Director of Data Science (AI and Machine Learning)

Life360’s mission is to keep people close to the ones they love. Our category-leading mobile app and Tile tracking devices empower members to protect the people, pets, and things they care about most with a range of services, including location sharing, safe driver reports, and crash detection with emergency dispatch. Life360 serves approximately 70 million monthly active users (MAU) as of August 2024, across more than 150 countries. 

Life360 delivers peace of mind and enhances everyday family life with seamless coordination for all the moments that matter, big and small. By continuing to innovate and deliver for our customers, we have become a household name and the must-have mobile-based membership for families (and those friends that basically are family). 

Life360 has more than 500 (and growing!) remote-first employees. For more information, please visit life360.com.

Life360 is a Remote First company, which means a remote work environment will be the primary experience for all employees. All positions, unless otherwise specified, can be performed remotely (within the US) regardless of any specified location above. 

We are seeking a Director of Data Science to lead the development and integration of AI, machine learning, and data science capabilities across Life360’s diverse product and business domains. This leader will partner with teams spanning core product, user experience, international and domestic growth, ads, marketing, finance, and user acquisition to identify high-impact opportunities where intelligent systems and scientific methods can enhance decision-making and unlock new value. The role will be instrumental in shaping a cross-functional roadmap that embeds AI/ML thinking into every stage of the product and business lifecycle, empowering teams to accelerate innovation, personalize experiences, and scale operational excellence.

You will be responsible for leading a world-class team of scientists focused on building next-generation machine learning systems, deploying AI to personalize user journeys, and high-impact experimentation and causal inference. This role is perfect for a visionary leader passionate about shaping the future of AI-enabled growth in consumer mobile products.

For candidates based in the US, the salary range for this position is $213,500 to 313,500 USD. For candidates based out of Canada, the salary range for this position is $250,500 to $294,500 CAD. We take into consideration an individual's background and experience in determining final salary- therefore, base pay offered may vary considerably depending on geographic location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The compensation package includes a wide range of medical, dental, vision, financial, and other benefits, as well as equity.

• Lead the enterprise strategy for embedding AI and ML across the full customer lifecycle—from acquisition and onboarding to engagement, monetization, and retention—transforming how the business personalizes experiences, predicts behavior, and drives long-term value.
• Define and scale intelligent decision systems that power dynamic, real-time interactions using advanced frameworks such as reinforcement learning, multi-armed bandits, and recommender systems. These systems serve as foundational infrastructure for continuously optimizing user experience, pricing, and content delivery across touchpoints.
• Drive cross-functional alignment with engineering, product, and marketing to productionize ML capabilities that personalize every stage of the customer journey—from initial exposure through subscription experiences to ongoing engagement and reactivation—maximizing both user satisfaction and business impact.
• Establish an enterprise-wide experimentation strategy that integrates AI-first methods, including causal inference, uplift modeling, inverse propensity scoring, and synthetic controls—unlocking more granular insights, accelerating learning cycles, and driving confident decision-making at scale.
• Act as a thought leader in data-driven growth and customer intelligence, translating technical innovation into strategic advantage while scaling organizational maturity in machine learning adoption and responsible AI use.

• Causal inference & uplift modeling: Go beyond average treatment effects to model heterogeneous effects and counterfactual outcomes
• Experimentation at scale: Develop adaptive experiment designs (e.g., multi-armed bandits, Bayesian optimization) to learn faster and allocate traffic dynamically.
• Synthetic experiments: Use observational techniques (e.g., inverse propensity scoring, matching, synthetic controls) when randomized testing isn’t possible.
• Simulation & modeling: Create simulation frameworks to test experimental sensitivity, estimate statistical power, and de-risk key decisions.
  Experimentation infrastructure: Contribute to and architect platforms that support experimentation-as-a-service, including automated assignment, metric tracking, and runtime analysis.
  

• Build and mentor a high-performing team of ML scientists.
• Serve as a cross-functional thought partner to Product, Marketing, Engineering, and Lifecycle teams.
• Foster a culture of innovation, experimentation, and continuous learning across the org.

Required Qualifications:

• 10+ years in Data Science, ML, or advanced analytics roles with 5+ years of team leadership.
• Track record of deploying AI/ML systems in production to drive measurable business impact.
• Mastery of machine learning (e.g., classification, clustering, time series, LTV/churn models), with hands-on experience using Python, scikit-learn, XGBoost, TensorFlow/PyTorch, etc.
• Strong understanding of causal inference frameworks (e.g., RCTs, IVs, diff-in-diff, matching) and their application to B2C growth.
• Deep experimentation expertise, including experience running A/B/n, multi-variate, and sequential tests at scale.
• Business acumen and storytelling ability; able to drive executive buy-in with clarity and precision.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree (MS/PhD) in Statistics, Machine Learning, Computer Science, or related discipline.
• Experience building personalized recommendation or dynamic decision systems in consumer tech.
• Familiarity with experimentation platforms, ML ops tooling, data orchestration (e.g., Airflow, dbt), and modern data warehouses (e.g., Databricks).
• Prior work in subscription-based products or mobile consumer apps.

• Competitive pay and benefits
• Medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance plans (100% paid for employees)
• 401(k) plan with company matching program
• Mental Wellness Program & Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for mental well-being
• Flexible PTO, 13 company-wide days off throughout the year
• Winter and Summer Week-long Synchronized Company Shutdowns
• Learning & Development programs
• Equipment, tools, and reimbursement support for a productive remote environment
• Free Life360 Platinum Membership for your preferred circle
• Free Tile Products

Our company’s mission-driven culture is guided by our shared values to create a trusted work environment where you can bring your authentic self to work and make a positive difference. 

• Be a Good Person - We have a team of high integrity people you can trust. 
• Be Direct With Respect - We communicate directly, even when it’s hard.
• Members Before Metrics - We focus on building an exceptional experience for families. 
• High Intensity, High Impact - We do whatever it takes to get the job done. 

We believe that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create a stronger and more creative work environment that delivers better results. Together, we continue to build an inclusive culture that encourages, supports, and celebrates the diverse voices of our employees. It fuels our innovation and connects us closer to our customers and the communities we serve. We strive to create a workplace that reflects the communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their authentic best selves to work.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at Life360. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any legally protected status.  

We encourage people of all backgrounds to apply. We believe that a diversity of perspectives and experiences create a foundation for the best ideas. Come join us in building something meaningful. Even if you don’t meet 100% of the below qualifications, you should still seriously consider applying!

#LI-Remote

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