SEM Specialist, Analytics & Modeling, Homes.com

Job Description

CoStar Group is a leading global provider of commercial and residential real estate information, analytics, and online marketplaces. CoStar Group is on a mission to digitize the world’s real estate, empowering all people to discover properties, insights and connections that improve their businesses and lives.

We have been living and breathing the world of real estate information and online marketplaces for over 35 years, giving us the perspective to create truly unique and valuable offerings to our customers.  We’ve continually refined, transformed and perfected our approach to our business, creating a language that has become standard in our industry, for our customers, and even our competitors.  We continue that effort today and are always working to improve and drive innovation.  This is how we deliver for our customers, our employees, and investors.  By equipping the brightest minds with the best resources available, we provide an invaluable edge in real estate.   

Homes.com is reimagining the home search experience for consumers and agents alike. We are empowering people to discover homes, share insights and make connections on their terms – disrupting a multi-billion industry.

Already one of the fastest growing real estate portals in the industry, we are driven to be #1. Just ask Brad Bellflower, Chief Change Officer at Apartments.com. After its acquisition in 2014, Apartments.com quickly turned into the most popular place to find a place. Proven success at the highest level – and we’re doing it again with the new Homes.com.

What We Are Looking For:

CoStar Group is currently looking for a highly motivated SEM Specialist, Analytics & Modeling to support paid search, SEO, and broader growth marketing efforts. In this role, you will work closely with the SEM Manager and analytics partners to analyze performance, support optimization efforts, and help surface insights through data and reporting.

The successful candidate will have a foundational understanding of search engine marketing, paired with strong analytical skills and the ability to work with internal business KPIs and marketplace data to help identify areas for optimization across platforms, geographies, and lead types.

This position is located onsite in our Irvine, CA office.

Responsibilities:

• Analyze Google and Bing paid search performance to help identify trends and optimization opportunities across geographies, lead types, and demand segments.

• Support SEM practitioners by analyzing the impact of bids, budgets, keyword strategies, and targeting decisions using established analytical frameworks.

• Assist in connecting paid search performance to internal business KPIs such as lead quality, conversion rates, and regional marketplace performance.

• Build and maintain basic analytical models and analyses to help back-test ideas and evaluate potential optimizations using historical data. 

• Support forecasting and scenario analyses to help project outcomes of proposed SEM changes under guidance from senior team members.

• Assist with test-and-learn initiatives by helping define metrics, analyzing results, and documenting learnings.

• Assist in developing testing plans to measure incrementality.

• Create and maintain weekly and monthly reports and dashboards that highlight performance trends and key insights.

• Clearly communicate findings and insights to the SEM Manager and stakeholders in a concise and actionable manner. 

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited, not-for-profit University or College in Analytics, Statistics, Economics, Business, Marketing, or a related quantitative field.

• 5+ years of experience in a data analytics or performance analytics role supporting digital marketing, paid media, or growth teams.

• Working knowledge of SEM fundamentals, including auctions, bidding strategies, match types, quality score, and conversion measurement.

• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel for analysis, reporting, and basic modeling.

• Comfort working with large datasets to identify trends and support recommendations.

• Metrics-focused mindset with the ability to clearly communicate insights through reports and presentations.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

• Detail-oriented, curious, and eager to learn, with a growth mindset and interest in search and analytics. 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Exposure to paid search programs spanning multiple geographies or large datasets.

• Familiarity with attribution concepts and test-and-learn methodologies.

• Experience using SEM or analytics tools such as Google Analytics, Search Ads 360, SEMrush, or similar platforms.

• Introductory experience with SQL, Python, or R for data analysis is a plus but not required.

• Advanced Excel and basic PowerPoint skills for reporting and presentations.

• Knowledge of Microsoft Power BI

• Knowledge of AI tools (Claude, ChatGPT etc.) and prompt engineering

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?

When you join CoStar Group, you’ll experience a collaborative and innovative culture working alongside the best and brightest to empower our people and customers to succeed.

We offer you generous compensation and performance-based incentives. CoStar Group also invests in your professional and academic growth with internal training, and tuition reimbursement.

Our benefits package includes (but is not limited to):

• Comprehensive healthcare coverage: Medical / Vision / Dental / Prescription Drug

• Life, legal, and supplementary insurance

• Virtual and in person mental health counseling services for individuals and family

• Commuter and parking benefits

• 401(K) retirement plan with matching contributions

• Employee stock purchase plan

• Paid time off

• Tuition reimbursement

• On-site fitness center and/or reimbursed fitness center membership costs (location dependent), with yoga studio, Pelotons, personal training, group exercise classes

• Access to CoStar Group’s Employee Resource Groups

• Complimentary gourmet coffee, tea, hot chocolate, fresh fruit, and other healthy snacks

We welcome all qualified candidates who are currently eligible to work full-time in the United States to apply.  However, please note that CoStar Group is not able to provide visa sponsorship for this position.

The final salary or hourly rate offered for this role will fall within the range set forth below based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, geographic location, skills, and competencies.

Base Compensation: $85,000-$1115,000 Annually

#LI-MM5

#Homes.com

CoStar Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer; we maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing