Applied Data Science & Machine Learning Leader - Global Forecasting

Details

The Strategic Finance team at OpenAI plays a critical role in shaping the company’s long-term trajectory. We partner closely with Product, Engineering, and Go-to-Market teams to inform high-stakes decisions through rigorous data science and economic modeling.

As part of the expanding Data Science function, the team is building a best-in-class forecasting capability to drive real-time, data-driven decision-making across user growth, revenue, compute infrastructure, and more. The role is hands-on and technical: you will build and lead a small team of applied data scientists and ML engineers to develop forecasting capabilities and platforms from the ground up. Models will predict core metrics such as DAU/WAU, revenue, compute consumption, and profitability and will be integrated into planning, pricing, operational efficiency, and growth strategy.

This role is based in San Francisco, CA and follows a hybrid work model (three days in the office per week). Relocation assistance is offered to new employees.

Responsibilities

• Build and manage a world-class team of applied data scientists and ML engineers to develop forecasting platforms at scale.
• Design and own the roadmap for the forecasting platform in partnership with cross-functional stakeholders.
• Collaborate closely with Strategic Finance teams to ensure forecasts are well integrated into planning processes and executive decision-making.
• Work with cross-functional partners (e.g., Growth) to help them adopt scientific, automated forecasting solutions.
• Own the end-to-end modeling lifecycle: scoping, feature engineering, model development and prototyping, experimentation, deployment, monitoring, and explainability.
• Research and evaluate emerging tools and techniques in the forecasting space.
• Translate technical outputs into business-aligned recommendations and decision frameworks.

Requirements

• Extensive experience building production-ready models for time series applications and forecasting.
• Proven track record of building adjustable and explainable forecast models used across planning cycles.
• 10+ years of applied data science and engineering experience, with deep hands-on expertise in forecasting and predictive modeling.
• Demonstrated experience with model monitoring, debugging, and long-term maintenance in production environments.
• Team leadership experience with a track record of building high-performing, engaged teams.
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills — able to simplify complexity and influence executive stakeholders.
• Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in a quantitative field (e.g., Statistics, Computer Science, Economics, Operations Research).
• Self-directed, intellectually curious mindset and comfort leading ambiguous projects from 0→1.
• Experience building or scaling forecasting platforms in a high-growth company is strongly preferred.
• A passion for AI and a strong perspective on how machine learning should inform strategic decisions in fast-moving environments.

Benefits

• Competitive base pay in the posted range plus equity and potential performance-related bonuses.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance with employer contributions to Health Savings Accounts.
• Pre-tax accounts for Health FSA, Dependent Care FSA, and commuter expenses.
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match.
• Paid parental leave and paid medical/caregiver leave.
• Flexible PTO for exempt employees and paid time off for non-exempt employees.
• 13+ paid company holidays and additional paid office closures.
• Mental health and wellness support; employer-paid basic life and disability coverage.
• Annual learning and development stipend; daily office meals and meal delivery credits as eligible; relocation support for eligible employees.

About OpenAI

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. The company values diverse perspectives and is an equal opportunity employer. Background checks will be administered consistent with applicable law, and reasonable accommodations are available to applicants with disabilities.