Sony Pictures Entertainment · 1 day ago
Director, Data Science
Culver City, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Director/Executive
$190K/yr - $228K/yr
10+ years expSony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is home to some of the world’s most beloved films and television series. They are seeking a Director of Data Science to lead a high-performing team of data scientists while also engaging in hands-on technical work to build impactful machine learning solutions that support various teams within SPE.
ContentFilm DistributionFilm ProductionMedia and EntertainmentTV Production
Responsibilities
Lead the design, development, and deployment of machine learning models, including traditional ML techniques with opportunities to expand into deep learning and generative AI where appropriate
Oversee end-to-end model development, including problem scoping, data exploration, feature engineering, model training, validation, and operationalization
Contribute as a hands-on IC, demonstrating excellence in execution while modeling collaboration and best practices
Conduct code reviews, set technical standards, and ensure model quality, rigor, reproducibility, and performance monitoring
Guide the creation of POCs, validate feasibility, and partner with engineering to productionalize models and data science tools
Work closely with product teams to define requirements, drive adoption, measure impact, and continuously improve data science products
Support work across diverse problem types, from predictive modeling and classification to unstructured text processing and AI-enhanced apps
Promote best practices in responsible AI, including interpretability, fairness assessments, and ongoing model governance
Manage, mentor, and develop a team of data scientists and analysts, supporting both technical growth and career progression
Scope and structure ambiguous, loosely defined business asks, transforming open-ended questions into actionable data science projects with clear roadmaps and deliverables
Communicate effectively upward, downward, and across the organization, serving as the connective tissue between the team, stakeholders, and leadership
Help the team navigate the realities of the work cycle—projects that may begin undefined or become high-pressure when deadlines accelerate—and ensure priorities remain balanced and achievable
Foster a positive, collaborative culture that values learning, curiosity, flexibility, and giving each other grace as the team grows and evolves
Serve as a strategic partner to stakeholders, helping them articulate needs, uncover insights and drivers, and understand the value data science can deliver
Qualification
Required
10+ years of experience in data science, machine learning, or applied analytics roles
3+ years of experience managing people, including hiring, mentoring, and performance management
Strong proficiency in Python, SQL, and widely used ML frameworks (scikit-learn, XGBoost, TensorFlow or PyTorch)
Deep experience with MLOps practices including CI/CD for ML, feature stores, model registries, monitoring, drift detection, cloud platforms (AWS, GCP) and MLOps tooling
Proven experience delivering end-to-end ML solutions, including modeling, implementation, and impact measurement
Strong understanding of traditional machine learning techniques
Experience with modern Gen AI techniques such as prompt engineering, embeddings, RAG pipelines, vector databases, and conversational AI/agent frameworks
Excellent communication and storytelling skills; able to simplify complex models and influence cross-functional partners
Demonstrated ability to lead teams through ambiguity, rapid changes, and competing priorities
Commitment to team culture, collaboration, and continuous learning
Preferred
Experience in the media & entertainment industry
Familiarity with apps (Dash, or Shiny)
Benefits
Annual incentive
Comprehensive benefits
Company
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. It is a sub-organization of Sony.
5001-10000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Sony Pictures Entertainment has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (290)
2024 (258)
2023 (208)
2022 (279)
2021 (210)
2020 (213)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$1M2000-11-07Series A· $1M
Leadership Team
T
Tom Bernard
Co-President and Co-Founder of Sony Pictures Classics
Jake Zim
Senior Vice President Virtual Reality
Recent News
The Hollywood Reporter
2025-12-19
2025-12-19
Company data provided by crunchbase