Data Scientist Washington, DC We are seeking a data scientist to participate as a key team member in envisioning, designing, coding, testing and improving the algorithms that are central to our mission as a company. Some key challenges will include: Identifying external datasets and developing API or other methods for accessing them Fluidly self-educating on existing methods for modeling end-user behavior in a variety of contexts, or developing new methods for doing this when necessary Designing experiments to answer targeted questions Teaming with developers to embed algorithms in applications Understanding business economics, user motivation and other contextual information in order to guide analytical trade-offs, with a focus on "minimum viable algorithm" followed by intensive, iterative improvement The Successful Candidate A successful candidate will be comfortable in a fluid, entrepreneurial environment, but one that is focused on developing reusable software applications, not bespoke analytical solutions. He or she will likely have many of the following characteristics: 2+ years professional experience using statistical software (R, S-Plus, SAS, or similar), relational and NoSQL databases and scripting languages (such as Python). Ideally, R and Python Familiar with general-purpose machine learning methods, such as neural networks, Bayesian networks, regression, decision trees and so on. Capable of self-teaching new algorithmic methods easily Passionate about using data to drive strategy and business recommendations. Well-rounded top performer who is able to "crunch the numbers" one minute, and critically think through strategic issues the next Self-starter with a high degree of rigor, organization, and discipline to get things done Able to communicate as effectively in delivering complex data-driven findings with businesspeople, as in discussing machine-learning specifications with engineer Academic Qualifications Very strong math, physics, CS or similar degree from a leading program