Remote opportunity at
InstacartSenior Data Scientist II - Ads Optimization
Instacart operates an essential grocery delivery and household goods service that connects customers with personal shoppers while managing a billion-dollar advertising business. The organization follows a…
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About This Role
Instacart operates an essential grocery delivery and household goods service that connects customers with personal shoppers while managing a billion-dollar advertising business. The organization follows a Flex First remote work model, allowing employees to choose their workspace while coordinating regular in-person gatherings. The Ads Optimization division functions as the core decision-making unit for Instacart advertising operations, overseeing systems related to budgeting, bidding, pacing, and targeting. This remote full-time position as…
Job Description
Instacart operates an essential grocery delivery and household goods service that connects customers with personal shoppers while managing a billion-dollar advertising business. The organization follows a Flex First remote work model, allowing employees to choose their workspace while coordinating regular in-person gatherings.
The Ads Optimization division functions as the core decision-making unit for Instacart advertising operations, overseeing systems related to budgeting, bidding, pacing, and targeting. This remote full-time position as a Senior Data Scientist II - Ads Optimization suits an experienced analytics professional who can manage the complete lifecycle from initial research to live production deployment.
In this capacity, the incumbent works closely with Engineering, Machine Learning, and Product groups to shape algorithmic strategy and experimentation frameworks. The role requires balancing various platform interests, including those of advertisers, users, retail partners, and Instacart itself. Responsibilities involve developing intelligent pacing systems, applying causal inference and statistical modeling, and driving analytical standards across the team.
Candidates must possess a solid foundation in data science along with direct industry experience in ads optimization. Instacart evaluates applicants based on permanent location and provides a competitive salary range along with equity grants for eligible new hires.
Responsibilities
- Manage analytics and experimentation strategy for targeting, pacing, and optimization to improve platform efficiency and advertiser outcomes
- Design and implement intelligent budget allocation and pacing algorithms using model-predictive and adaptive control methods within live production environments
- Lead end-to-end experimentation frameworks, analyze conflicting signals, and provide actionable recommendations to leadership
- Apply statistical modeling, machine learning, and causal inference techniques to distribute ad spend across auction opportunities while balancing platform revenue and user experience
- Communicate findings and strategic proposals to engineering, product, and data science leadership
- Act as a technical leader and mentor within the Ads Optimization team
- Partner with Sales and Ads Product teams to collect advertiser feedback and guide optimization priorities
Requirements
- Demonstrated professional experience in ads optimization within an ad tech organization such as Amazon, Google, Meta, TikTok, or a similar company, focusing on targeting, pacing, or budget allocation
- Strong background in data science, including product and data analysis, causal inference, statistical modeling, and A/B testing experimentation
- Proven history of deploying optimization systems into live production environments with ongoing measurement and iteration
- Professional communication abilities to explain complex technical insights to senior stakeholders
- At least six years of professional experience working in a data science or closely related field
- Must reside in one of the eligible Canadian provinces: Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, or Nova Scotia
Qualifications
- Prior experience working directly with advertisers, sales teams, or ads product units to define algorithmic and product priorities
- Familiarity with production-level budget-constrained allocation techniques, adaptive control, or model-predictive control systems
Core Skills
Benefits
- Market-competitive compensation with base pay ranging from CAN$192,000 to CAN$202,500 CAD for candidates based in Canada
- New hire equity grant eligibility
- Annual equity refresh grants
- Flex First remote work policy allowing employees to work from home, an office, or other locations
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the employment type for this position?
This is a full-time position.
Is this role remote?
Yes, the position is remote under Instacart's Flex First policy, though hiring is currently restricted to applicants residing in the Canadian provinces of Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, and Nova Scotia.
What is the salary range for this role?
For Canadian-based candidates, the base pay range is from CAN$192,000 to CAN$202,500 CAD, with actual offers varying based on factors like candidate experience and required skills.
What benefits are included?
Eligible candidates receive market-competitive compensation, a new hire equity grant, and annual equity refresh grants.
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