Principal Data Scientist

Serko is a cutting-edge tech platform in global business travel & expense technology. When you join Serko, you become part of a team of passionate travellers and technologists bringing people together, using the world's leading business travel marketplace. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and we embrace the richness of diversity, showing up authentically to create a positive impact. There's an exciting road ahead of us, where travel needs real, impactful change.With offices in New Zealand, Australia, North America, and China, we are thrilled to be expanding our global footprint, landing our new hub in Bengaluru, India. With a rapid growth plan in place, we're hiring people from different backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and perspectives to help us build a world-class team and product.This role can be based in West Coast USA - we would be open to candidates in other locations as well with proven experience and expertise.RequirementsWe are building a foundational AI division at Serko and looking for a Senior Data Scientist to help us move from concept to MVP at velocity.This is a hands-on role for someone who prefers building over maintaining. You'll be implementing models within AI-agentic environments, specifically focusing on Recommender Systems, Ranking algorithms, and Reinforcement Learning.What you'll doArchitect and lead the deployment of sophisticated data science solutions that define the technical direction for Serko's AI-agentic ecosystemDesign the foundational frameworks for model integration within multi-agent environments, overseeing the implementation of high-scale Recommender Systems, Ranking algorithms, and advanced Deep Learning architectures (e.g., Heterogeneous Graph Transformers)Set the standard for technical excellence and velocity, establishing the protocols for scoping and prioritizing complex, cross-functional projectsDe-risk the most ambiguous and high-stakes technical challenges, proactively adapting emerging AI technologies to ensure Serko remains a market leaderPartner with Leadership to co-create AI-first product strategies, ensuring the long-term roadmap is anchored in technical feasibility and measurable commercial outcomesAnticipate market shifts and technological risks, identifying long-term opportunities that leverage proprietary data to create a competitive "moat."Command executive-level influence by translating complex technical trajectories into strategic business cases for the C-suite and key global partnersSponsor and elevate the technical community, raising the collective "technical ceiling" of the organization through high-level mentorship and the establishment of best practicesWhat you'll bringAt least 8-10+ years of proven experience building and scaling production-grade ML systems that have moved the needle on global business metricsDeep technical mastery in machine learning and applied statistics, with a track record of implementing "bleeding-edge" techniques in a commercial environmentAuthority in experimentation and systems design, with the ability to build for extreme scalability, maintainability, and reliability across global regionsExecutive-level communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to influence organizational strategy and navigate complex stakeholder landscapesStrategic product intuition, understanding how to balance long-term architectural health with the immediate needs of a fast-paced product development cycleProven technical leadership, with experience guiding senior engineers/scientists through complex pivots and high-pressure launchesAdvanced software engineering fluency (Python and modern data stacks), with a focus on building modular, reusable, and production-hardened AI componentsVisionary and resilient mindset, comfortable owning the "blank page" and driving clarity in environments of extreme ambiguityBenefitsAt Serko, we aim to create a place where people can come and do their best work. This means you'll be operating in an environment with great tools and support to enable you to perform at the highest level of your abilities, producing high-quality and delivering innovative and efficient results. Our people are fully engaged, continuously improving, and encouraged to make an impact.Some of the benefits of working at Serko are:A competitive base payMedical BenefitsDiscretionary incentive plan based on individual and company performanceFocus on development: Access to a learning & development platform and opportunity for you to own your career pathwaysFlexible work policyThe pay range is between $184,000 - $270,000 USD as a base salary offering annually