Senior Staff Data Scientist Jobs in California
Senior Staff Data Scientist jobs in California represent one of the most active markets for the role in the country, with demand concentrated in technology, biotech, financial services, and enterprise software across seniority levels from mid-level data scientist through distinguished scientist. The largest hiring hubs are San Francisco, San Jose, and Los Angeles, where employers such as Google, Meta, and Kaiser Permanente maintain deep data science organizations. The most sought-after specialties in California include machine learning engineering, causal inference, and large language model development. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 25+ Senior Staff Data Scientist jobs
About The Team
Grindr is an AI-native platform powering how millions of gay people connect globally. With 15M+ monthly users, 130B+ annual messages, and a team of fewer than 200, we move fast, stay lean, and tackle technical problems at a scale few companies ever see. As a Senior Staff Data Scientist at Grindr, you will lead cross-functional collaboration with product managers, product designers, and engineers to devise insightful metrics that guide development, shape and oversee novel experiments, present a data-driven viewpoint to guide key decisions, and identify and drive new strategic avenues for growth through deep dive analysis. You will have the opportunity to work on models that are deployed to production and improve quality of life for our millions of users. You will also be an informal ambassador for the Data Science team to the rest of the organization, educating a diverse group on the many subtle aspects of utilizing data well. You will be a member of the data organization at Grindr, which integrates data scientists, data engineers, and ML/AI engineers into a single cohesive and collaborative team. This is a rare opportunity to learn, teach, and have an outsized impact alongside some of the top minds in the field. At Grindr, we operate in Grindr Mode. Moderately hardcore day to day, truly hardcore when it counts. It’s about doing great work without burning out. Outcomes over outputs. Smart, driven people who raise your bar, with room to live full lives. This is a hybrid role based in our Bay Area offices and will require you to be in office Tuesdays and Thursdays.
About The Job
Extract actionable insights from broad, open-ended questions
Set strategy for designing and evaluating experiments to measure the impact of product changes
Influence and communicate results to executives and cross-functional stakeholders to inform product and company decisions
Analyze data from across the product to uncover the root causes of metric movements
Communicate results to cross-functional stakeholders to inform product decisions
Architect and guide development of tools to scale and automate analyses, improving productivity across the company
Provide mentorship and guidance to team members + identify and recommend best practices
Apply an engineering mindset: minimize complexity while maximizing utility & maintainability
* Shape the future state of our data products, devising ML solutions to improve recommendations, detect spam, and better serve our users
Role Requirements
BS or higher in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Physics, a related quantitative field, or equivalent experience
10+ years of industry data science experience, with a track record of influencing senior stakeholders and company-level outcomes
Experience effectively communicating & collaborating with non-technical stakeholders
A deep understanding of the “why” behind your work, not just the how
Strong Python skills in data analysis using pandas and Jupyter Notebook
Experience writing and optimizing complex SQL queries on large data sets
A strong background in inferential statistics, especially in an experimentation setting (hypothesis testing, power analysis, experimental design)
Experience with different data analytics and BI tools such as Looker, Tableau, PowerBI, or Snowflake
* Experience in big data technologies like Spark
You May Thrive In This Role If You
A machine learning background with an understanding of when ML is the right tool and the subtle science of creating models that function well in the real world would be a nice to have
You have excellent communication, presentation, and documentation skills with the ability to define and communicate the “big picture” to key stakeholders at various levels and technical understanding
* Experience with Statsig would be nice-to-have
Benefits And Perks
Health, Dental & Vision Full premium coverage for you. Partial coverage for dependents.
Family Formation Up to $300,000 in fertility and family-building support, covering IVF, surrogacy, egg freezing, and adoption.
Retirement: 401(k) with 6% match and immediate vesting.
Compensation: Industry-competitive compensation, company bonus, and equity for every employee.
Gender-Affirming Care: Industry-leading gender-affirming offerings with up to 90% cost coverage, access to Included Health, monthly stipends for HRT, and more.
Time Off & Rest Flexible vacation policy. Two company-wide rest weeks per year.
* Other Benefits: Monthly stipends for cell phone, internet, wellness, food, and commuting, breakfast/lunch
About Grindr
Grindr is building the Global Gayborhood in your Pocket. With more than 15 million monthly active users, Grindr has become a fundamental part of the gay community and is charting a path to make the world more free, equal, and just. As a public company, we're moving into the next chapter: becoming an AI-native organization that's redefining what's possible for our community. We're embedding AI into our product and operations, moving with startup speed while operating at scale. Everything we do is rooted in impact for our users and outcomes for the business. This isn't social work, it’s impact through excellence. Business success is what gives us the power to serve our community and the seat at tables others can't reach. How we work is defined by Grindr Mode, our operating model that's moderately hardcore day-to-day and truly hardcore when it counts. We think like owners, drive real outcomes, create clarity through action, and push each other to go further than we thought possible. We’re headquartered in West Hollywood with offices in the Bay Area, Chicago, and New York. Our work extends beyond the product through Grindr for Equality, our nonprofit that's partnered with 100+ community organizations globally to advance safety, health, and human rights for LGBTQ+ people worldwide. We're profitable, growing, and building a team of smart, driven people who bring different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to the work. Want to build technology at a massive scale that serves millions? Come join us!
Grindr is an equal-opportunity employer.
To learn more about how we handle the personal data of applicants, visit our Employee and Candidate Privacy Policy.
About The Team
Grindr is an AI-native platform powering how millions of gay people connect globally. With 15M+ monthly users, 130B+ annual messages, and a team of fewer than 200, we move fast, stay lean, and tackle technical problems at a scale few companies ever see. As a Senior Staff Data Scientist at Grindr, you will lead cross-functional collaboration with product managers, product designers, and engineers to devise insightful metrics that guide development, shape and oversee novel experiments, present a data-driven viewpoint to guide key decisions, and identify and drive new strategic avenues for growth through deep dive analysis. You will have the opportunity to work on models that are deployed to production and improve quality of life for our millions of users. You will also be an informal ambassador for the Data Science team to the rest of the organization, educating a diverse group on the many subtle aspects of utilizing data well. You will be a member of the data organization at Grindr, which integrates data scientists, data engineers, and ML/AI engineers into a single cohesive and collaborative team. This is a rare opportunity to learn, teach, and have an outsized impact alongside some of the top minds in the field. At Grindr, we operate in Grindr Mode. Moderately hardcore day to day, truly hardcore when it counts. It’s about doing great work without burning out. Outcomes over outputs. Smart, driven people who raise your bar, with room to live full lives. This is a hybrid role based in our Bay Area offices and will require you to be in office Tuesdays and Thursdays.
About The Job
Extract actionable insights from broad, open-ended questions
Set strategy for designing and evaluating experiments to measure the impact of product changes
Influence and communicate results to executives and cross-functional stakeholders to inform product and company decisions
Analyze data from across the product to uncover the root causes of metric movements
Communicate results to cross-functional stakeholders to inform product decisions
Architect and guide development of tools to scale and automate analyses, improving productivity across the company
Provide mentorship and guidance to team members + identify and recommend best practices
Apply an engineering mindset: minimize complexity while maximizing utility & maintainability
* Shape the future state of our data products, devising ML solutions to improve recommendations, detect spam, and better serve our users
Role Requirements
BS or higher in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Physics, a related quantitative field, or equivalent experience
10+ years of industry data science experience, with a track record of influencing senior stakeholders and company-level outcomes
Experience effectively communicating & collaborating with non-technical stakeholders
A deep understanding of the “why” behind your work, not just the how
Strong Python skills in data analysis using pandas and Jupyter Notebook
Experience writing and optimizing complex SQL queries on large data sets
A strong background in inferential statistics, especially in an experimentation setting (hypothesis testing, power analysis, experimental design)
Experience with different data analytics and BI tools such as Looker, Tableau, PowerBI, or Snowflake
* Experience in big data technologies like Spark
You May Thrive In This Role If You
A machine learning background with an understanding of when ML is the right tool and the subtle science of creating models that function well in the real world would be a nice to have
You have excellent communication, presentation, and documentation skills with the ability to define and communicate the “big picture” to key stakeholders at various levels and technical understanding
* Experience with Statsig would be nice-to-have
Benefits And Perks
Health, Dental & Vision Full premium coverage for you. Partial coverage for dependents.
Family Formation Up to $300,000 in fertility and family-building support, covering IVF, surrogacy, egg freezing, and adoption.
Retirement: 401(k) with 6% match and immediate vesting.
Compensation: Industry-competitive compensation, company bonus, and equity for every employee.
Gender-Affirming Care: Industry-leading gender-affirming offerings with up to 90% cost coverage, access to Included Health, monthly stipends for HRT, and more.
Time Off & Rest Flexible vacation policy. Two company-wide rest weeks per year.
* Other Benefits: Monthly stipends for cell phone, internet, wellness, food, and commuting, breakfast/lunch
About Grindr
Grindr is building the Global Gayborhood in your Pocket. With more than 15 million monthly active users, Grindr has become a fundamental part of the gay community and is charting a path to make the world more free, equal, and just. As a public company, we're moving into the next chapter: becoming an AI-native organization that's redefining what's possible for our community. We're embedding AI into our product and operations, moving with startup speed while operating at scale. Everything we do is rooted in impact for our users and outcomes for the business. This isn't social work, it’s impact through excellence. Business success is what gives us the power to serve our community and the seat at tables others can't reach. How we work is defined by Grindr Mode, our operating model that's moderately hardcore day-to-day and truly hardcore when it counts. We think like owners, drive real outcomes, create clarity through action, and push each other to go further than we thought possible. We’re headquartered in West Hollywood with offices in the Bay Area, Chicago, and New York. Our work extends beyond the product through Grindr for Equality, our nonprofit that's partnered with 100+ community organizations globally to advance safety, health, and human rights for LGBTQ+ people worldwide. We're profitable, growing, and building a team of smart, driven people who bring different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to the work. Want to build technology at a massive scale that serves millions? Come join us!
Grindr is an equal-opportunity employer.
To learn more about how we handle the personal data of applicants, visit our Employee and Candidate Privacy Policy.
See All 25 Senior Staff Data Scientist Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsSenior Staff Data Scientist Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Senior Staff Data Scientist Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Intuit7
- Google3
- Grindr2
- Nuro2
- Snorkel AI2
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software18
- Artificial Intelligence5
- Consulting & Professional Services2
- Electronics & Hardware2
- Transportation & Logistics2
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in senior staff data scientist jobs across California.
- PhD or Master's degree in statistics, computer science, or a related quantitative field
- Eight or more years of applied data science experience including staff-level technical leadership
- Deep proficiency in Python, SQL, and distributed computing frameworks such as Spark
- Demonstrated experience designing and shipping machine learning models at production scale
- Strong cross-functional collaboration with product, engineering, and executive stakeholders
- Experience mentoring junior scientists and driving team-wide modeling standards and best practices
Senior Staff Data Scientist Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a senior staff data scientist in California?
Reaching a senior staff data scientist level in California typically requires an advanced degree in statistics, computer science, or a closely related field, followed by progressive industry experience in applied machine learning or analytics. California does not require a state-issued license for this role. Most candidates move up through staff scientist positions at California technology or biotech companies, building a portfolio of shipped models, publications, or patents that demonstrate technical depth and organizational impact.
How much do senior staff data scientists make in California?
Senior staff data scientists in California earn a median of about $141,590 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $77,480 for the lowest 10% to over $224,920 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire senior staff data scientists in California?
Employers hiring senior staff data scientists in California right now include Intuit, Google, and Grindr, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. California's concentration of technology headquarters, major health systems, and fintech firms makes it one of the deepest markets for senior data science roles in the country.
Which California cities have the most senior staff data scientist jobs?
Mountain View, San Diego, and San Francisco have the most senior staff data scientist openings in California. The San Francisco Bay Area dominates because it is home to the headquarters of major technology platforms and enterprise software companies that run large central data science organizations, while Los Angeles draws demand from entertainment technology, health systems, and a growing fintech sector.
Are there remote senior staff data scientist jobs in California?
Yes, and more than most fields, because senior staff data science work is almost entirely analytical and collaborative rather than physically hands-on. About 28% of senior staff data scientist openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of June 2026, reflecting how broadly distributed these teams have become. Model development, experimentation, and cross-functional reviews are the parts of the role most commonly performed remotely.
How can I get hired as a senior staff data scientist in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through an adjacent analytical or engineering role, such as data analyst, machine learning engineer, or quantitative researcher, at a California technology or healthcare company. Large California employers including those in the Bay Area and Los Angeles frequently hire new graduates into rotational data science programs or associate scientist roles that develop the modeling and leadership skills required at the senior staff level. A strong portfolio of end-to-end projects, open-source contributions, or graduate research publications gives candidates a meaningful edge when experience is limited.
Where can I find and apply to senior staff data scientist jobs in California?
You can find and apply to senior staff data scientist jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings. Find the roles that fit your experience and apply directly.
See All 25 Senior Staff Data Scientist Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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