Senior Staff Data Scientist - Consumer Experimentation

About the Role

The Consumer team at Reddit is at the heart of the company's mission to bring community and belonging to the world. The team's work focuses on understanding how to better connect people to the best information and communities for them, which is a deeply complex problem given the interconnected nature of Reddit's platform. As a Senior Staff Data Scientist, you will be the go-to expert on experimentation methodology, raising the bar for causal inference and experimentation rigor across the entire Consumer organization.

Reddit's experimentation landscape is uniquely challenging due to the platform's nature as a deeply interconnected network of communities, contributors, and consumers. Standard A/B testing assumptions often break down in this environment, requiring innovative solutions and a deep understanding of statistical rigor. The right candidate will thrive on these hard problems and be able to lead the development of new methodologies and tools to address them.

What You Will Do

• Serve as the technical authority on experimentation methodology across Consumer, setting standards for design, analysis, and interpretation of experiments in a complex, networked environment.
• Tackle the hardest experimentation problems at Reddit, including spillover and network effects, interference between treatment and control, two-sided experimentation, and long-run effect estimation.
• Develop and advance methods for causal inference in settings where standard randomization assumptions are violated, such as cluster-randomized designs, switchback experiments, and synthetic control approaches.
• Design experimentation frameworks and guardrail metrics that account for ecosystem-level effects, ensuring product teams can measure true causal impact rather than biased local estimates.
• Identify opportunities where improved experimentation methodology can unlock product insights that were previously unmeasurable or ambiguous.
• Build and scale self-serve experimentation tools, platforms, and best-practice documentation that increase experimentation velocity and literacy across product, engineering, and design teams.
• Influence the long-term product strategy by driving learning through well-designed experiments and translating experimental results into clear, actionable recommendations for senior leadership.
• Mentor and elevate other data scientists across the organization on experimentation best practices, causal reasoning, and statistical rigor.
• Publish and share methodological advances internally and, where appropriate, externally to contribute to the broader experimentation and causal inference community.

What We Are Looking For

• Ph.D. in Statistics, Econometrics, Economics, or Computer Science.
• Expertise in experimentation methodology, including design, analysis, and interpretation of experiments in complex environments.
• Proficiency in causal inference methods, including those for settings where standard randomization assumptions are violated.
• Experience with data analysis and statistical computing, with skills in tools like Excel.
• Strong understanding of product development and the ability to influence product strategy through data-driven insights.
• Excellent communication and mentorship skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• A track record of driving innovation and advancing methodologies in experimentation and causal inference.
• Experience working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and thrive in a culture of experimentation and learning.

Nice to Have

• Experience with programming languages such as Python or R.
• Familiarity with cloud computing platforms and big data technologies.
• Knowledge of machine learning algorithms and their applications in experimentation.
• Experience in publishing research in top-tier conferences or journals.
• Participation in the experimentation and causal inference community through contributions to open-source projects or community engagement.

Benefits and Perks

• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Opportunities for professional growth and development in a rapidly innovating company.
• Collaborative and dynamic work environment with a team of talented professionals.
• Flexible working hours and remote work options.
• Access to cutting-edge technologies and tools.
• Participation in Reddit's mission to bring community and belonging to the world.
• Comprehensive health insurance and wellness programs.
• Generous paid time off and parental leave policies.

• Tip 1: Ensure your resume highlights specific examples of tackling complex experimentation challenges and advancing methodologies in causal inference.
• Tip 2: Familiarize yourself with Reddit's platform and its unique challenges in experimentation, demonstrating your understanding of how your skills can address these challenges.
• Tip 3: Prepare to discuss your experience with data analysis tools like Excel and any programming languages relevant to the role.
• Tip 4: Be ready to explain complex technical concepts in simple terms, showcasing your communication skills.
• Tip 5: Research Reddit's culture and values, and be prepared to discuss how your own values and work style align with those of the company.
• Tip 6: Review the latest advancements in experimentation and causal inference, and be prepared to discuss how you stay updated with industry developments.
• Tip 7: Consider preparing examples of how you've mentored or elevated others in their understanding of experimentation and statistical rigor, as this is a key aspect of the role.