Data Scientist, Consumer Research & Marketing
Handshake
📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Data Scientist, Consumer Research & Marketing
🔹 Company: Handshake
🔹 Location: Remote
🔹 Job Type: Full-time
🔹 Category: Data Science, Marketing Analytics
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📌 Essential Job Details
🚀 Job Overview
As a Data Scientist on the Consumer Growth and PLG/Lifecycle Marketing teams at Handshake, you will play a crucial role in driving user growth through data-driven insights. You will partner closely with marketing and cross-functional teams to analyze campaign performance, user acquisition and retention trends, and deliver strategic recommendations to scale the business. Your expertise in SQL, data visualization, and strategic thinking will enable marketers to make data-informed decisions and maximize marketing impact.
ASSUMPTION: The job description implies this is a mid-to-senior level data science role focused on supporting the marketing and growth functions at Handshake, a fast-growing B2C/SaaS company.
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📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Support consumer and product-led growth (PLG) initiatives by analyzing funnel performance metrics, identifying opportunities for improvement, and providing actionable insights
✅ Collaborate cross-functionally with Product, Data Engineering, and Marketing teams to develop and optimize marketing data pipelines, reporting, and dashboards
✅ Perform complex SQL queries and in-depth analyses to uncover meaningful patterns and trends in Handshake's consumer data
✅ Lead the creation of new data tables and pipelines in BigQuery and DBT to ensure data integrity and reliability
✅ Communicate strategic data-driven insights on user acquisition, engagement, and retention to senior leadership
✅ Partner with Marketing Operations to build scalable data intake processes and provide ongoing training/enablement to the marketing team
ASSUMPTION: The responsibilities cover a range of data science and analytics activities focused on supporting the marketing and growth functions at Handshake.
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🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Not specified
Experience: 5-6+ years of experience in marketing analytics, consumer insights, growth analytics, or a related role
Skills:
- Expert in SQL and business intelligence/data visualization tools (e.g., Looker, Hex, Tableau, Power BI)
- Experience building data pipelines and tables in BigQuery and DBT
- Understanding of digital marketing performance metrics (CAC, LTV, conversion rates, etc.)
- Familiarity with customer segmentation and cohort analysis
- Strong analytical, strategic, and business acumen
- Effective communication skills, both verbal and written
ASSUMPTION: The qualifications suggest this is a senior-level data science role requiring substantial experience in marketing analytics and strong technical skills in SQL, data pipelines, and data visualization.
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💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $156,000 - $180,000 + RSUs
Benefits: Comprehensive medical, dental and vision insurance; 16 weeks paid parental leave; home office stipend; learning & development stipend; 401(k) match; flexible time off; and more.
Industry Comparison: The provided salary range appears to be competitive for a senior-level data science role in the tech/SaaS industry, especially for a company at Handshake's growth stage.
ASSUMPTION: The salary range and benefits are in line with industry standards for a senior data science position at a growing B2C/SaaS company in the San Francisco Bay Area.
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📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry Position: Handshake is the leading career platform for Gen Z, with a community of over 17 million students, alumni, employers, and career educators.
Company Size: Handshake is a fast-growing startup with a significant user base and customers ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses.
Company Stage: Handshake is in a high-growth stage, focused on expanding its user base and marketing capabilities.
ASSUMPTION: Handshake is a well-established player in the career services and recruiting technology market, positioned as a industry leader.
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📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: This is a senior-level data science role, requiring 5-6+ years of relevant experience.
Reporting Structure: The data scientist will work closely with the Consumer Growth and PLG/Lifecycle Marketing teams, suggesting a supporting/advisory position.
Team Size/Composition: Not specified, but likely part of a larger data science and analytics function within the marketing organization.
Growth Opportunities: The role offers the opportunity to have a significant strategic impact on the company's growth and marketing initiatives, potentially leading to further advancement.
ASSUMPTION: This is a senior-level data science role with a focus on supporting the marketing and growth functions at Handshake.
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🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Remote
Geographic Context: Handshake is headquartered in San Francisco, with additional offices in New York, London, and Berlin, indicating a presence in major tech/startup hubs.
Work Schedule: Handshake offers a hybrid work model, with 3 days per week in the office and 2 days remote.
Regional Considerations: As a remote role, candidates from various locations can apply, though there may be some preference for those in or near Handshake's major office locations.
ASSUMPTION: Handshake's hybrid work model and remote-friendly approach provide flexibility for candidates, while still allowing for in-person collaboration.
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💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process: The interview process for this role may include a phone/video screening, technical assessment (e.g., SQL, data analysis), behavioral interviews, and reference checks.
Key Assessment Areas: Employers will likely evaluate the candidate's technical skills in SQL and data visualization, as well as their strategic thinking, problem-solving abilities, and communication skills.
Application Tips: Applicants should highlight their relevant experience in marketing analytics, consumer insights, and data-driven decision-making. Quantifying achievements and demonstrating a track record of impact will be important.
ATS Keywords: Relevant keywords to include in the application could be: "marketing analytics", "consumer insights", "growth analytics", "SQL", "data pipeline", "data visualization", "Looker", "Hex", "Tableau", "BigQuery", "DBT".
ASSUMPTION: The typical interview process and assessment areas are based on standard practices for senior-level data science roles in the tech/SaaS industry.
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🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- SQL
- BigQuery
- DBT
- Looker
- Hex
- Tableau
- Power BI
ASSUMPTION: The listed tools and technologies are commonly used in data science and analytics roles supporting marketing and growth functions.
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👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values: Handshake is committed to inclusivity and building diverse teams. The company values collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and strategic thinking.
Work Style: The role requires a highly collaborative approach, working cross-functionally with marketing, product, and data teams. The fast-paced, growth-oriented environment also calls for a bias towards action and the ability to drive projects end-to-end.
Self-Assessment: Applicants should consider their ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced startup environment, their comfort with ambiguity, and their passion for using data to drive business impact.
ASSUMPTION: Handshake's culture values diversity, teamwork, and a data-driven, strategic approach to decision-making.
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⚠️ Potential Challenges
The data scientist in this role will likely face a high volume of analytical requests and need to prioritize effectively to provide the most impactful insights. Balancing the needs of multiple stakeholders (marketing, product, leadership) may also require strong project management and communication skills.
ASSUMPTION: The broad scope of responsibilities and the fast-paced, growth-oriented environment at Handshake may present some challenges in terms of workload and cross-functional coordination.
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📈 Similar Roles Comparison
This data scientist role is similar to positions found in other high-growth B2C/SaaS companies, where data professionals are embedded within the marketing and growth functions to drive user acquisition, engagement, and retention. Key differences may be the level of strategic input and the emphasis on building data pipelines and dashboards to enable self-service for the marketing team.
ASSUMPTION: Data science roles supporting marketing and growth functions are common in the tech/SaaS industry, with some variations in the specific responsibilities and level of strategic involvement.
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📝 Sample Projects
- Analyze marketing campaign performance across channels (email, paid media, SEO, social) to identify the most effective tactics and allocate resources accordingly
- Develop a customer segmentation model to better understand Handshake's user personas and tailor marketing outreach
- Create a cohort analysis to track user engagement and retention, providing insights to improve the product-led growth strategy
- Build data pipelines and tables in BigQuery and DBT to enable self-service reporting and dashboarding for the marketing team
- Partner with the Data Engineering team to ensure data integrity and reliability of key marketing metrics and KPIs
ASSUMPTION: These sample projects are representative of the types of analytical and data engineering tasks a data scientist in this role would likely be responsible for.
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❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
1. Can you provide more details on the current state of Handshake's marketing data infrastructure and the key challenges the team is looking to address?
2. How does the data science team at Handshake collaborate with the marketing and product organizations? What are the communication and stakeholder management processes?
3. What are the primary KPIs and metrics that the marketing team uses to measure success, and how do you see the data scientist role supporting the interpretation and optimization of these metrics?
4. Can you share some examples of recent data-driven insights or recommendations that have had a significant impact on Handshake's consumer growth initiatives?
5. What professional development opportunities and resources are available to help data scientists in this role continue to expand their skills and knowledge?
6. How does Handshake's hybrid work model work in practice, and what steps are taken to ensure remote employees feel included and engaged?
ASSUMPTION: These questions are designed to help the candidate better understand the data/analytics function, the cross-functional collaboration, the impact of the role, and the company's work culture and professional development support.
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📌 Disclaimer
⚠️ This enhanced job description was AI-generated based on the original job listing. Information has been organized and supplemented with industry-standard insights where details were not provided. All assumptions are explicitly labeled. Applicants should verify all details directly with the employer before making decisions based on this content.
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📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this Data Scientist, Consumer Research & Marketing role at Handshake, you should:
1. Carefully review the job description and requirements to ensure you meet the qualifications.
2. Prepare a tailored resume and cover letter highlighting your relevant experience in marketing analytics, consumer insights, and data-driven decision-making.
3. Ensure your resume incorporates the relevant keywords and ATS-friendly formatting to maximize your chances of passing the initial application screening.
4. Review the company's mission, values, and culture to understand how your skills and work style align with Handshake's environment.
5. Prepare thoughtful questions to ask during the interview process to demonstrate your interest and fit for the role.
6. Be ready to discuss your analytical approach, strategic thinking, and ability to drive cross-functional collaboration.
7. Follow up promptly with the hiring team after each interview stage to maintain momentum in the process.
Good luck with your application!
