As a Staff Data Scientist, you'll develop and deploy machine learning models to enhance renter experiences and optimize property partnerships, collaborating across teams to translate data insights into actionable strategies.
Who We Are
At Apartment List, we’re transforming how people rent—making it smarter, easier, and a lot less frustrating. Our platform has already matched over a 1.4 million renters with their next home, while helping properties fill units with the right residents. Backed by strong growth and a big vision, we’re building the future of renting—and inviting bold thinkers to help us shape it!
The OpportunityApartment List is looking for a Staff Data Scientist to help us attract and match the right renter with the right property at the right time.
In this role, you’ll work on some of the most important data science problems across Apartment List — from demand-side renter acquisition and marketing models like User Value Modeling, to supply-side partner models like Supply Value Score, to ranking, personalization, renter intent, and emerging Pathmaker AI work that coordinates the renter journey in real time.
Our Data Science team has a strong foundation. Over the last several years, we’ve delivered 40%+ incremental revenue growth through rigorously A/B tested machine learning models — and we’re still scratching the surface of what ML can do for renters, partners, and the business.
You’ll build zero-to-one models in areas still powered by heuristics and business rules, while also improving existing production ML systems across ranking, personalization, renter intent, and marketplace optimization. As a Staff-level IC, you’ll help shape the Data Science roadmap, raise the bar for modeling and experimentation, and partner deeply with Product, Engineering, Design, Analytics, Marketing, GTM and Growth to turn ambiguous opportunities into measurable impact.
What you’ll do
- Deeply understand customer, marketplace, and business problems through the lens of data, and translate that understanding into clear ML objectives, features, models, and measurement plans.
- Deliver and deploy end-to-end machine learning models, from problem framing and feature engineering through model development, experimentation, launch, monitoring, and iteration.
- Build zero-to-one models in areas where heuristics or business rules are still in place, and improve existing production models across demand, supply, ranking, personalization, renter intent, and marketplace optimization.
- Apply a strong statistical mindset to model development, experimentation, causal inference, tradeoff analysis, and decision-making.
- Lead ambiguous, high-leverage technical work: define scope, evaluate approaches, manage tradeoffs, and align stakeholders around a clear path forward.
- Partner closely with Product, Engineering, Design, Analytics, Marketing, GTM and Growth to build ML systems that drive renter value, property partner success, and business performance.
- Communicate ML opportunities, tradeoffs, and results clearly to technical and non-technical audiences, including senior stakeholders.
- Mentor and collaborate with other data scientists, helping raise the quality of our modeling, experimentation, and analytical practice.
- Thoughtfully leverage modern AI tools to improve productivity across coding, analysis, documentation, and workflow automation.
What you’ll bring
- 7+ years of industry experience, or equivalent experience, developing, deploying, and iterating on machine learning models in production.
- A degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Physics, or a related quantitative field.
- Deep proficiency in Python and SQL, with comfort working across the full model development lifecycle.
- Familiarity with standard ML libraries and frameworks such as scikit-learn, XGBoost, TensorFlow, PyTorch, or similar tools.
- Experience working with cloud platforms; GCP experience is preferred but not required.
- Experience with a broad set of statistical and machine learning methods to solve and optimize critical business problems and metrics.
- Strong technical and theoretical grounding in statistical learning, modeling, experimental design and analysis, and causal inference.
- Strong ability to work through feature engineering, feature selection, hyperparameter tuning, model evaluation, and model optimization.
- Ability to quantitatively research opportunities, define technical strategy, set clear scope, manage timelines, and drive measurable outcomes.
- Comfort communicating and collaborating with cross-functional audiences across Product, Engineering, Design, Analytics, Marketing, GTM and Growth and senior business stakeholders.
- Curiosity, judgment, and a hunger to dig into uncharted territory and make a meaningful impact.
Bonus points for
- Experience optimizing within a two-sided marketplace or similarly complex multi-stakeholder environment.
- Background in recommendation systems, ranking, personalization, search, or matching.
- Experience with performance marketing models, paid acquisition, supply-side optimization, or marketplace incentives.
- Familiarity with MLOps practices, ML engineering workflows, model monitoring, Airflow, dbt, or similar infrastructure.
- A master’s degree or PhD in a relevant quantitative field.
What’s in it for you
- Impact: Work on ML systems that directly shape the renter experience, property partner outcomes, and company performance.
- Ownership: Build and own models end-to-end, from ambiguous opportunity through production launch and iteration.
- Exceptional colleagues: Our hiring bar is high, and your teammates are talented, motivated, collaborative, and intellectually curious.
- Influence: Have a strong voice within R&D and across the business, helping shape product, marketplace, and company strategy through data science.
- A critical function: Help build and scale one of the most important technical capabilities at Apartment List.
- Culture: Work in a virtual-first environment that allows you to work from anywhere in the U.S.
Here's the Pay Range:
At Apartment List, we carefully consider a variety of factors to determine compensation for each position, including the role, level, and work. The US base salary range for this position is:
- Zone 1: $231,000 - $280,000 TTC (including $203,000 - $238,000 base salary) + equity
- Zone 2: $214,000 - $259,000 TTC (including $188,000 - $220,000 base salary) + equity
- Zone 3: $196,000 - $238,000 TTC (including $172,000 - $202,000 base salary) + equity
This reflects the compensation target for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations. Please note, the compensation details provided do not include benefits and perks that we offer.
We also rely on market indicators along with considering your work location, job related skills, experience and relevant education and training, to determine compensation that is fair and competitive for you. Apartment List will consider paying compensation near the higher of the range in exceptional circumstances, where candidates have the experience, credentials or expertise that would warrant such consideration. It is always our goal to hire exceptional talent and we would be happy to share more about compensation during the hiring process.
Here's what's in it for you (full-time US based employees only; does not apply to contract roles):
- Competitive Compensation: Including annual salary, pre-IPO stock options, and other financial compensation (if applicable)
- Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage: 100% of premiums covered for you AND all of your dependents
- Unlimited Flexible Time Off: Unlimited FTO in addition to 12 company holidays per year, quarterly “recharge” days, and a week-long holiday break
- Home Office Reimbursement: To cover home office furniture and supplies, monthly home internet, and monthly cell phone (if applicable)
- Health & Wellness Reimbursement: To cover monthly gym membership or other qualifying expenses
- Parental Support: Generous parental and family leave, fertility benefits, and employer-sponsored stipends towards family forming services
- 401k Plan: To support you in your individual retirement goals
- Team Events: Frequent team-building events, fun team off-sites, and bi-annual company meetups
- Commitment to DEI: To prioritize Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within our workplace and to stay true to our values and mission
- Mentorship and Training: To get you onboard quickly, learn new professional skills, and invest in your career development
- Impact and Visibility: To expose you to and provide the opportunity to work on highly strategic initiatives that will transform the business
- Encouragement and Empowerment: To explore and adopt new technologies and drive meaningful decisions and outcomes
- At Apartment List we believe that everyone deserves a home they love AND a career they love. We strive to build a diverse team that is a reflection of the people we serve; this is made possible through our commitment to fostering a culture of diversity, inclusion, equity, and connectedness.
As a proud equal opportunity employer, we celebrate the collection of individual differences, life experiences, ideas, perspectives, knowledge, and talent. We hire candidates of any race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital or family status, disability, Veteran status, and any other status. #LIRemote
Similar Jobs
eCommerce • Mobile • Payments
As a Staff Data Scientist, you'll lead data science initiatives, analyze large datasets, build statistical models, and mentor teams while driving collaboration across the company.
Top Skills:
Data LakesDatabase ManipulationMachine LearningMlopsPysparkPythonQuery LanguagesSparkStatistical Algorithms
AdTech • Enterprise Web • Information Technology • Machine Learning • Marketing Tech • Sales
As a Staff Data Scientist, you will lead complex marketplace problem-solving, architect ML systems, mentor teams, and drive data science strategy in partnership with engineering and product management.
Top Skills:
AirflowAWSAzureGCPKubeflowPythonPyTorchSQLTensorFlowTfx
Artificial Intelligence • Fintech • Software • Financial Services
As a Data Scientist, you will develop advanced fraud detection models, collaborate with teams, analyze data for insights, optimize models, and ensure compliance with data privacy.
Top Skills:
SparkAWSAzureDaskGCPPython
What you need to know about the Boston Tech Scene
Boston is a powerhouse for technology innovation thanks to world-class research universities like MIT and Harvard and a robust pipeline of venture capital investment. Host to the first telephone call and one of the first general-purpose computers ever put into use, Boston is now a hub for biotechnology, robotics and artificial intelligence — though it’s also home to several B2B software giants. So it’s no surprise that the city consistently ranks among the greatest startup ecosystems in the world.
Key Facts About Boston Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 269,000; 9.4% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: Thermo Fisher Scientific, Toast, Klaviyo, HubSpot, DraftKings
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, biotechnology, robotics, software, aerospace
- Funding Landscape: $15.7 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Summit Partners, Volition Capital, Bain Capital Ventures, MassVentures, Highland Capital Partners
- Research Centers and Universities: MIT, Harvard University, Boston College, Tufts University, Boston University, Northeastern University, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, National Bureau of Economic Research, Broad Institute, Lowell Center for Space Science & Technology, National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories
