Data Scientist or Senior Data Scientist

About NRG

NRG is a leading global insights and strategy firm at the confluence of content, culture, and technology.  We stay ahead of what’s next, providing fresh insights to spark new ideas. We’re a trusted partner to our clients, working behind the scenes to bring imagination, depth, and clarity to their biggest challenges – in entertainment, technology, lifestyle, sports, and gaming.  Together, we create with confidence.

We’re proud of our company’s values – these values guide us as we navigate sunny days, gray skies and everything in between:   

• Do what you love. With conviction.
• Where discovery lives. And impact drives.
• Celebrate difference. Cultivate belonging.
• Big thinking. Collectively inspired.
• Embrace the journey. Be human.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a Data Scientist or Senior Data Scientist to join our Marketing/Data Science team and help advance the cutting edge of insights across entertainment, technology, and culture. This is an opportunity to design, build, and scale AI/ML solutions that integrate GenAI innovations – like LLMs, RAG pipelines, and agentic workflows – into core research products.

We need someone who thrives on experimentation, communicates clearly and promptly, and can drive value independently. If you’re excited about fine-tuning foundation models, deploying performant and reliable ML solutions, and crafting experiments that answer hard questions, we want to hear from you.

Your Impact

• Design and execute advanced AI/ML models – including fine-tuned LLMs and RAG architectures – for integration into both internal tooling and external client-facing products.
• Lead experimentation efforts: clearly define hypotheses, design interpretable tests, analyze results rigorously, and communicate findings effectively.
• Serve as the technical SME for GenAI/LLM-powered tools, from foundational architecture to model optimization and deployment.
• Work with software and data engineering to productionize models and contribute to robust CI/CD pipelines with MLOps/LLMOps best practices.
• Stay current on emerging methods in AI – g., agentic workflows, memory-augmented systems, multimodal embeddings – and bring those ideas to life in real-world applications.
• Promote AI adoption internally by educating and empowering cross-functional partners while improving processes and workflows.
• Manage your time and projects effectively, ensuring clear progress updates and proactive communication with collaborators.
• Write production-grade Python code to support models, pipelines, and experimental frameworks.
• Work with the highest degree of ethics and empathy, recognizing that AI can be a potentially disruptive force for organizations and individuals

Who We're Looking For

Experience & Background:

• 5+ years in data science, ML engineering, or related analytics roles.
• Proven experience deploying machine learning models into production environments, ideally with LLMs or GenAI systems.
• Bachelor’s or higher degree in a quantitative field such as Computer Science, Engineering, Statistics, Mathematics, or related field.
• Experience working with consumer data, especially within media, entertainment, or marketing research contexts is a strong plus.

AI/ML & GenAI Capabilities:

• Proficiency working with modern ML frameworks and GenAI stacks (e.g., LangChain/LlamaIndex, HuggingFace Transformers, OpenAI APIs).
• Experience building and fine-tuning models using domain-specific datasets, preferably including survey, behavioral, or audience data.
• Familiarity with retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), vector databases, and agentic/multi-step reasoning workflows (e.g., ReAct, AutoGPT, MCP frameworks).
• Comfortable implementing MLOps/LLMOps practices: version control, experiment tracking, model deployment, and monitoring.

Ways of Working:

• You lead with curiosity and methodical thinking – testing hypotheses and choosing the right tool for each challenge.
• You’re an excellent communicator who can distill technical complexity for non-technical stakeholders and clients.
• You’re organized and dependable with a track record of meeting deadlines and juggling multiple high-stakes priorities.
• You thrive in collaborative environments, contributing to a team while taking ownership of your individual workstreams.
• You take feedback as a growth opportunity and enjoy learning from others.

Position Type

This is a full-time, exempt position.

What We Offer

What We Offer

We embrace the current era of work and what it means to be a best-in-class employer. We understand the flexibility that is required to recruit and retain incredible talent, whether it’s empowering you to do your best work from anywhere you desire or supporting you if you need to take a mental health day for self-care and rest. Below is a unique blend of benefits tailored to meeting the ever-changing professional landscape.

• Flexible/Remote work with optional usage of our great offices in Playa Vista or New York
• Unlimited PTO, volunteer days and a generous number of recharge days including a full office closure during the week of Christmas and New Year’s
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance Plans
• 401K with company match
• Generous paid Parental Leave
• Regular performance evaluations with opportunities for promotions and merit increases
• Educational and training reimbursement plan and other training and professional development opportunities
• Employee perks program (includes discounts on travel, hotels, cars, fitness, movie tickets and more)
• Resources available for mental health, inclusive care and family building
• NRGratitude – our company-wide employee recognition program
• Regular team/company events and activities including annual summer and holiday parties
• Pet friendly headquarters and pet insurance options

Our Commitment

Diversity, equity, and inclusion is at the center of all our practices to ensure that NRG is a place where people from all identities and backgrounds can thrive. NRG is committed to recruiting and retaining diverse talent by supporting their growth through learning programs, internal mobility, affinity group participation and leadership development. Our differences make us a stronger workforce and enhance our creativity and innovation. We are proud to be an inclusive workplace for all and are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law. 

Compensation

In order to comply with equal pay and salary transparency laws in various locations, we believe the target range of base compensation in all locations within the United States for this role is $110,000 - $170,000. Actual compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, and location.