Staff Data Scientist

At NerdWallet, we’re on a mission to bring clarity to all of life’s financial decisions and every great mission needs a team of exceptional Nerds. We’ve built an inclusive, flexible, and candid culture where you’re empowered to grow, take smart risks, and be unapologetically yourself (cape optional). Whether remote or in-office, we support how you thrive best. We invest in your well-being, development, and ability to make an impact because when one Nerd levels up, we all do.

Staff Data Scientist leads machine learning and decisioning systems powering personalization, lifetime value (LTV) prediction, and real-time commercial optimization across our marketplaces. This role is responsible for designing and scaling causal measurement and personalization systems that determine how we serve users while balancing customer value, partner economics, and long-term trust. As a senior individual contributor, you will drive high-impact modeling initiatives and shape the technical direction of data science across the organization.

You are a technical expert and strategic partner who operates with significant autonomy and influence. As a Staff Data Scientist, you set the standard for scientific rigor, mentor senior ICs, and guide cross-functional teams without formal authority. You partner closely with Product, Engineering, Marketing, and Finance to align data science investments with business strategy, while shaping long-term vision for AI-driven personalization and marketplace optimization.

This role reports to the VP, Data & Analytics.

WHERE YOU CAN MAKE AN IMPACT:

- Lead the design and implementation of causal inference frameworks (e.g., uplift modeling, DML, IVs, DiD, synthetic control) to measure true incremental impact across personalization, marketing, and lifecycle interventions

- Establish and standardize methodologies for incrementality, experimentation, and measurement across channels and product surfaces

- Build and scale LTV models (user-level and cohort-...