with teams in Finance, Product, Engineering, and Marketing to uncover insights, build models, and develop recommendations that drive business growth and marketplace efficiency.

Work/Project Scope:
- Work with large datasets to model marketplace dynamics with econometric and data science foundations.
- Apply technical expertise with quantitative analysis, experimentation, data mining.
- Generate insights on business opportunities arising from AI, macroeconomic shifts, and marketplace liquidity.
- Partner cross-functionally with Analytics, Finance, Marketing, Product, and Engineering.

Must Haves (Required Skills):
- Master’s or PhD in Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Economics, Machine Learning, or a related field.
- 4+ years of experience in Data Science, AI/ML, or Econometrics with causal inference / predictive modeling.
- Succinctly communicate data insights into business context for real world business decisioning.
- Build and gain trust with relationships to drive decisions in a consensus manner.
- Operate, lead and influence in an agile startup environment and high-performing team.
- Able to work during US business hours

Upwork is proudly committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce. We never discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

Additionally, a criminal background check may be run on a candidate after a conditional offer to perform your services for Upwork is made. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered in accordance with applicable law, including the California Fair Chance Act and local Fair Chance ordinances.

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