TEGNA · 1 day ago
Lead Data Scientist
Tysons, Virginia, United States
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
5+ years expTEGNA Inc. is a media company that provides trusted local news and services. They are seeking a Lead Data Scientist to drive the development and deployment of predictive models for their Sales Automation initiative, focusing on optimizing sales strategies and accelerating revenue growth through data-driven insights.
AdvertisingBroadcastingMarketingMedia and EntertainmentTV
Responsibilities
Own the full data science lifecycle for advertiser conversion modeling: problem framing, hypothesis design, feature engineering, model development, validation, deployment, and impact measurement
Translate complex analytics and machine learning outputs into consumable business insights by developing Tableau- or Power BI–like interactive dashboards and generating automated BI reports (Word, PDF, PowerPoint) that support executive decision-making and revenue strategy
Build and optimize predictive models to estimate advertiser probability of conversion using historical sales data, advertiser behavior signals, engagement metrics, and market trends
Leverage managed machine learning and predictive modeling capabilities through cloud platforms (e.g., Snowflake Cortex ML, Snowpark ML) to rapidly prototype, rigorously evaluate, and productionize advertiser conversion probability models, ensuring scalability, reliability, and alignment with sales and revenue business use cases
Engineer robust features from multi-source advertiser datasets including firmographics, engagement history, interaction patterns, and campaign performance; handle data quality issues, missing values, and class imbalance
Develop classification models (logistic regression, gradient boosting, neural networks, ensemble methods) with strong emphasis on interpretability and business explainability for sales team adoption
Design and implement model validation frameworks: train/test splits, cross-validation, business-aligned metrics (precision, recall, AUC, lift), and rigorous backtesting against historical conversion data
Establish model governance and monitoring: performance tracking, drift detection, retraining pipelines, fairness assessment, and clear documentation of model assumptions and limitations
Create actionable conversion propensity scores and segmentation strategies that enable sales teams to prioritize leads, personalize outreach, and optimize resource allocation
Conduct A/B testing and incrementality analysis to measure the business impact of model-driven sales interventions and continuously improve conversion strategies
Translate complex model outputs into clear, executive-ready narratives and dashboards; deliver recommendations that drive sales strategy and revenue decisions
Partner with sales, marketing, and product teams to understand business requirements, prioritize high-impact opportunities, and design data-informed roadmaps
Mentor teammates on best practices in predictive modeling, statistical rigor, and responsible AI; promote a culture of experimentation and measurable impact
Qualification
Required
5+ years of applied data science experience with proven track record building and deploying predictive models in production environments
Demonstrated expertise in classification modeling and conversion/propensity prediction (e.g., customer acquisition, churn prediction, lead scoring)
Hands-on experience with Snowflake - Snowpark (Python) and/or Snowflake ML / Cortex ML
Advanced SQL skills for large-scale analytical datasets
Experience with feature engineering on structured business data
Strong proficiency in Python (scikit-learn, pandas, numpy) and SQL for data extraction and feature engineering
Comfort navigating ambiguity, quickly forming hypotheses, and iterating toward practical, high-signal solutions
Balanced mindset across rigor and speed: you know when to prototype, when to harden, and how to quantify trade-offs
Strong collaboration skills and ability to work cross-functionally with sales, marketing, and product teams
Commitment to responsible modeling: transparency, fairness, and clearly communicated limitations and risks
Excellent communication skills with ability to explain complex models to non-technical stakeholders
Preferred
Advanced degree in Data Science, Statistics, Machine Learning, or related field
Prior experience in sales, marketing, or revenue analytics domains
Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure) and big data tools
Familiarity with MLOps practices and model deployment pipelines
Benefits
TEGNA offers two medical plan options for full and part-time employees through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, as well as access to dental and eye care coverage; fertility, surrogacy and adoption assistance; disability and life insurance.
Our 401(k) program offers full, part-time and temporary employees the opportunity to contribute 1% - 80% of their pay on a pre-tax basis to TEGNA’s 401(k). Contributions made up to the first 4% of pay are eligible for a 100% match from the company and are 100% vested from day one.
Regardless of participation in TEGNA medical plans, ALL employees and their eligible family members receive nine free virtual doctor’s appointments with a physician through Teladoc, and 12 free annual therapy sessions with a licensed clinician through Spring Health.
TEGNA offers a generous Paid Time Off (PTO) benefit as well as nine paid holidays per year.
Company
TEGNA
Tegna provides local news and services through its television stations and offers marketing solutions for businesses.
5001-10000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
TEGNA 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
2023 (1)
2021 (1)
2020 (2)
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
unknown2025-08-19Acquired
1978-01-13IPO
Leadership Team
Dhanusha Sivajee
CEO
David Loving
President & General Manager
Recent News
2026-01-23
The Motley Fool
2026-01-17
2026-01-16
Company data provided by crunchbase