Head of Data
$170,000–$210,000 year
On-site · Seattle, Washington, United States
Job Summary
As the Head of Data, you will own and evolve the data and AI infrastructure critical for Zap Energy's R&D organization, managing data pipelines, operational dashboards, and the strategic implementation of AI initiatives. This player-coach role involves leading a small team while remaining hands-on in scoping and prototyping AI projects, enhancing data lake architecture, and employing machine learning techniques to accelerate scientific analysis. You will need strong experience in data science and ML engineering, with proficiency in Python and data pipeline design. A Bachelor's degree in a technical field is required, with a PhD preferred.
Required Qualifications
- 8 + years of experience in data science, ML engineering, or related fields, with scientific or engineering teams in fast paced research and development environments
- At least 2 years in a team lead or management role
- Demonstrated experience deploying machine learning models and AI systems in production or research environments
- Experience leading or participating in scientific investigations in academic or industrial environments
- Hands-on Python experience with scientific/data libraries (NumPy, Pandas, scikit-learn, or equivalent)
- Experience with data pipeline design, ETL workflows, and data quality practices
- Proven ability to develop and communicate a technical strategy to non-technical stakeholders
- Comfortable working as a player-coach: leading through others while staying technically engaged
Desired Qualifications
- Experience with data lake architecture and modern data stack tooling (e.g., dbt, Spark, cloud storage platforms)
- Experience managing multidimensional datasets such as time series, images, and video
- Experience in a fast-paced R&D or deep-tech environment
- Some knowledge of plasma physics and fusion science
Additional Requirements
- Equal opportunity employer; all qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to age, ancestry, color, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation
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