Director of Data Science
Ames, United States
Full Time Executive-level / Director USD 177K - 284K
Workiva
Workiva's integrated reporting software connects finance, sustainability, audit, and risk for assured, data-driven insights.We are seeking a strategic, collaborative, and technically skilled Director of Data Science to lead and grow our data science team. In this role, you will shape the team’s vision, foster an inclusive and high-performing culture, and drive impactful machine learning and advanced analytics initiatives across the organization. You will work closely with cross-functional partners to address complex challenges and embed data science into our core products, services, and operations.
The role will report to the VP of Data & Analytics.
What You’ll Do
Leadership & Strategy
Define and lead the data science vision, strategy, and roadmap in alignment with business goals and measurable outcomes
Act as a strategic advisor and thought leader, championing the adoption and responsible use of AI/ML across the organization
Advocate for ethical, transparent, and compliant data use, upholding standards of fairness and accountability in all initiatives
Team Development & Management
Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing, collaborative team of data scientists
Foster a culture of inclusion, innovation, and continuous learning within the team
Set clear goals and development plans to support team growth and success
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Partner closely with Sales, Product, Marketing, Customer Success, Engineering, and other teams to drive impactful data science initiatives
Serve as a bridge between technical teams and business units, ensuring alignment on priorities, deliverables, and strategic value
Analytical & Communication Excellence
Translate complex, ambiguous problems into structured, actionable analytical solutions
Deliver clear, compelling insights to both technical and non-technical audiences through storytelling and data visualization
Present findings and strategic recommendations to senior and executive stakeholders to influence high-level decisions
Model Development & Operations
Oversee the full lifecycle of machine learning models, including development, validation, deployment, monitoring, and continuous improvement
Collaborate with Data Engineering to design scalable, well-defined data assets, features, and metrics that support evolving analytical and product needs
Standards & Best Practices
Establish and promote best practices in experimentation, modeling, data governance, and model reproducibility
Ensure robust documentation, version control, and transparency across all projects to support sustainability and auditability
What You’ll Need
Minimum Qualifications
8+ years in data science or machine learning roles, including 3+ years in a leadership position
Advanced degree (PhD/MS) in a quantitative field such as Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or similar
Proven experience deploying machine learning models at scale in production environments
Preferred Qualifications
Background in SaaS or experience working with B2B business models
Strong programming skills in Python and experience with ML frameworks (e.g., scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch)
Deep understanding of statistical modeling, causal inference, and A/B testing
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
Familiarity with modern data stacks: cloud data warehouses (Snowflake, BigQuery), orchestration tools, and MLOps platforms
Experience with NLP, recommendation systems, or time-series forecasting. Experience managing and growing technical talent
How You’ll Be Rewarded
✅ Salary range in the US: $177,000.00 - $284,000.00✅ A discretionary bonus typically paid annually
✅ Restricted Stock Units granted at time of hire
✅ 401(k) match and comprehensive employee benefits package
The salary range represents the low and high end of the salary range for this job in the US. Minimums and maximums may vary based on location. The actual salary offer will carefully consider a wide range of factors, including your skills, qualifications, experience and other relevant factors.
Workiva is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. We believe that great minds think differently. We value diversity of backgrounds, beliefs, and interests, and we recognize diversity as an important source of intellectual thought, varied perspective, and innovation. Employment decisions are made without regard to age, race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression genetic information, marital status, citizenship status or any other protected characteristic. We strongly encourage and welcome people from historically marginalized groups to apply.
Workiva is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. To request assistance with the application process, please email talentacquisition@workiva.com.
Workiva employees are required to undergo comprehensive security and privacy training tailored to their roles, ensuring adherence to company policies and regulatory standards.
Workiva supports employees in working where they work best - either from an office or remotely from any location within their country of employment.
#LI-LP1Tags: A/B testing BigQuery Causal inference Computer Science Data governance Data visualization Engineering Machine Learning Mathematics ML models MLOps NLP PhD Privacy Python PyTorch Scikit-learn Security Snowflake Statistical modeling Statistics TensorFlow Testing
Perks/benefits: 401(k) matching Career development Equity / stock options Salary bonus Startup environment Transparency
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