Starbucks
senior data scientist - Digital Data Science (Seattle, WA)
StarbucksUnited States2 hours ago
Full-timeRemote FriendlyManagement, Strategy/Planning
Senior Data Scientist – Seattle, WA – U.S.

Now Brewing – Senior Data Scientist, Data & Analytics! #tobeapartner

From the beginning, Starbucks set out to be a different kind of company. One that not only celebrated coffee and the rich tradition, but that also brought a feeling of connection. We are known for developing extraordinary leaders who share this passion and are guided by their service to others.

Are you driven to uncover meaningful insights and build data-powered solutions that shape the future of the world’s leading coffeehouse brand?

As a Senior Data Scientist within Starbucks’ Data & Analytics (D&A) organization, you will be part of the centralized data science and engineering team that drives strategic decision-making and ML/AI capabilities across the business. The D&A organization spans four key pillars: Customer, Retail Operations, Supply Chain, and Enterprise. Each domain is focused on solving unique and complex challenges through data science. Whether personalizing marketing campaigns, optimizing store operations, improving inventory flow, or unlocking enterprise-wide initiatives, our data scientists apply advanced analytics, experimentation, and modeling to elevate the Starbucks experience. This centralized recruiting approach allows us to match candidates with the most relevant opportunities based on their skills and interests, ensuring alignment with business needs and personal growth. Join a team where data meets purpose to shape what’s next for Starbucks.

As a senior data scientist, you will…

  • Lead the design and development of scalable data science solutions from the start to the finish by utilizing machine learning, and statistical analysis. Build scalable processes for cleaning, aggregating, and loading data.
  • Understanding business initiatives, challenges, questions, concerns, or ideas, transforming them into successful data science solutions, and monitor data science metrics and KPIs
  • Mentor data analysts & data scientists on best practices, processes, frameworks, and KPIs
  • Contribute to project planning, and assist the team with estimations, timelines, and prioritization. Assists in developing the analytical roadmap, data, and technology strategy.
  • Own the end-to-end lifecycle of AI/ML solutions, from ideation and prototyping to production deployment, ensuring robust offline evaluation and real-time performance monitoring.

We’d Love To Hear From People With

  • Education: BS+ with a concentration in a quantitative discipline - Stats, Math, Comp Sci, Engineering, Econ, Quantitative Social Science or similar discipline. Masters preferred
  • Minimum of 5+ years of industry experience in data and analytics work
  • Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to influence leadership teams at different levels
  • Significant experience working with predictive and statistical modeling, machine learning, and strong expertise in all phases of the modeling pipeline
  • Strong SQL, databases, and ETL / ELT skills required including cleaning and managing data.
  • Advanced competency and expertise in Python, R, or some combination
  • Demonstrated track record of delivering AI/ML models into production with measurable business impact, including expertise in evaluation techniques (A/B testing, lift analysis) and model governance.
  • Experience working with distributed data processing frameworks such as Spark and Databricks, and languages such as Java, PySpark, or Scala
  • Strong collaboration instincts – desire & ability to work with partners to achieve the best outcome for the business.
  • Excellent communication, presentation, and storytelling skills. The role requires effective communication with colleagues, stakeholders, and leaders from diverse backgrounds.
  • Proven ability to manage multiple, time-sensitive projects and competing priorities simultaneously to drive projects to completion with minimal guidance and high attention to details.

Preferred Skills

  • Experience building personalization and recommendation systems (e.g., collaborative filtering, content-based, or hybrid approaches) for digital platforms or mobile apps.
  • Familiarity with ranking algorithms, reinforcement learning, and contextual bandits for optimizing customer experiences.
  • Hands-on experience with model deployment in production environments, including monitoring, retraining, and performance optimization at scale.
  • Strong understanding of offline and online evaluation techniques for recommendation systems (e.g., precision/recall, NDCG, A/B testing).
  • Knowledge of feature engineering for behavioral and transactional data, and experience leveraging real-time data streams for model updates.

As a Starbucks partner, you (and your family) will have access to medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, and other voluntary insurance benefits. Partners have access to short-term and long-term disability, paid parental leave, family expansion reimbursement, paid vacation from date of hire*, sick time (accrued at 1 hour for every 25 hours worked), eight paid holidays, and two personal days per year. Starbucks also offers eligible partners participation in a 401(k) retirement plan with employer match, a discounted company stock program (S.I.P.), Starbucks equity program (Bean Stock), incentivized emergency savings, and financial well-being tools. Additionally, Starbucks offers 100% upfront tuition coverage for a first-time bachelor’s degree through Arizona State University’s online program via the Starbucks College Achievement Plan, student loan management resources, and access to other educational opportunities. You will also have access to backup care and DACA reimbursement. Starbucks will comply with any applicable state and local laws regarding employee leave benefits, including, but not limited to providing time off pursuant to the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, and in accordance with its plans and policies. This list is subject to change depending on collective bargaining in locations where partners have a certified bargaining representative. For additional information regarding partner perks and more detailed information about benefits, go to starbucksbenefits.com.

  • If you are working in CA, CO, IL, LA, ME, MA, NE, ND or RI, you will accrue vacation up to a maximum of 120 hours (190 in CA) for roles below director and 200 hours (316 in CA) for roles at director or above. For roles in other states, you will be granted vacation time starting at 120 hours annually for roles below director and 200 hours annually for roles director and above.

The actual base pay offered to the successful candidate will be based on multiple factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge/skills, experience, geographical location, and internal equity. At Starbucks, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at the high end of the range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate.

We believe we do our best work when we're together, which is why we're onsite four days a week.

Join us and inspire with every cup. Apply today!

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, marital status, military or veteran status, gender identity and expression, genetic information, or any other factor protected by law.

We are committed to creating a diverse and welcoming workplace that includes partners with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We believe that enables us to better meet our mission and values while serving customers throughout our global communities. People of color, women, LGBTQIA+, veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with all federal state and local ordinances. Starbucks Corporation is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at applicantaccommodation.

Key Skills

Ranked by relevance
Apply