Principal Data Scientist

Overview

Microsoft AI (MAI) builds an integrated consumer AI ecosystem across search, browsing, and content, focused on delivering trustworthy, scalable experiences with durable user and business value. The MAI Growth and Analytics Team owns MAI wide metrics, shared measurement systems, and experimentation frameworks to enable consistent, high confidence decisions and optimize MAI level outcomes.

We are seeking a Principal Data Scientist to drive Microsoft Content measurement strategy and partner across product and business. Given the efficiency improvement brought from AI, the candidate must drive the AI into Analytics System to improve efficiency and automate deep analysis for non-data scientist roles.

Microsoft's mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.

Starting January 26, 2026, Microsoft AI (MAI) employees who live within a 50- mile commute of a designated Microsoft office in the U.S. or 25-mile commute of a non-U.S., country-specific location are expected to work from the office at least four days per week. This expectation is subject to local law and may vary by jurisdiction.

Responsibilities

• Leadership: Mentor data scientists to drive Microsoft Content product analysis and provide insights. At the same time, drive the AI Agents into Data Analysis to improve efficiency and enable data analysis for people with limited data knowledge.

• Collaboration: Partner closely with Microsoft Content Dev/PM Team and data scientists from other Product (Edge, Copilot, Ads and Search.)

• Data Strategy & Execution: Develop Agent for data analysis across Microsoft Content Org. Provide daily analysis, including standardized data collection, analysis, reporting, and interpretation; validate analytical approaches and results.

• Advanced Analytics & Measurement: Apply LLM based AI skills, statistical modeling, data mining, and experimentation to large datasets; define and deliver metrics that accurately measure user and business.

• Experimental Design & Implementation: Design and execute experiments across user and demand dimensions; translate strategy into clear, actionable, and measurable plans, sharing progress and results with stakeholders.

• Influence & Decision-Making: Engage stakeholders with clear, compelling, and actionable insights; make independent decisions for the team and handle complex tradeoffs to drive product and service improvements.

• Technical & Operational Leadership: Develop and standardize AI Agents for data analysis across the whole Microsoft Content and expand to other Product Org.

• Standards & Trusted Advisory: Establish and uphold standards, policies, and best practices for high-quality, efficient, and extensible code; influence business, customer, and solution strategy with a solid customer focus; act as a trusted advisor.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Doctorate in Data Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Econometrics, Economics, Operations Research, Computer Science, or related field AND 8+ years data science experience (e.g., managing structured and unstructured data, applying statistical techniques and reporting results)
• OR Masters Degree in Data Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Econometrics, Economics, Operations Research, Computer Science, or related field AND 10+ years data science experience (e.g., managing structured and unstructured data, applying statistical techniques and reporting results)
• OR Bachelors Degree in Data Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Econometrics, Economics, Operations Research, Computer Science, or related field AND 12+ years data-science experience (e.g., managing structured and unstructured data, applying statistical techniques and reporting results)
• OR equivalent experience.

Other Requirements: Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings:

• Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.

Preferred Qualification:

• 6+ years of experience in at least one of programming languages like Python/C#/Java.
• Great organizational, analytical, data science skills and intuition.
• Fantastic problem solver: ability to solve problems that the world has not solved before.
• Interpersonal skills: cross-group and cross-culture collaboration.
• Experience with real world system building and data collection, including design, coding and evaluation.
• Excellent communication to be able to communicate insights to senior leaders.
• Experience with driving large collaboration across multiple teams.
• Experience with communicating with different audiences to provide insights.
• Demonstrated experience in applying statistics, experimentation and metrics to generate clear actionable insights.

#MicrosoftAI

Data Science IC6 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $165,600 - $296,400 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $220,800 - $331,200 per year.

Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:

https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay

This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.