Job description

Storytelling is, and will always be, the heart of what we do at Skydance. Our vision is to build a thriving entertainment ecosystem where stories and worlds are imagined, brought to life and experienced. We create for every age and audience, anchored by the strength of our content and experiences and the depth of our connection with fans. We are creator-first, audience-focused, tech-forward, globally scaled. Here, you’ll work with talented teams that move fast, think boldly and collaborate with purpose to deliver results. We aim high, champion the best ideas and win together, earning the trust of our employees, creators, partners and audiences every day. If you’re energized by the opportunity to help build the next-generation global media and entertainment company powered by creativity and technology, we’d be thrilled to welcome you aboard. LET’S GO! Overview As a member of Paramount’s Streaming Research and Insights team, you’ll lead technically rigorous UX research with a proficient quantitative focus across Pluto TV and Paramount+. Your work will shape product, design, and algorithm strategy, helping us better understand our audiences and improve their streaming experiences. Reporting to the SVP, Streaming Research and Insights, you’ll exercise significant self-directed judgment in setting research strategy and methodology. You’ll partner directly with senior product, engineering, and data science leaders, making major roadmap and resourcing decisions in partnership with the SVP. This is an individual contributor role with no direct reports. You’ll provide technical mentorship while working in an office environment. New York or Burbank are the preferred locations, with the final location to be confirmed. Responsibilities • Lead quantitative research and causal inference. Use multivariate testing and quasi-experimental methods. Apply statistical modeling. Measure the product's performance. Assess how well teams are collaborating. Evaluate customer satisfaction. Work on improving these areas. Partner closely with the devoted A/B testing team to use experiment results and infrastructure. • Evaluate and improve recommendation algorithms and other AI/ML product systems in partnership with engineering and data science. Apply research and modeling techniques to validate model outputs, identify failure modes, and quantify user impact. • Own the research roadmap for an assigned area of the product portfolio. Partner proactively with product, design, engineering, and business stakeholders to define priorities and develop a forward looking plan combining quantitative and mixed methods research. Report progress and priorities to the SVP, Streaming Research and Insights. • Apply AI modeling and analysis techniques including predictive modeling, analysis supported by machine learning, and AI assisted synthesis of qualitative data to scale research output and identify patterns that warrant deeper investigation. • Lead complementary qualitative and usability research through interviews, usability testing, and diary studies to explain the reasons behind quantitative and behavioral signals and build a complete, statistically grounded comprehension of user needs. • Translate complex findings into clear recommendations for senior product, engineering, data science, and executive stakeholders. • Directly shaping product and technical roadmaps. • Provide technical mentorship to peer researchers and partners across teams on experimental design, statistical rigor, and research best practices. Basic Qualifications • Extensive experience in quantitative UX research, experimentation, or applied data science. This experience should come from a consumer technology, streaming, or digital product company. The candidate must have a proven record of leading complex research programs that rely on statistical analysis. • Bachelor’s degree in Statistics, Data Science, Human Computer Interaction, Computer Science, Psychology, or a related quantitative field. • A solid background in experimental design and causal inference. This includes skills in multivariate testing and quasi-experimental methods. You need good statistical skills to validate and defend your results to executives. Additionally, you must be able to collaborate well with a hardworking A/B testing team. • Technical proficiency in SQL and Python or R, with hands on experience applying AI/ML modeling techniques, such as predictive modeling, natural language processing, or recommendation system evaluation, to research problems. • Demonstrated experience evaluating and improving algorithmic systems in direct partnership with engineering and data science teams. • Experience with recommendation or personalization engines. • Proven ability to turn ambiguous questions into quantitative research plans. • Self-reliantly defining scope, executing research, and defending methodology with minimal oversight. • Excellent executive communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to translate complex statistical and technical findings into clear, actionable recommendations for senior and executive stakeholders. • Ability to manage multiple concurrent research and experimentation streams against shifting priorities in a fast paced, evolving office environment. Bonus Skills (Nice-to-Haves) • Advanced degree, such as a master’s or PhD, strongly preferred, particularly a PhD in Statistics, Data Science, HCI, or a related quantitative or behavioral science field. • Experience with recommendation systems at scale, ranking algorithms, or generative AI and large language model evaluation. • Awareness with streaming media, entertainment, or subscription and advertising supported business models. • Experience building or scaling a research or experimentation function, including tooling, panels, or infrastructure. #LI-JJ1 About Skydance Skydance is a next-generation global media and entertainment company, comprised of three business segments: Studios, Direct-to-Consumer, and TV Media. Skydance's portfolio unites legendary brands, including Paramount, Warner Bros., HBO and HBO Max, Paramount+, Pluto TV, CBS, CNN, CBS Sports, TNT Sports, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, MTV, Food Network, BET, HGTV, and Comedy Central. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Hiring Salary Range: $139,000.00 - 235,000.00. In compliance with local law, we are disclosing compensation, or a range thereof, for roles where legally required. Actual salaries will vary based on a variety of job-related factors, including but not limited to geographic location, external market data, internal equity, skill set, experience, training, education, and/or performance. Base pay is just one component of our total compensation package. Other rewards may include annual bonuses, short- and long-term incentives, and program-specific awards. This position is bonus eligible. What We Offer : • Attractive compensation and comprehensive benefits packages. Check out our full list of benefits here . • Generous paid time off. • Complimentary subscriptions to HBO Max, Paramount+, and other Skydance streaming services and digital news products. • Robust employee engagement opportunities, including access to exclusive screenings and events, speaker series, volunteer activities and more. Skydance is an equal opportunity employer (EOE) We embrace the opportunity to build a workforce that reflects a wide array of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences. Being an equal opportunity employer means that we take seriously our responsibility to consider qualified candidates on the basis of merit. In line with the laws of the country or region in which the role is based, this includes consideration without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, religion or belief, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, physical or mental disability, genetic information, military or protected veteran status, union status or any other category protected by applicable law. If you are a qualified individual with a disability, you may request a reasonable accommodation during the job application and/or recruitment process. You can request reasonable accommodations by calling 212.846.5500 or by sending an email to paramountaccommodations@paramount.com. Only messages left for this purpose will be returned.

Requirements

Must-haves

Storytelling is, and will always be, the heart of what we do at Skydance.
If you’re energized by the opportunity to help build the next-generation global media and entertainment company powered by creativity and technology, we’d be thrilled to welcome you aboard. LET’S GO!
Translate complex findings into clear recommendations for senior product, engineering, data science, and executive stakeholders.
Directly shaping product and technical roadmaps.
Provide technical mentorship to peer researchers and partners across teams on experimental design, statistical rigor, and research best practices.
Bachelor’s degree in Statistics, Data Science, Human Computer Interaction, Computer Science, Psychology, or a related quantitative field.
Demonstrated experience evaluating and improving algorithmic systems in direct partnership with engineering and data science teams.
Experience with recommendation or personalization engines.
Proven ability to turn ambiguous questions into quantitative research plans.
Self-reliantly defining scope, executing research, and defending methodology with minimal oversight.
Excellent executive communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to translate complex statistical and technical findings into clear, actionable recommendations for senior and executive stakeholders.
Ability to manage multiple concurrent research and experimentation streams against shifting priorities in a fast paced, evolving office environment.
Experience with recommendation systems at scale, ranking algorithms, or generative AI and large language model evaluation.
Awareness with streaming media, entertainment, or subscription and advertising supported business models.
Experience building or scaling a research or experimentation function, including tooling, panels, or infrastructure.

Nice-to-haves

Bonus Skills (Nice-to-Haves)
Advanced degree, such as a master’s or PhD, strongly preferred, particularly a PhD in Statistics, Data Science, HCI, or a related quantitative or behavioral science field.

Application prep

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Keywords to mirror

goaimlmachine learningsqlpython

Platform: successfactors
Effort: medium

Benefits

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Vision

Paid Time Off