[Remote] Senior Data Scientist

Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Risepoint is an education technology company that provides world-class support and trusted expertise to more than 100 universities and colleges. In this role, you will lead AI/ML initiatives that shape student engagement and retention by developing predictive models and driving cross-functional collaborations to enhance student outcomes.ResponsibilitiesLead AI/ML initiatives end-to-end—scoping, designing, managing implementation, and driving outcomes—coordinating across Product, Engineering, CX, and university partner teamsOwn accountability for delivering measurable business outcomes from each initiative: retention lift, engagement improvement, enrollment conversion, and pipeline efficiencyDrive alignment and decision-making across teams at each stage of an initiative’s lifecycle, from defining success metrics through post-deployment iterationIdentify and scope net-new AI/ML opportunities that deliver impact for students, university partners, and Risepoint’s business, and advocate for prioritization with leadershipManage relationships with key vendors and software providers as a workstream leader, ensuring delivery commitments are metBuild and deploy predictive models—including churn risk, engagement propensity, and success likelihood—that power proactive student outreach and are monitored continuously in productionLead the design and implementation of 'next best action' logic in close partnership with Product and CX, from logic design through production deploymentPrototype, test, and productionize models using MLOps frameworks (Databricks, MLFlow, dbt, Dagster), owning the full model lifecyclePartner with data engineers to ensure clean, reliable pipelines and feature stores that support model development and production deployment at scaleWork with speech analytics and structured CRM/LMS data to derive behavioral insights across the student lifecycleDesign and lead A/B testing programs to measure model-driven impact on retention, engagement, and satisfaction, owning the decision to ship, iterate, or stopEstablish feedback loops and real-world performance monitoring frameworks that enable continuous model improvementTranslate complex technical findings into clear, executive-ready narratives that drive cross-functional alignment and actionMentor teammates and raise the team’s technical bar through code reviews, pair work, and knowledge-sharingModel ownership, adaptability, and initiative leadership in a fast-changing environment; set the standard for what it means to own a workstream end-to-endSkillsA proven track record of delivering measurable consumer and business impact through AI/ML initiatives—scoping, managing implementation, and owning outcomes end-to-endExperience as a workstream leader: designing, managing, and delivering AI/ML projects in a cross-functional environment5–8+ years in applied machine learning or data science, ideally in education, consumer tech, personalization, or a complex behavioral domainStrong background in predictive analytics, recommendation systems, and experimentation (A/B testing, causal inference, uplift modeling)Deep expertise in Python and SQL; proficiency with ML libraries (scikit-learn, XGBoost, TensorFlow, or PyTorch)Experience with Databricks, MLFlow, dbt, and Dagster—or demonstrated ability to ramp quickly on a modern MLOps stackComfort working with complex, multi-source datasets (CRM, LMS, communication logs, speech analytics)Excellent communicator across technical and non-technical audiences, including executives; you make the science accessible without losing rigorBachelor's or Master's degree in a technical discipline (computer science, statistics, econometrics, mathematics, or engineering)PhD in a technical discipline (not required, but valued)Experience in higher education, edtech, or student success platformsFamiliarity with human-in-the-loop AI systems and responsible ML practices (bias mitigation, model transparency, fairness metrics)Prior work building or operationalizing next best action or propensity-to-engage models at scaleCompany OverviewRisepoint partners with universities to create online degree programs and offers recruitment marketing and admissions services. It was founded in 2007, and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, USA, with a workforce of 1001-5000 employees. Its website is https://risepoint.com.Company H1B SponsorshipRisepoint has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships, with 1 in 2025, 3 in 2024. Please note that this does not guarantee sponsorship for this specific role.