Principle Data Scientist

Principal Data Scientist – AutoTrader.ca

AutoTrader.ca is Canada’s largest automotive marketplace. We are shaping the future of automotive retail through cutting‑edge AI and machine learning. As a Principal Data Scientist you will spearhead high‑impact AI initiatives that influence millions of users worldwide.

What You’ll Do

• Shape the strategic direction of Data Science across the organization by identifying transformative AI/ML opportunities.
• Lead the design and deployment of predictive and generative AI models that power personalization, pricing, search, and optimization in marketplace and fintech domains.
• Collaborate with product leaders to align ML initiatives with strategic business goals and drive product innovation through data‑driven experimentation.
• Architect scalable ML infrastructure and automated workflows using cloud‑native tools (e.g., AWS, EC2, Kubernetes) to support efficient model training, deployment, and analytics.
• Ensure long‑term performance and compliance of production AI models through robust governance and monitoring.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to data scientists, fostering a high‑performance, continuous learning culture.
• Serve as a cross‑functional technical leader, shaping company‑wide technical initiatives beyond data science.
• Act as a senior technical advisor, leading resolution of complex modeling issues and acting as the escalation point for critical incidents.
• Lead the exploration and strategic application of GenAI, identifying high‑impact use cases and guiding their integration across products and platforms.

What You’ll Need

• Advanced academic credentials in a quantitative field (Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or related discipline).
• 10+ years of experience in data science, machine learning, or applied AI with a strong portfolio of high‑impact production projects.
• Expert‑level programming skills in Python and SQL, and fluency with leading ML/AI frameworks (scikit‑learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Direct experience with GenAI/LLM technologies, including Hugging Face, LangChain, OpenAI APIs, vector databases, and fine‑tuning methods.
• Deep knowledge of machine learning algorithms (supervised, unsupervised, deep learning) and model evaluation, explainability, and selection for business‑critical use cases.
• Strong hands‑on experience with cloud infrastructure (AWS), containerization (Docker), and orchestration (Jenkins, Airflow).
• Proven capability in MLOps, including CI/CD pipelines, model monitoring, versioning, and automated retraining.
• Experience deploying and serving models through APIs (Flask, FastAPI) in real‑time and batch‑processing environments.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, translating complex concepts into actionable insights for non‑technical audiences.
• Demonstrated success mentoring teams, guiding technical strategy, and advocating best practices in experimentation, reproducibility, and ethical AI.
• Experience working in agile product development environments (Scrum/Kanban) and influencing product roadmaps (strong plus).

Bonus Points

• Experience in e‑commerce, marketplaces, or high‑scale consumer platforms.
• Familiarity with automotive data and applications in pricing, inventory optimization, or recommendation systems.
• Contributions to open‑source AI/ML projects, publications, or presentations at industry conferences.

Benefits From Day 1

• Gym discounts
• Employee and Family Assistance program
• Virtual wellness events
• Conferences & training budget
• Regular internal training programs
• 3% pension matching and multiple income protection options

Use of artificial intelligence in hiring: We use AI in our hiring process to screen, assess, and select applicants for this position.

This job posting is for an existing vacancy.