Principal Data Scientist, Marketing Analytics and Data Science (Hybrid)

At ALSAC, you do more than make a living; you make a difference. We value diversity and innovation, standing out as one of the world's most respected nonprofits. We invite individuals with unique backgrounds and perspectives to join us in our mission to help St. Jude cure childhood cancer. Together, we can make a significant impact—finding cures and saving children.

Job Description

ALSAC is seeking a visionary Principal Data Scientist to lead the development of our Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) capabilities within a newly formed Marketing Analytics and Data Science team. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape enterprise-wide measurement frameworks, drive strategic planning through scenario simulation, and pioneer AI-driven innovation in donor intelligence. As a senior individual contributor, you will provide technical leadership , collaborate with external vendors in a build-operate-transfer model , and mentor junior data scientists. Your work will translate complex business questions into actionable analytical frameworks, ensuring modeling outputs are rigorous and aligned with strategic goals.

Key Responsibilities

1. MMM Capability Ownership: Lead the design, validation, and continuous improvement of MMM solutions. Collaborate with vendors and internal teams to ensure scalable, accurate, and business-aligned models.
2. Cross-Functional Partnership: Work closely with marketing, finance, and media teams to align modeling efforts with business objectives and ensure insights are relevant and actionable.
3. Model Quality & Innovation: Champion data integrity, model validation, and methodological innovation. Stay ahead of industry trends in MMM, MTA, and causal inference.
4. Testing & Experimentation Strategy: Design robust testing frameworks to evaluate model reliability pre- and post-deployment.
5. Integrated Measurement Strategy: Support integration of MMM with other measurement approaches (e.g., MTA) for a unified view of marketing performance.
6. Analytical Framework Development: Translate complex business challenges into structured analytical approaches. Collaborate with analysts and stakeholders to ensure strategic alignment.
7. Mentorship & Best Practices: Mentor junior team members, promote modeling standards, and foster a culture of excellence and continuous learning.

Top Skills & Experience

1. Advanced Modeling & Causal Inference: Expertise in MTA, Bayesian modeling, Markov chains, SEM, and survival analysis. Skilled in causal inference techniques (DiD, synthetic control, BART). Ability to tailor models to varying data across channels.
2. Enterprise-Scale Forecasting & Simulation: Experience building modular forecasting pipelines with elasticity-aware logic. Skilled in designing scenario simulators with constraints and real-time feedback. Familiarity with ensemble models, neural networks, and meta-modeling.
3. Strategic Insight & Stakeholder Engagement: Proven ability to translate complex outputs into insights for executives. Experience presenting to senior leadership and crafting strategic narratives. Skilled in communicating uncertainty and scenario governance.
4. Data Engineering Fluency: Deep understanding of feature engineering, temporal alignment, data lineage. Experience collaborating with ML engineers and MLOps teams. Proficient with structured/unstructured data across CRM, media, finance, and APIs.

Additional Impact Areas

• Enterprise-Wide Modeling: Extend MMM frameworks to include donor experience, bequests, and internal investments.
• Scenario Simulation Leadership: Co-lead the design of ALSAC’s What-If Scenario Simulator for strategic planning.
• AI & GenAI Innovation: Contribute to AI agent and GenAI tool development for donor intelligence and scenario planning.
• Governance & Transparency: Implement model governance, version control, and explainability tools (e.g., SHAP, LIME).
• Strategic Growth Path: This role evolves with ALSAC’s analytics maturity, offering long-term leadership opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Statistics, Economics, Computer Science, or related field required.
• 10+ years of experience in marketing analytics, data science, or econometric modeling, focusing on MMM.
• Advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) preferred.
• Proven success in enterprise-scale modeling and strategic analytics leadership.

This role is based at our National Headquarters in Memphis or any of our 28 US-based territory offices. #LI-TM1

Benefits & Perks

We’re dedicated to supporting children and their families and providing our staff with excellent benefits:

• Core Medical Coverage: Low-cost, low-deductible Medical, Dental, and Vision plans
• 401K Retirement Plan with 7% Employer Contribution
• Exceptional Paid Time Off
• Maternity / Paternity Leave
• Infertility Treatment Program
• Adoption Assistance
• Education Assistance
• Enterprise Learning and Development
• And more

ALSAC is an equal employment opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes.

No Search Firms: ALSAC does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms without a valid agreement.