Company Name: FourKites

Job Details: Easy Apply Be an Early Applicant 2 Locations Remote or Hybrid Expert/Leader

Job Url: https://builtin.com/job/principal-data-scientist/6783718

Job Description: At FourKites we have the opportunity to tackle complex challenges with real-world impacts. Whether it’s medical supplies from Cardinal Health or groceries for Walmart, the FourKites platform helps customers operate global supply chains that are efficient, agile and sustainable.Join a team of curious problem solvers that celebrates differences, leads with empathy and values inclusivity. We are seeking an exceptional Principal Data Scientist with 15+ years of experience to lead technical innovation in Shipments ETA prediction across multiple transportation modes. This senior individual contributor role requires deep expertise in predictive modeling, supply chain analytics, and transportation logistics, with particular strength in regression problems and modern deep learning architectures. You will be the technical authority driving ETA accuracy improvements for Full Truck Load (FTL), Less-than-Truckload (LTL), Parcel, and complex multi-pickup/delivery scenarios.What you'll be doingTechnical Leadership & InnovationETA Modeling Excellence: Design and implement state-of-the-art predictive models for shipment ETAs across FTL, LTL, Parcel, and multi-stop delivery scenariosCross-Modal Optimization: Develop unified frameworks that account for mode-specific characteristics while maintaining consistency across transportation typesComplex Routing Intelligence: Build sophisticated models for multi-pickup and delivery scenarios with dynamic routing optimizationReal-time Prediction Systems: Architect scalable solutions that provide accurate ETAs with sub-second latency for millions of shipmentsAdvanced Analytics & ResearchTime Series Mastery: Lead development of advanced time series models incorporating seasonality, weather, traffic, and operational constraintsGeospatial Analytics: Implement cutting-edge location-based models combining GPS tracking, route optimization, and historical patternsFeature Engineering Innovation: Create novel features from telematics data, driver behavior, carrier performance, and external data sourcesUncertainty Quantification: Develop probabilistic models that provide confidence intervals and risk assessments for ETA predictionsStrategic Technical InfluenceArchitecture Design: Define the technical roadmap for ETA prediction systems, balancing accuracy, scalability, and operational efficiencyCross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Product, Engineering, and Operations teams to translate business requirements into technical solutionsIndustry Leadership: Represent the company at conferences, publish research, and establish thought leadership in transportation analyticsMentorship & Knowledge Transfer: Guide junior data scientists and establish best practices for transportation modelingWho You are Education & ExperienceMaster's degree in Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Operations Research, Industrial Engineering, or related quantitative field (required)15+ years of data science experience with at least 5 years in transportation, logistics, or supply chain analyticsDeep ETA/Transportation Knowledge: Proven track record of building production ETA systems for multiple transportation modesSupply Chain Expertise: Understanding of logistics operations, carrier networks, and transportation economicsScalable Systems Experience: Experience with high-volume, real-time prediction systems serving millions of requestsTechnical ExcellenceCore Data Science MasteryExpert-level EDA skills: Advanced proficiency in transportation data analysis, anomaly detection, and pattern recognitionAdvanced Regression Modeling: Deep expertise in time series regression, spatial regression, and hierarchical modelingDeep Learning Expertise: Hands-on experience with sequence models, attention mechanisms, and transformer architectures for temporal predictionStatistical Modeling: Mastery of Bayesian methods, survival analysis, and probabilistic forecastingSpecialized Transportation SkillsGeospatial Analytics: Proficiency with PostGIS, spatial indexing, routing algorithms, and map-matching techniquesTime Series Forecasting: Advanced knowledge of ARIMA, state-space models, neural forecasting (LSTM, GRU, Transformers)Optimization Methods: Experience with route optimization, network flow problems, and multi-objective optimizationReal-time Systems: Understanding of streaming data processing, model serving, and low-latency prediction systemsTechnical InfrastructureProgramming Mastery: Expert-level Python/R with pandas, numpy, scikit-learn, TensorFlow/PyTorch, and transportation-specific librariesBig Data Platforms: Experience with Spark, Kafka, and distributed computing for large-scale transportation dataDatabase Systems: Advanced SQL skills with time-series databases (InfluxDB, TimescaleDB) and spatial databasesCloud & MLOps: Proficiency with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure), containerization, and ML deployment pipelinesPreferred QualificationsAdvanced Degree: PhD in Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Operations Research, Industrial Engineering, Transportation Engineering, or related quantitative fieldDomain Certifications: Professional certifications in supply chain, logistics, or transportation (APICS, CSCMP, SOLE, etc.)Industry Recognition: Publications in transportation/logistics conferences (INFORMS, TRB) or top-tier ML venuesLeadership Experience: Track record of leading technical initiatives and influencing product strategyOpen Source Contributions: Contributions to transportation analytics or forecasting librariesTransportation Domain Challenges You'll SolveMulti-Modal ETA ComplexityFTL Challenges: Long-haul routing with driver hours-of-service, fuel stops, and carrier-specific performance patternsLTL Complexity: Hub-and-spoke networks with consolidation delays, sorting times, and terminal-specific processingParcel Dynamics: Last-mile delivery optimization with address-level precision and delivery attempt modelingMulti-Stop Scenarios: Complex pickup/delivery sequences with dynamic routing and time window constraintsAdvanced Technical ProblemsData Fusion: Integrating GPS tracking, weather data, traffic patterns, carrier performance, and operational constraintsUncertainty Modeling: Providing confidence intervals and risk assessments for critical shipmentsReal-time Adaptation: Updating predictions as new information becomes available during transitPerformance Optimization: Balancing model complexity with sub-second prediction requirementsWhat You can expect from the roleTechnical Excellence: Access to cutting-edge infrastructure, datasets, and research resourcesIndustry Impact: Opportunity to shape the future of transportation analytics and supply chain optimizationProfessional Growth: Conference speaking opportunities, research publication support, and industry networkingInnovation Environment: Collaborative culture with world-class engineering and product teamsWho we are:FourKites®, the leader in AI-driven supply chain transformation for global enterprises and pioneer of advanced real-time visibility, turns supply chain data into automated action. FourKites’ Intelligent Control Tower™ breaks down enterprise silos by creating a real-time digital twin of orders, shipments, inventory and assets. This comprehensive view, combined with AI-powered digital workers, enables companies to prevent disruptions, automate routine tasks, and optimize performance across their supply chain. FourKites processes over 3.2 million supply chain events daily — from purchase orders to final delivery — helping 1,600+ global brands prevent disruptions, make faster decisions and move from reactive tracking to proactive supply chain orchestration.Working at FourKitesWe provide competitive compensation with stock options, outstanding benefits and a collaborative culture for all employees around the globe, including:5 global recharge days, in addition to standard holidays, and a hybrid, flexible approach to work.Parental leave for all parents, an annual wellness stipend and volunteer days also provide you with time and resources for self care and to care for others.Opportunities throughout the year to learn and celebrate diversity.Access to leading AI tools and foundation models, with the freedom to experiment and find creative ways to be more effective in your roleAnd we're always listening for new ways to support everyone in and out of the office.