Data Scientist

Job Description

OVERVIEW

CoStar Group (NASDAQ: CSGP) is a leading global provider of commercial and residential real estate information, analytics, and online marketplaces. Included in the S&P 500 Index and the NASDAQ 100, 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. 

ABOUT THE ROLE

CoStar is seeking a Data Scientist, with a focus on model estimations, data validation, and accuracy evaluation/tracking, to join our growing analytics organization. The Data Scientist will assist in developing methods to meet CoStar’s primary goal of continual improvement in our quantitative efforts related to data accumulation, modeling, and estimation of current, historical, and forecast data series. The ideal candidate will possess a broad range of experience and quantitative skills to undertake the responsibilities outlined below and will be eager to join a best-in-class team that performs an integral function within the CoStar Group.

This is a full-time in-office position that will be based in our Richmond, VA office.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct independent and creative quantitative research applied towards the evaluation, tracking, and improvement of CRE models, data series and estimations

• Perform econometric-based forecasting and quantitative analysis

• Determine the need for changes to existing models and strategies

• Update model calibration and conduct model validation

• Document models and analytic products and tools for external and internal clients

• Implement data mining techniques to leverage databases for use in a variety of products and tools

• Collaborate with team members to develop methodologies to perform model and data validation

• Partner with team members to assess, track, and enhance model/forecast accuracy through back-testing.

• Perform quality assurance functions and error debugging throughout our models, data series and implementations, writing test cases and scripts as needed

• Investigate, document, and escalate (as appropriate) the defects and other quality metrics identified during testing

• Develop and implement quality standards and best practices, contributing ideas and effort toward continuous improvement

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in statistics, data science, real estate, or related field

• 3+ years of relevant experience in a research-oriented environment and/or in professional services such as in commercial real estate, banking, or investment management

• 1+ year of experience with statistical programming using large datasets with known biases

• Well versed in writing unit tests and model validation scripts

• Proficiency in SQL, writing queries and reporting from relational databases, and experience with SQL Server Management Studio, with the ability to conduct data mining in large datasets

• Strong scripting and programming skills with Python, R, or SAS, with hands-on experience

• Strong applied statistics skills, such as distribution analysis, probability theory, statistical testing, regression, etc.

• Strong math and analytical skills

• Accuracy and attention to detail

• A track record of commitment to prior employers

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced degree (Master’s, PhD) in statistics, data science, real estate, or related field

• Some knowledge of automated testing, to include automated dataset validation using testing frameworks

• Experience with Python-based common data science tools such as Jupyter Notebooks, Numpy, Pandas, Scikit-learn, etc.

• Experience writing clean, reproducible, robust, and scalable analysis code

• Expertise in running exploratory data analysis, statistical modeling, and data mining

• Hands-on experience working with large data sets.

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, tuition reimbursement, and an inter-office exchange program. 

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 Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion 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.

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