Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Avalara is an AI-first company providing a cloud compliance platform for tax and technology. The Senior People Analytics Data Scientist will architect advanced analytics and AI-powered solutions for global workforce strategy, including machine learning, causal inference, employee listening, and predictive modeling. The role partners with senior People, Finance, and business leaders to deliver rigorous, actionable insights.
Responsibilities
- Design and deploy machine learning and predictive models, including natural language processing (NLP), sentiment analysis, and generative AI applications to surface workforce signals at scale
- Leverage AI tools to automate data pipelines, accelerate hypothesis testing, and enhance the speed and accuracy of insight delivery
- Serve as a practitioner and advocate for AI-first analytics, helping the People team adopt new AI capabilities and embedding them into everyday workflows
- Lead the analytics approach for employee listening programs, including engagement surveys, pulse checks, lifecycle touchpoints, and always-on feedback channels—translating signal into actionable intelligence
- Build NLP and text analytics models to mine open-ended survey responses, exit interviews, and qualitative feedback at scale, identifying themes, sentiment trends, and early attrition signals
- Design listening architectures that integrate structured (HRIS, performance) and unstructured (survey, verbatim, Slack/Teams signals) data to produce a holistic view of the employee experience
- Partner with People leaders to close the loop and translate listening insights into targeted interventions and measuring their impact over time
- Design and execute rigorous analyses using experimental design, causal inference, and quasi-experimental methods (e.g., difference-in-differences, propensity score matching) to evaluate the effectiveness of people programs
- Build, validate, and refine predictive and explanatory models using R, Python, and SQL against large, complex HR and business datasets
- Manage the full analytical lifecycle: data preparation, feature engineering, model evaluation, and stakeholder-ready insight delivery
- Collaborate directly with senior People, Finance, and business leaders to frame hypotheses, ensure analytical rigor, and champion data-driven decision-making
- Communicate complex analytical findings—including AI model outputs and listening program results—in clear, compelling narratives for non-technical executive audiences
- Deliver multiple high-impact analytical workstreams in parallel, balancing rigor, speed, and business relevance
Skills
- This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship
- * 5+ years applying advanced analytics methods (experimental design, quasi-experimental approaches, predictive modeling) to people or business decisions
- * Proficiency in Python and SQL; experience with R is a plus. Hands-on experience building, validating, and iterating on statistical or ML models using large, complex datasets
- * Experience with employee listening platforms (e.g., Qualtrics, Glint, Culture Amp, Medallia) and the ability to design analytics strategies around them
- * Demonstrated use of NLP, text analytics, or sentiment analysis to extract insight from unstructured employee feedback data
- * Familiarity with AI/ML tools and frameworks—including LLMs and generative AI—and a track record of applying them to real-world analytics problems
- * Proven ability to deliver end-to-end analytical projects, from problem definition through insight adoption, in a fast-paced environment
- * Experience influencing senior, non-technical stakeholders with data and translating analytical complexity into clear recommendations
- * Bachelor's degree or higher in a quantitative field (statistics, economics, data science, computer science, I/O psychology) or equivalent practical experience
- * You'll bring experience using AI and AI-related technologies, ready to thrive here
- * You'll apply AI every day to business challenges - improving efficiency, contributing solutions, and driving results for your team, our company, and our customers
- * You'll grow with AI by staying curious about new trends and best practices, and by sharing what you learn so others can benefit too
Benefits
- Paid time off
- Paid parental leave
- Eligible employees may receive bonuses, including an annual bonus based on individual and company performance, depending on the terms of the applicable plan and the employee’s role.
- Benefits vary by location but generally include private medical, life, and disability insurance.
- 8 employee-run resource groups, each with senior leadership and executive sponsorship.
Company Overview