Director, Applied Science

Position Overview

The Machine Learning team at Viant is revolutionizing the Ad Tech industry with innovative machine learning systems that process hundreds of millions of events daily. We are seeking an experienced and visionaryDirector of Applied Scienceto lead the development and implementation of machine learning solutions that drive significant business impact. In this role you will define the team’s strategic direction, cultivate a high-performance engineering culture, and deliver innovative models and systems to address complex business challenges.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and technical leadership to the Machine Learning Engineering team, driving innovation and ensuring alignment with company objectives.
• Own the end-to-end development, deployment, and maintenance of machine learning models that power Viant’s products and services.
• Develop and coach a team of machine learning engineers, fostering a culture of excellence in engineering practices, architecture, and quality.
• Apply advanced machine learning techniques, including supervised learning and causal inference, to solve problems such as content demand forecasting, incremental value measurement, and personalization.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Product, Finance, and Content leadership, to deliver actionable insights and guide strategic decisions.
• Drive innovation by researching and implementing new methodologies, statistical techniques, and machine learning approaches.
• Build and nurture relationships with stakeholders, ensuring timely delivery of impactful machine learning solutions.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in machine learning, with at least 5+ years leading and scaling high-performing teams.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.
• Strong expertise in developing and applying machine learning models for real-world business applications.
• Proven ability to deliver results at scale through innovation and operational excellence.
• Exceptional problem-solving skills and the ability to tackle challenges not previously solved in the industry.
• Demonstrated track record of fostering collaboration across technical and business teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD in Machine Learning, Computer Science, or a related field.
• Experience in the Ad Tech industry or with digital advertising systems.
• Publications or contributions to leading conferences in machine learning or data science.