Staff Data Scientist, Ads Delivery

Remote from: USA
Salary, yearly, USD: 164,695 - 339,078
Department: Data Science & Analytics
Employment type: Full Time,
Job posted: 26 Jun 2026
Apply before: 26 Jul 2026
Experience level: Senior
Views / Applies: 18 / 2

About company

About Pinterest

Bring everyone the inspiration to create a life they love.

Internet
2010

Actively Hiring

AI Summary

Pinterest is hiring a Staff Data Scientist for Ads Delivery to shape the future of their ad products. The role involves developing deep understanding of the ads delivery system, leading projects on Pinner LTV, ads-organic tradeoffs, and funnel opportunities, and designing scalable ML and evaluation frameworks. The ideal candidate has 10+ years of experience in web-scale data, expertise in ML, causal inference, and product analytics, and strong cross-functional leadership skills. They will mentor junior scientists and collaborate with product, engineering, and design teams. This position is not eligible for relocation assistance.

Role DNA

Job Complexity

Easy Hard

Pace & Pressure

Relaxed Fast-paced

Autonomy Level

Guided Full Ownership

Communication Load

Independent Highly Collaborative

AI Insight The role demands 10+ years of experience, deep expertise in ML, causal inference, and product analytics, and leadership in mentoring and cross-functional collaboration, making it one of the hardest positions.

Salary Analysis

AI Insight The offered salary range of $164,695 - $339,078 is competitive for a Staff Data Scientist role, with a median of $251,887, aligning well with top-tier tech companies.

Key Skills

Data Science Machine Learning Causal Inference Ads Delivery Product Analytics Statistical Modeling Python SQL Spark Cross-functional Leadership

Cover Letter Sample

Dear Hiring Manager,

I am writing to express my interest in the Staff Data Scientist, Ads Delivery position at Pinterest. With over a decade of experience in web-scale data environments and a strong background in machine learning and causal inference, I am excited about the opportunity to drive impact on Pinterest's ads delivery system. I have a proven track record of leading complex projects, mentoring teams, and translating data into actionable business insights. I am particularly drawn to Pinterest's mission of bringing inspiration to millions and would love to contribute to your innovative AI-driven products. Thank you for considering my application.

Possible Interview Questions

How would you design an experiment to measure the trade-off between ads and organic engagement?

I would start by defining key metrics such as engagement rates, ad revenue, and user satisfaction. Using a randomized controlled trial, I'd assign users to different ad loads and measure changes. I'd also employ causal inference methods to account for long-term effects and ensure the experiment's validity.

Describe a time you used causal inference to solve a business problem.

At my previous company, we wanted to understand the impact of a new recommendation algorithm. Using instrumental variables and propensity score matching, we estimated the causal effect on user retention and ad clicks, leading to a 10% increase in revenue.

How do you prioritize projects when faced with ambiguous business problems?

I start by aligning with cross-functional partners on key business goals. Then I decompose the problem into smaller, testable hypotheses and prioritize based on potential impact and feasibility. I also consider the data available and the timeline.

Explain a complex machine learning model to a non-technical audience.

I would use analogies and visuals. For example, I might compare a recommendation system to a personal shopper who learns your preferences over time. I focus on the outcomes rather than the technical details, and I invite questions to ensure understanding.

How do you mentor junior data scientists?

I believe in hands-on guidance mixed with autonomy. I pair them with senior scientists on projects, provide code reviews, and encourage them to present their findings. I also set up regular one-on-ones to discuss their career growth and technical challenges.

About Pinterest:

Millions of people around the world come to our platform to find creative ideas, dream about new possibilities and plan for memories that will last a lifetime. At Pinterest, we’re on a mission to bring everyone the inspiration to create a life they love, and that starts with the people behind the product.

Discover a career where you ignite innovation for millions, transform passion into growth opportunities, celebrate each other’s unique experiences and embrace the flexibility to do your best work. Creating a career you love? It’s Possible.

At Pinterest, AI isn’t just a feature, it’s a powerful partner that augments our creativity and amplifies our impact, and we’re looking for candidates who are excited to be a part of that. To get a complete picture of your experience and abilities, we’ll explore your foundational skills and how you collaborate with AI.

Through our interview process, what matters most is that you can always explain your approach, showing us not just what you know, but how you think. You can read more about our AI interview philosophy and how we use AI in our recruiting process here.

We are looking for a Staff Data Scientist for our Ads Delivery. You will shape the future of people-facing and business-facing products we build at Pinterest. Your expertise in quantitative modeling, experimentation and algorithms will be utilized to solve some of the most complex engineering challenges at the company. You will collaborate on a wide array of product and business problems with a diverse set of cross-functional partners across Product, Engineering, Design, Research, Product Analytics, Data Engineering and others. The results of your work will influence and uplevel our product development teams while introducing greater scientific rigor into the real world products serving hundreds of millions of pinners, creators, advertisers and merchants around the world.

What you’ll do:

Develop a deep, nuanced understanding of the Pinterest ads delivery, quantifying full funnel opportunities and risks.
Lead projects on:

Pinner LTV
Tradeoff between ads and organic engagement
Ads Delivery opportunities across different funnel stages

Design and productionize robust, scalable ML and evaluation frameworks—spanning forecasting, recommendation, and causal inference.
Advocate for best-in-class experimentation, instrumentation, and metric design; bridge the gap between short-term proxy metrics and long-term business impact.
Collaborate across disciplines—Product, Engineering, Research, Business, and Design—translating complex data questions into actionable business insights.
Mentor and guide junior and senior scientists, fostering intellectual curiosity and driving technical excellence.

What we’re looking for:

10+ years of hands-on experience in web-scale data environments, with a track record of solving hard, ambiguous problems in product, engagement, or ecosystem analytics.
Bachelor’s/Master’s degree in a relevant field such as Computer Science, or equivalent experience.
Deep expertise in: Machine Learning (recommendation, ranking, prediction, experimentation), Statistical Modeling & Causal Inference (observational and experimental data), Product analytics/strategy (beyond dashboards: root cause, goaling, design collaboration), Programming in Python/R and advanced SQL/Spark.
Strong product intuition—ability to scope, question, and design the right solutions for ill-defined, high-impact business problems.
Scientific rigor and healthy skepticism: You challenge assumptions, find flaws, and drive towards robust, reproducible outcomes.
Exceptional communication: You make the complex simple, and can influence both technical and non-technical audiences.
Track record mentoring and growing data talent at the staff/senior IC level.
Cross-functional leadership and the ability to align competing interests towards shared goals.

Relocation Statement:

This position is not eligible for relocation assistance. Visit our PinFlex page to learn more about our working model.

In-Office Requirement Statement:

We recognize that the ideal environment for work is situational and may differ across departments. What this looks like day-to-day can vary based on the needs of each organization or role.
This role will need to be in the office for in-person collaboration 1-2 times/quarter and therefore can be situated anywhere in the country.

#LI-NM4

#LI-REMOTE

At Pinterest we believe the workplace should be equitable, inclusive, and inspiring for every employee. In an effort to provide greater transparency, we are sharing the base salary range for this position. The position is also eligible for equity. Final salary is based on a number of factors including location, travel, relevant prior experience, or particular skills and expertise.

Information regarding the culture at Pinterest and benefits available for this position can be found here.

US based applicants only

$164,695—$339,078 USD

Our Commitment to Inclusion:

Pinterest is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit. We want to have the best qualified people in every job. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or religious creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, status as a protected veteran, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information or characteristics (or those of a family member) or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state or local laws. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you require a medical or religious accommodation during the job application process, please complete this form for support.

By submitting this application, I certify that all information submitted in my application and throughout the hiring process is true, accurate, and complete to the best of my knowledge. I understand that any false statement, omission, or misrepresentation may disqualify me from employment consideration or result in termination if discovered after hire.

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