Senior Data Scientist, Safety & Security at Wikimedia

Senior Data Scientist, Safety & Security at Wikimedia Foundation

Wikipedia, a globally trusted source of knowledge read by over a billion people monthly, is looking for a Senior Data Scientist to join the Product Analytics team. This pivotal role focuses on guiding Wikipedia’s anti-abuse and security strategy, partnering with product managers, engineers, and the Product Safety and Integrity team.

As the Senior Data Scientist, Safety & Security, you will leverage cutting edge AI and machine learning techniques to tackle complex problems related to online safety. Your contribution will be vital as AI reshapes how knowledge is accessed and presents new security challenges and opportunities for Wikipedia.

Key Responsibilities

• Set the strategy for measuring the success of efforts to detect bots and inauthentic account activity, including sockpuppetry.
• Provide deep analysis to inform the creation of new heuristics and methods for detecting potentially abusive activity on the platform.
• Collaborate with research scientists and security engineers to develop and evaluate AI models designed to uncover malicious user-authored code.
• Serve as a strategic partner to product managers, engineers, and designers within product development teams.
• Proactively recommend product direction and data strategy while surfacing insights and interpreting complex results.
• Timely deliver accurate quantitative data and insights to guide strategy, inform product decisions, and assess the impact of product development work, balancing speed with analytical rigor.
• Clearly communicate data-backed recommendations to stakeholders across various functions to ensure alignment and drive decision making.
• Build and execute measurement strategies, evaluating experiments using Bayesian and frequentist approaches and conducting quantitative research to guide product decisions.
• Develop queries and code to interact with large-scale internal and external data repositories, utilizing advanced AI assistants and tools such as Apache Iceberg, Hive, Druid, Presto, and Spark.
• Build automated, self-service dashboards for product teams to monitor success and health metrics using tools like DBT, Airflow, and Superset.
• Assist product team members with instrument features, performing data quality assurance, and using tools for running A/B tests.
• Demonstrate sound judgment when prioritizing workload and selecting appropriate analytical methods and techniques.

Required Skills and Experience

• Proven experience with experimental design, statistics, or machine learning methodologies.
• Proficiency in using AI coding assistants for data analysis and various technical tasks.
• Fluency in R or Python, along with common version control and command line based tools, for data analysis, statistical modeling, simulation, visualization, and reporting.
• Proficiency in SQL and experience working with large scale datasets, including tools like Hive, Presto, Druid, and Spark.
• Experience collaborating with product development teams in fast paced environments to test, analyze, and evaluate user facing features for an online platform.

Qualities We Value

• Ability to clearly explain complex data and insights to non specialist audiences, building understanding and confidence.
• Curiosity and strong critical thinking skills, characterized by being a lifelong learner who views situations from multiple perspectives.
• Empathy and commitment to supporting the Wikimedia volunteer communities.
• Discretion and competence when managing sensitive or confidential data.
• A deep commitment to the organization's mission and its guiding principles.
• Self motivated with the ability to navigate ambiguity and complexity within the complex Wikimedia ecosystem.

Bonus Qualifications:

• Prior experience in trust and safety, information security, privacy, or fraud and anti abuse domains.
• Familiarity with, and interest in, ethical data management and privacy practices.
• Contributions to Wikimedia projects or experience within other open source initiatives.
• Experience with Superset, Growthbook, or other open source testing, data visualization, or reporting tools.

About The Wikimedia Foundation

The Wikimedia Foundation is the non-profit organization dedicated to operating Wikipedia and other free knowledge projects. Our vision is a world where every single person can freely access the sum of all human knowledge. We build the software experiences necessary for reading, contributing to, and sharing Wikimedia content, support the volunteer communities, and advocate for policies that help free knowledge thrive.

The Wikimedia Foundation is a charitable, not for profit organization funded by global donations and institutional grants. We are a United States 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization headquartered in San Francisco, California. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to maintaining an inclusive and equitable workplace for all backgrounds.

Work Environment & Compensation:

The Wikimedia Foundation is a remote first organization with staff members operating across 40+ countries. Salaries are set to be competitive, equitable, and consistent with our culture. The anticipated annual pay range for applicants based within the United States is US$ 109,563 to US$ 173,129, which varies based on individual factors like cost of living and role specific determinations. For applicants outside the US, the pay scale is adjusted to the country of hire. We do not require or consider salary history.

Hiring Locations:

We currently hire in the following US States and Territories: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. For non-US locations, we hire through local Employer of Record (EOR) services and require current work authorization in that location. Eligible countries include: Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Germany, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. All applicants are encouraged to speak with their recruiter to discuss location specific pay ranges during the interview process. For accommodation requests, please contact [email protected] or +1 (415) 839-6885.