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Attentive

Head of Applied Science / Data Science

San Francisco, CA
Salary
$320,000 - $380,000 annually
Level
Lead

Not stated in the posting: work type, visa.

Open. First seen 2 October 2026.

Apply on the company's site →

What this role asks for

Standard for data science / ML roles

Machine Learning · Python · SQL

Common in data science / ML postings at any company.

57% of this description is written for the role. The rest is Attentive's standard text, folded away below.

Read against Attentive's other open postings on this site.

The team: Engineering HIRES STEADILY

This role is one of 16 open in Engineering. 6 were posted in the last 30 days and the oldest in February: a team that hires all year rather than one being built.

WHAT THE TEAM WORKS WITH, ACROSS ITS POSTINGS

AWS (11 of 16), Java (11 of 16), Machine Learning (11 of 16), Kubernetes (10 of 16), Microservices (10 of 16), Cloudflare (9 of 16), Istio (9 of 16)

OTHER ROLES ON THIS TEAM

From the team and dates on Attentive's own job board.

About the role

Attentive's standard text

Attentive® is the AI marketing platform for 1:1 personalization redefining the way brands and people connect. We’re the only marketing platform that combines powerful technology with human expertise to build authentic customer relationships. By unifying SMS, RCS, email, and push notifications, our AI-powered personalization engine delivers bespoke experiences that drive performance, revenue, and loyalty through real-time behavioral insights.

Recognized as the #1 provider in SMS Marketing by G2, Attentive partners with more than 8,000 customers across 70+ industries. Leading global brands like Crate and Barrel, Urban Outfitters, and Carter’s work with us to enable billions of interactions that power tens of billions in revenue for our customers.

With a distributed global workforce and employee hubs in New York City, San Francisco, London, and Sydney, Attentive’s team has been consistently recognized for its performance and culture. We’re proud to be included in Deloitte’s Fast 500 (four years running!), LinkedIn’s Top Startups, Forbes’ Cloud 100 (five years running!), Inc.’s Best Workplaces, and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Corporate Equality Index!

About the Role

Our Applied Science / Data Science team is a world-class organization focused on using data, experimentation, machine learning, and AI to shape product strategy and accelerate business growth. We partner closely with Product, Engineering, Marketing, Sales, and Customer Success to build intelligent products, optimize customer experiences, and drive measurable business impact.

This will be a leadership role overseeing our applied science / data science team and you will lead a team of high-performing data scientists responsible for solving some of the company’s most strategic product and business challenges. You will define the vision for applied data science across multiple product areas, develop innovative analytical and machine learning solutions, and partner with senior leaders to influence company strategy. This is a highly visible leadership role that blends people management, technical excellence, and cross-functional influence.

What You’ll Accomplish

  • Lead, mentor, and grow a team of Applied Scientists / Data Scientists, fostering technical excellence and career development
  • Define and execute the applied data science roadmap in partnership with Product, Engineering, and executive stakeholders
  • Drive the development of statistical models, machine learning solutions, experimentation frameworks, and causal inference methodologies to improve product performance and customer outcomes
  • Establish best practices for experimentation, measurement, forecasting, and decision-making across the organization
  • Translate ambiguous business problems into scalable analytical and machine learning solutions
  • Influence product strategy by identifying opportunities through deep analysis of customer behavior, experimentation, and business performance
  • Partner closely with engineering teams to operationalize models and deploy production-ready solutions
  • Present insights and recommendations to senior leadership and executive stakeholders to influence strategic decisions
  • Build a culture of scientific rigor, operational excellence, and continuous innovation across the data science organization

Your Expertise

  • Master’s or Ph.D. in Statistics, Computer Science, Economics, Operations Research, Mathematics, Machine Learning, or a related quantitative field; Bachelor’s degree with equivalent industry experience also considered
  • 8+ years of experience in Data Science, Machine Learning, Analytics, or related disciplines
  • 3+ years of experience managing and developing high-performing data science teams
  • Deep expertise in experimentation, causal inference, statistical modeling, predictive modeling, and machine learning
  • Experience partnering closely with Product and Engineering organizations to deliver data-driven product improvements
  • Strong proficiency in Python and SQL with experience working on large-scale datasets
  • Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence executive stakeholders through data-driven storytelling
  • Demonstrated success leading cross-functional initiatives from ideation through production
Attentive's standard text

You'll get competitive perks and benefits, from health & wellness to equity, to help you bring your best self to work.

For US based applicants:

  • The US base salary range for this full-time position is $320,000 - $380,000 annually + equity + benefits
  • Our salary ranges are determined by role, level and location
Attentive's standard text

#LI-EF1

By applying for this position, your data will be processed as per Attentive's Privacy Policy.

Attentive Company Values

Default to Action - Move swiftly and with purpose

Be One Unstoppable Team - Rally as each other’s champions

Champion the Customer - Our success is defined by our customers' success

Attentive's standard text

Act Like an Owner - Take responsibility for Attentive’s success

Learn more about AWAKE, Attentive’s collective of employee resource groups.

If you do not meet all the requirements listed here, we still encourage you to apply! No job description is perfect, and we may also have another opportunity that closely matches your skills and experience.

At Attentive, we know that our Company's strength lies in the diversity of our employees. Attentive is an Equal Opportunity Employer and we welcome applicants from all backgrounds. Our policy is to provide equal employment opportunities for all employees, applicants and covered individuals regardless of protected characteristics.

We prioritize and maintain a fair, inclusive and equitable workplace free from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Attentive is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities. If you need any assistance or reasonable accommodations, please let your recruiter know.

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