Principal Data Scientist – AutoTrader.ca

AutoTrader.ca is Canada's largest automotive marketplace. We are shaping the future of automotive retail through cutting‐edge AI and machine learning. As a Principal Data Scientist you will spearhead high‐impact AI initiatives that influence millions of users worldwide.

What You'll Do

- Shape the strategic direction of Data Science across the organization by identifying transformative AI/ML opportunities.
- Lead the design and deployment of predictive and generative AI models that power personalization, pricing, search, and optimization in marketplace and fintech domains.
- Collaborate with product leaders to align ML initiatives with strategic business goals and drive product innovation through data‐driven experimentation.
- Architect scalable ML infrastructure and automated workflows using cloud‐native tools (e.g., AWS, EC2, Kubernetes) to support efficient model training, deployment, and analytics.
- Ensure long‐term performance and compliance of production AI models through robust governance and monitoring.
- Provide technical leadership and mentorship to data scientists, fostering a high‐performance, continuous learning culture.
- Serve as a cross‐functional technical leader, shaping company‐wide technical initiatives beyond data science.
- Act as a senior technical advisor, leading resolution of complex modeling issues and acting as the escalation point for critical incidents.
- Lead the exploration and strategic application of GenAI, identifying high‐impact use cases and guiding their integration across products and platforms.

What You'll Need
- Advanced academic credentials in a quantitative field (Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or related discipline).
- 10+ years of experience in data science, machine learning, or applied AI with a strong portfolio of high‐impact production projects.




- Expert‐level programming skills in Python and SQL, and fluency with leading ML/AI frameworks (scikit‐learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch).
- Direct experience with GenAI/LLM technologies, including Hugging Face, LangChain, OpenAI APIs, vector databases, and fine‐tuning methods.
- Deep knowledge of machine learning algorithms (supervised, unsupervised, deep learning) and model evaluation, explainability, and selection for business‐critical use cases.
- Strong hands‐on experience with cloud infrastructure (AWS), containerization (Docker), and orchestration (Jenkins, Airflow).
- Proven capability in MLOps, including CI/CD pipelines, model monitoring, versioning, and automated retraining.
- Experience deploying and serving models through APIs (Flask, FastAPI) in real‐time and batch‐processing environments.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, translating complex concepts into actionable insights for non‐technical audiences.
- Demonstrated success mentoring teams, guiding technical strategy, and advocating best practices in experimentation, reproducibility, and ethical AI.
- Experience working in agile product development environments (Scrum/Kanban) and influencing product roadmaps (strong plus).

Bonus Points
- Experience in e‐commerce, marketplaces, or high‐scale consumer platforms.
- Familiarity with automotive data and applications in pricing, inventory optimization, or recommendation systems.
- Contributions to open‐source AI/ML projects, publications, or presentations at industry conferences.

Perks From Day 1
- Gym discounts
- Employee and Family Assistance program
- Virtual wellness events
- Conferences & training budget
- Regular internal training programs
- 3% pension matching and multiple income protection options

Use of artificial intelligence in hiring: We use AI in our hiring process to screen, assess, and select applicants for this position.

This job posting is for an existing vacancy.

📌 Principle Data Scientist (Ottawa)
🏢 AutoTrader.ca
📍 Ottawa