Senior Data Scientist II - Ads Optimization @Instacart

Overview

Instacart's Ads Optimization team is the decision-making engine of its $1B+ ads business, driving analytics, experimentation, and algorithmic strategy to meet advertiser goals and create value across the platform. The Senior Data Scientist on this team will operate at the intersection of data science, economics, and production systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the analytics and experimentation strategy for pacing, targeting, and related optimization areas, driving measurable improvements in advertiser outcomes and platform efficiency.
• Design and build intelligent pacing algorithms and budget allocation systems.
• Lead end-to-end experimentation across optimization systems, translating results into actionable recommendations.
• Apply causal inference, statistical modeling, and ML techniques to optimize ad spend distribution.
• Present findings and strategic recommendations to leadership.
• Serve as a thought leader in the Ads Optimization space and mentor peers.
• Collaborate with Ads Product and Sales teams to gather advertiser feedback.

Requirements

• Proven experience in ads optimization at an ad tech company, with expertise in pacing, targeting, or budget allocation.
• Strong foundation in data science, including product and data analysis, A/B experimentation, and statistical modeling.
• Experience in shipping optimization systems into production.
• Excellent communication skills for synthesizing complex findings for stakeholders.
• 6+ years of work experience in a data science or related field.

Benefits

Instacart offers competitive compensation and benefits, including a potential new hire equity grant and annual refresh grants. Specific base pay ranges for this role are $192,000 — $202,500 CAD for Canadian-based candidates.

Location

This role is remote, available only to candidates in Canada, specifically in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, or Nova Scotia.

How to Apply

Please review our application process on the Instacart career page.