Principal Data Scientist

The shape of it

In the posting’s own words

Our vision is simple: data drives every Databricks decision and action. To get there, we need a world-class statistician and communicator — someone who can bridge the gap between deep analytical rigor and executive decision-making. This is a pure IC role with company-wide influence: no direct reports, maximum leverage.

What it asks for · 7

• 15+ years of experience in data science, statistics, or quantitative research spanning industry and/or academia.
• Proven track record of presenting statistical and data science concepts to C-suite and Board-level audiences, with measurable impact on executive decision-making.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication — the ability to make complex statistical concepts intuitive and compelling for non-technical executives.
• Track record of upleveling teams: setting analytical standards, mentoring senior data scientists, and improving org-wide output quality.
• Ph.D. in Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field.
• Experience building or leading a "Chief Statistician" or equivalent function.
• Experience in infrastructure, platform, or systems-oriented data science.

Also a plus

• Academic research or teaching background in statistics or a quantitative field.
• Industry experience at multiple tier-1 technology companies.
• Published research or recognized thought leadership in applied statistics.
• Experience building or leading a "Chief Statistician" or equivalent function.
• Experience in infrastructure, platform, or systems-oriented data science.

What the job covers

• Executive translation. Translate complex data science findings into clear, actionable narratives for the CEO, C-suite, and Board of Directors — ensuring data science insights directly inform the company's most critical decisions.
• Statistical authority. Serve as the company's chief statistical voice and the final quality backstop for analytical rigor in high-stakes executive decisions. Advance the state-of-the-art in how Databricks applies statistical methods to business problems.
• Org-wide uplevel. Raise the communication bar across the entire Data Science organization by setting standards, coaching teams, and co-authoring key executive-facing deliverables. Make every DS team better at telling their story.
• Strategic insights. Produce deep strategic analyses on revenue, platform health, operational efficiency, and competitive positioning — the kind of synthesized, judgment-rich insight that AI cannot autonomously create.
• Cross-functional influence. Partner with engineering VPs, product leaders, and executive staff to embed a data-driven decision-making culture across the company. Be the trusted analytical advisor in rooms where critical decisions are made.
• External thought leadership. Represent Databricks externally as a data science thought leader at industry conferences, in publications, and in the broader statistical community. Build an external identity that attracts world-class talent.
• Methodology and standards. Define and evolve company-wide scientific methodologies — experimentation frameworks, forecasting systems, causal inference approaches — to match and push industry state-of-the-art.

Degree language

• Ph.D. in Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field.

Tools and skills named

Words the posting leans on

• data science8×
• statistical6×
• executive5×
• experience5×
• statistics5×
• industry4×
• analytical3×
• insights3×
• platform3×
• research3×
• standards3×
• c-suite2×
• causal inference2×
• chief2×
• communication2×
• complex2×

Counted from the posting after the mission statement and the legal notices are set aside. The ones near the top are the ones a screener is looking for.

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