Senior Director Data Science

Let’s be unstoppable together! 

Circana is a leading provider of technology, AI, and data solutions for consumer packaged goods companies, manufacturers, and retailers. Our predictive analytics and Liquid Data® platform help clients measure market share, uncover consumer behavior, and drive growth—powered by six decades of expertise and an expansive, high-quality data set. 

At Circana, we are fueled by our passion for continuous learning and growth, we seek and share feedback freely, and we celebrate victories both big and small in an environment that is flexible and accommodating to our work and personal lives.  We’re a global company dedicated to fostering inclusivity and belonging. We value and celebrate the unique experiences, cultures, and viewpoints that each individual brings. By embracing a wide range of backgrounds, skills, expertise, and beyond, we create a stronger, more innovative environment for our employees, clients, and communities. With us, you can always bring your full self to work.  Join our inclusive, committed team to be a challenger, own outcomes, and stay curious together. Circana is proud to be Certified™ by Great Place To Work®. This prestigious award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at Circana. Learn more at www.circana.com.

Role Overview

Sr. Director, Data Science for various and unanticipated worksites throughout the U.S. (HQ: Chicago, IL). Support and manage highly complex software development initiatives, including data engineering, data analysis, user support, and enterprise‑scale data solutions. Manage and drive integrated teams, delivering high‑quality technology solutions across big data platforms.

Job Responsibilities

• Designing, developing, and maintaining highly scalable ETL applications on Hadoop/Spark environments.
• Delivering big data projects using Spark, Python, Scala, SQL, and Hive within distributed computing ecosystems.
• Leading and mentoring onshore and offshore development teams, ensuring high‑quality delivery and consistent engineering standards.
• Actively participating in—and at times leading—Agile/Scrum ceremonies, including daily stand‑ups, sprint planning, retrospectives, and code reviews.
• Tuning and optimizing ETL pipeline performance to meet strict SLAs across highly complex, concurrent processing environments.
• Engaging with business partners to understand needs, translate requirements, and identify appropriate technology solutions.
• Coordinating development project execution from initiation through release, including dependency planning and sprint scheduling.
• Managing team velocity, financials, and other critical delivery metrics.
• Reviewing product backlog, designs, code, and test results to mitigate delivery risks and ensure product quality.
• Leading adoption of innovative technologies to support evolving software product and data platform needs.
• Assessing, installing, and enhancing software required for the organization’s broader big data platform.
• Building robust ETL pipelines supporting day‑to‑day client delivery operations.

Technical environment includes: Databricks, Spark architecture, Spark SQL, PySpark/Scala, data frames, performance tuning, Python, SQL, UNIX shell scripting, cloud platforms (Azure/AWS), Snowflake, Synapse, Google BigQuery, Ab Initio, Hadoop/HBase, Database Design, Data Modeling, and Agile/Waterfall/Kanban SDLC frameworks.

Requirements

• 10+ years of software development experience.
• 5+ years of hands‑on experience developing ETL Spark applications in PySpark or Scala.
• 5+ years managing globally distributed teams of 4+ developers, including mentorship, performance oversight, and delivery management.
• Strong understanding of Spark architecture, data frames, distributed processing, and performance tuning.
• Experience designing, developing, and supporting data‑driven analytical applications in big data environments.
• Experience with relational databases such as Oracle or PostgreSQL.
• Experience reviewing complex code, troubleshooting software/data issues, and ensuring on‑schedule delivery.
• Hands‑on software experience with Spark (Databricks), Python, Scala, SQL, UNIX shell scripting, SQL scripting.
• Experience with cloud platforms (Azure, AWS).
• Expertise in database design, data modeling, and workflow/diagramming tools (flowcharts, data flows).
• Familiarity with enterprise data platforms such as Synapse, Snowflake, Google BigQuery, and tools like Ab Initio.
• Experience using SDLC methodologies including Agile, Scrum, Kanban, and Waterfall.
• Excellent leadership skills with proven ability to manage onshore/offshore engineering teams.
• Telecommuting permitted

Circana Behaviors

Beyond technical skills, experience, and role-specific attributes, these shared behaviors are fundamental to our culture and success. We seek individuals who consistently demonstrate and champion these behaviors in their daily work:

• Stay Curious: Being hungry to learn and grow, always asking the big questions.
• Seek Clarity: Embracing complexity to create clarity and inspire action.
• Own the Outcome: Being accountable for decisions and taking ownership of our choices.
• Center on the Client: Relentlessly adding value for our customers.
• Be a Challenger: Never complacent, always striving for continuous improvement.
• Champion Inclusivity: Fostering trust in relationships engaging with empathy, respect, and integrity.
• Commit to each other: Contributing to making Circana a great place to work for everyone.

Location: This position can be located in the following area(s): Remote U.S 

The below range reflects the range of possible compensation for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, shift, travel requirements, sales or revenue-based metrics, any collective bargaining agreements, and business or organizational needs. The salary range for this role is $202,779 USD to $231,000 USD.

This job is also eligible for bonus pay.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off, medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.

An offer of employment may be conditional upon successful completion of a background check in accordance with local legislation and our candidate privacy notice. Your current employer will not be contacted without your permission.

You can apply for this role through the Circana careers website or Intranet site for internal candidates. This role is subject to AI-assisted screening. Circana uses artificial intelligence (AI) to assess resumes for alignment with job requirements by helping locate details in resumes that relate to the job description.

This position is expected to remain open for approximately 30 days and may close earlier if sufficient qualified candidates are identified.

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