Senior Data Scientist

About the Role

Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology is a global organization of engineers, product developers, designers, technologists, data scientists, and more — building and advancing the technological backbone for Disney's media business globally.

The News & Entertainment Machine Learning (N&E ML) team builds robust data pipelines and advanced ML platforms that deliver personalized experiences across Disney’s News & Entertainment portfolio including ABC News, ABC Entertainment, National Geographic, Marvel, and Disney Studios.

As a Senior Data Scientist, you will conduct exploratory data analysis and support experimentation for the N&E ML Platform, helping ensure ML and personalization work is grounded in reliable data and sound statistical practice.

Responsibilities

• Exploratory Data Analysis: Conduct EDA on user, content, and engagement data within an assigned brand or product area, surfacing patterns and trends
• A/B Test Execution & Analysis: Run A/B tests and controlled experiments; analyze results and summarize findings for your immediate team
• Metric Tracking: Help define and track success metrics for specific features or product areas; monitor model performance and escalate anomalies
• Support for ML Engineering: Work with ML Engineers on feature analysis and model evaluation; provide data support for drift detection and performance reviews
• Insight Communication: Translate analysis into clear findings and recommendations
• Statistical Analysis: Apply Python, SQL, and PySpark to datasets; use Adobe Analytics for behavioral analysis
• Collaboration & Growth: Collaborate with product, design, and engineering partners; develop toward broader ownership of experimentation and metrics design

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, or comparable quantitative field, and/or equivalent work experience
• 5+ years of experience in data science, analytics, or a related field
• Proficiency in Python, SQL, and PySpark
• Working knowledge of statistical analysis and experimentation, including running and interpreting A/B tests
• Experience with cloud data platforms such as AWS, Databricks, or Snowflake
• Clear written and verbal communication skills
• Experience in Agile/Scrum environments collaborating with engineering and product partners

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Adobe Analytics or comparable product analytics platforms
• Exposure to large-scale content or media platforms
• Familiarity with data visualization tools (Tableau, Looker)
• Basic familiarity with ML concepts to support ML Engineers on feature analysis

Pay & Benefits

• Salary: $141,900 – $190,300/yr (LA area)
• Bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided
• Full range of medical, financial, and other benefits