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The Role
The Lead Data Scientist will build, deploy, and improve machine learning models for a rental marketplace, managing projects from inception to launch and working collaboratively with cross-functional teams.
Summary Generated by Built In
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 Lead Data Scientist to build, deploy, and improve machine learning models that power our two-sided rental marketplace.
In this role, you’ll work on meaningful data science problems across demand- and supply-side modeling — from renter acquisition and intent signals to ranking, personalization, and marketplace optimization. You’ll take ownership of projects end-to-end, from problem framing through production launch and measurement, and collaborate closely with Product, Engineering, and Analytics along the way.
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 there’s still a tremendous amount of opportunity ahead. This is a role for someone who is ready to take on complex, well-scoped projects independently and grow into increasingly ambiguous, high-leverage work.
Here’s what you’ll do as part of the team
- Translate customer, marketplace, and business problems into clear ML objectives, features, models, and measurement plans.
- Build, deploy, and iterate on production machine learning models across ranking, personalization, renter intent, demand-side acquisition, and supply-side optimization.
- Own projects end-to-end — from feature engineering and model development through A/B experimentation, launch, and monitoring.
- Apply a strong statistical mindset to model development, evaluation, causal inference, and tradeoff analysis.
- Partner with Product, Engineering, and Analytics to align on success metrics, deployment plans, and downstream impact.
- Communicate technical findings and model tradeoffs clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Leverage AI tools to improve your productivity across coding, analysis, documentation, and workflow automation.
Here are the skills and experience you’ll need to be successful
Must-haves
- 4+ years of industry experience developing and deploying machine learning models in production, end-to-end.
- A degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Physics, or a related quantitative field.
- Deep proficiency in Python and SQL, with comfort across the full model development lifecycle.
- Familiarity with standard ML libraries and frameworks such as scikit-learn, XGBoost, TensorFlow, PyTorch, or similar.
- Experience working with cloud platforms (GCP preferred but not required).
- Strong grounding in statistical learning, experimental design, and model evaluation.
- Ability to work through feature engineering, feature selection, hyperparameter tuning, and model optimization independently.
- Comfort communicating and collaborating with cross-functional partners across Product, Engineering, and Analytics.
Nice-to-haves
- Experience in a two-sided marketplace or multi-stakeholder environment.
- Background in recommendation systems, ranking, personalization, or search.
- Familiarity with MLOps practices, model monitoring, Airflow, dbt, or similar infrastructure.
- Experience with performance marketing models, paid acquisition, or supply-side optimization.
- A master’s degree or higher 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: $189,000 - $230,000 TTC (including $170,000 - $202,000 base salary) + equity
- Zone 2: $175,000 - $212,000 TTC (including $158,000 - $186,000 base salary) + equity
- Zone 3: $161,000 - $195,000 TTC (including $145,000 - $172,000 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
Skills Required
- 4+ years of industry experience developing and deploying machine learning models in production
- A degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Physics, or related field
- Deep proficiency in Python and SQL
- Familiarity with standard ML libraries and frameworks
- Experience working with cloud platforms
- Strong grounding in statistical learning, experimental design, and model evaluation
- Ability to work through feature engineering, feature selection, hyperparameter tuning, and model optimization independently
- Comfort communicating and collaborating with cross-functional partners
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The Company
What We Do
For us, renting is personal — we’re a company built by renters for renters. We’re here to deliver renters a home they love at the value they deserve. Whether renters are embarking to a new city, in search of a quieter neighborhood, or making the jump to a two-bedroom apartment — we’re here to find them their perfect apartment match. We’ve made it our mission to revolutionize renting by making it a stress-free, simple, and holistic experience, connecting ready-to-move renters with compatible city living. Home is a feeling everyone should own, and we’re on a mission to help renters find it.
Why Work With Us
Want a job that makes a difference? There are over 100 million renters in the US, and at Apartment List, we strive every day to remove the hassle from renting and make the process better for every single one of them. Together, we can change the narrative around what it means to be a renter.
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