Data Science Lead Jobs in San Jose, CA

Responsibilities

About the Role
As a Senior Data Science Manager, you will lead the organization that serves as the intelligence and decision layer of the TikTok data stack. You will oversee a high-performing team of Data Scientists and Analytics tasked with transforming massive data ecosystems into strategic insights, definitive business actions, and tangible bottom-line value. Your organization's mandate spans a comprehensive portfolio of critical business lines, including User Growth (UG/ROI), Customer Service, Accounts Security, Social, Live & Gifting, Search, Local Service, Enterprise functions (Legal, Finance, People), and Government Relations. This role requires an exceptional leader who can manage complex cross-functional landscapes, unify analytical frameworks across diverse domains, and act as a trusted advisor to senior and executive leadership.

Key Responsibilities
- Organizational Leadership: Build, scale, and mentor a world-class, multi-layered data science and analytics organization. Cultivate a culture of high accountability, scientific rigor, and continuous professional development.
- Strategic Value Creation: Define and execute the analytical roadmap to unlock business value across all supported domains. Guide teams to translate complex data matrices into strategic insights that drive executive-level decision-making.
- Advanced Methodology & Intelligence: Champion the use of advanced scientific and analytical methodologies—including causal inference, machine learning, and AI—to measure ecosystem health, evaluate product levers, and optimize business ROI.
- Cross-Functional & Domain Alignment: Serve as the primary analytical partner for cross-functional (XFN) leaders across Product, Engineering, Operations, and Corporate functions (Finance, Legal, GR).

Qualifications

Minimum Qualification(s):
- Education: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Economics, Statistics, or a highly quantitative technical field.
- Experience: 5+ years of experience in an analytical or data science role within top-tier social media, digital entertainment, or technology companies, with at least 3+ years in a management role, preferably with experience managing managers or leading multiple complex business domains.
- Technical Mastery: Deep technical proficiency in SQL and Python/R, with extensive experience leveraging massive, distributed data sets to architect foundational measurement metrics and frameworks.
- Stakeholder Management: Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to influence senior leadership and navigate complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
- Strategic Mindset: A proven track record of managing a broad portfolio of products, demonstrating the agility to pivot between consumer-facing growth (UG, Search, Live) and corporate/enterprise infrastructure (Finance, Legal, GR).

Preferred Qualification(s):
- Practical experience integrating Machine Learning and Generative AI capabilities into product analytics, automated data insights, or developer workflows.
- Domain expertise in high-growth, matrixed product ecosystems (e.g., Live & Gifting, Creator Monetization, or Local Services).
- Experience navigating international partner networks and aligning data strategies across multiple time zones and regional entities.

About USDS

TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC is dedicated to the safety and security of millions of Americans who create, discover, and connect with what they love on the apps we operate. The Joint Venture has been established in compliance with the Executive Order signed by President Trump on September 25, 2025. Our foundation is a comprehensive data privacy and cybersecurity program we operate under defined safeguards to protect national security and secure U.S. user data, apps and the algorithm. We safeguard the U.S. content ecosystem, holding decision-making authority for trust and safety policies and moderation. USDS Joint Venture helps ensure Americans can continue to express their creativity, discover new hobbies and interests, and build thriving communities and businesses on a global scale.

On-site presence across teams allows the company to operate with greater speed, alignment, and agility — especially in areas like real-time decision-making, team development, and integrated execution. As such, the company is shifting from a hybrid work model to a fully in-person schedule up to 5 days a week.

Why Join Us

Inspiring creativity is at the core of TikTok's mission. Our innovative product is built to help people authentically express themselves, discover and connect – and our global, diverse teams make that possible. Together, we create value for our communities, inspire creativity and bring joy – a mission we work towards every day. We strive to do great things with great people. We lead with curiosity, humility, and a desire to make impact in a rapidly growing tech company. Every challenge is an opportunity to learn and innovate as one team. We're resilient and embrace challenges as they come. By constantly iterating and fostering an "Always Day 1" mindset, we achieve meaningful breakthroughs for ourselves, our company, and our users. When we create and grow together, the possibilities are limitless. Join us.

Diversity & Inclusion

TikTok is committed to creating an inclusive space where employees are valued for their skills, experiences, and unique perspectives. Our platform connects people from across the globe and so does our workplace. At TikTok, our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. To achieve that goal, we are committed to celebrating our diverse voices and to creating an environment that reflects the many communities we reach. We are passionate about this and hope you are too.

USDS Reasonable Accommodation

USDS is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in our recruitment processes for candidates with disabilities, pregnancy, sincerely held religious beliefs or other reasons protected by applicable laws. If you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation, please reach out to us at https://tinyurl.com/USDS-RA

Job Information

【For Pay Transparency】Compensation Description (Annually) The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $239200 - $483200 annually. Compensation may vary outside of this range depending on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies and experience, and location. Base pay is one part of the Total Package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work, and this role may be eligible for additional discretionary bonuses/incentives, and restricted stock units.

Benefits may vary depending on the nature of employment and the country work location. Employees have day one access to medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) savings plan with company match, paid parental leave, short-term and long-term disability coverage, life insurance, wellbeing benefits, among others. Employees also receive 10 paid holidays per year, 10 paid sick days per year and 17 days of Paid Personal Time (prorated upon hire with increasing accruals by tenure).

The Company reserves the right to modify or change these benefits programs at any time, with or without notice.

For Los Angeles County (unincorporated) Candidates:
Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Our company believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship on the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment:
1. Interacting and occasionally having unsupervised contact with internal/external clients and/or colleagues;
2. Appropriately handling and managing confidential information including proprietary and trade secret information and access to information technology systems; and
3. Exercising sound judgment.