Data Scientist

Description Data Scientist Department: Data & AI Reports to: VP of Data & AI Location: Kent, WA (in-person, on-site in our offices) Pay range: $90-$110K DOE

Job Summary At Buywander, the Data Scientist builds and runs the models, experiments and data foundation that Buywander's decisions run on. The role combines applied machine learning, rigorous experimentation, ownership of the quality and definition of our data, and the analysis that turns numbers into business decisions. The mission is to move the company from lagging visibility and inconsistent definitions to trusted data, production models that improve over time, and faster, better-measured decisions.

Each Buywander Team Member lives the culture of Buywander and the 4H's.

• Happy – We bring positive energy to our work and support each other.
• Humble – We stay grounded, open to learning, and focused on the team over ego.
• High Performing – We set a high bar and hold ourselves accountable to results.
• (H)Loyal – We show up for each other and the company, with loyalty that goes beyond the ordinary.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Models and Experimentation

• Run our production decision models: monitor performance, report on results, and retrain and improve them over time, taking on more of the model's ownership as you grow.
• Design, run and read out experiments as part of our A/B testing and feature-flag program, including experiment metrics.
• Judge what the data can and cannot support, and say what you would do about it.

Data Foundation

• Keep our data pipelines clean, reliable and documented, and bring in new data sources as the business needs them.
• Maintain KPI and metric definitions and their documentation (name, definition, calculation logic, source, owner, refresh frequency, intended use).
• Know what exists in our data, what each table and column means, and where definitions conflict.
• Validate data when business logic or product behavior changes, and flag discrepancies before they reach a dashboard.
• Partner with engineering on changes to the data model and infrastructure.

Analysis and Decisions

• Run ad hoc analyses for leadership, operators and General Managers, and land on a clear recommendation.
• Frame each analysis around four questions: what happened, why, is it good or bad versus plan, and what action should follow.
• Maintain reporting that the company relies on, including the GM scorecard and operating dashboards in MetaBase.
• Communicate findings clearly in writing and in person, for audiences from floor managers to the board.

Performs additional responsibilities and strategic initiatives as assigned.

What Defines a Data Scientist

• Taking a model from idea to a monitored, improving system.
• Sound experiment design and knowing when the result is real.
• Writing reports and briefings for senior audiences, bottom line up front.
• Coordinating across partner teams such as Finance, Operations and Tech.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

What success looks like Success means leaders trust the numbers and the models, and decisions get better and faster because of them.

• You can trace any core metric to its source and resolve data issues without help.
• You handle day-to-day monitoring and reporting of our production model, and stakeholders come to you with data questions.
• A model improvement or experiment you ran has measurably improved a core business outcome.
• Our core KPIs are defined and documented in one place.

Requirements

Background for the Position

• Master's degree in data science, statistics, analytics, computer science or a related field, plus 2 to 4 years of experience in data science, applied analytics or a similar role, ideally in e-commerce, marketplace, retail or operations businesses.
• Applied machine learning experience: building and validating models, with exposure to deploying and monitoring them.
• Solid statistics and experiment design (A/B testing, forecasting; causal inference a plus).
• Advanced SQL and Python (pandas, scikit-learn or similar, notebooks, scripts for recurring work).
• Experience working with a data model or pipeline, ideally with dbt or a similar transformation tool.
• Experience building dashboards in a BI tool such as Metabase, Tableau or Looker.
• Strong attention to detail and comfort reconciling conflicting numbers and documenting metric definitions.
• Ability to handle confidential company and financial data with discretion.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain findings to non-technical audiences.
• Hands-on experience using LLMs (Claude or similar) in your own work, such as analysis, coding or automation.
• Cloud data platform experience (AWS, Snowflake, Databricks), Git and code review habits, auction or marketplace data.

What We're Looking For

• A proactive self-starter who takes ownership of their work.
• Someone comfortable in the details (models, data, definitions) and with leaders, stakeholders, GMs and operators directly.
• Someone flexible and even keeled, who takes matters seriously but finds a solution.
• A team-oriented individual who thrives in a high-performance environment.
• Someone curious who is willing to roll up their sleeves, dig into why a number moved, and improve processes.
• A candidate who wants to grow their career in data science and take on increasing ownership of models and projects over time.
• Must reside and work in the United States and be legally authorized to work in the U.S. without current or future employer sponsorship.

This role is best suited for someone who enjoys turning data into models, experiments and decisions that move the business.

Physical Requirements

• This is primarily a desk-based analytical role. It includes periodic time working in the stores to observe store operations, workflows and can involve occasional travel to our markets.
• Position requires seeing, hearing, use of hands and fingers, sitting, standing, walking, reaching, twisting, turning, kneeling, bending, squatting, and stooping in the performance of daily activities.
• Must be able to communicate with others including talking, hearing, and listening and exchanging communication.
• Ability to work at a fast pace in a goal-driven environment.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Ability to travel to and from BuyWander locations and for training seminars as needed.

What We Offer

• Unlimited Vacation Benefit
• Paid Sick & Holidays
• Health, Dental & Vision Insurance (BuyWander pays 100% of the employee’s medical premium)
• 401(k)

BuyWander is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We make employment decisions based on qualifications, skills, merit, and business needs. We believe a range of skills, perspectives, and experiences strengthens our team and supports better outcomes for our employees and customers.