Principal Applied Scientist (AI)

TL;DR

Principal Applied Scientist (AI): Defining and driving the scientific and technical strategy for data-driven attribution and causal measurement across advertising systems with an accent on incrementality estimation, counterfactual learning and bias correction. Focus on improving bidding, ranking, optimization, and advertiser ROI at web scale and serving as a subject-matter expert.

Location: Within a 50- mile commute of a designated Microsoft office in the U.S.

Salary: USD $139,900 – $274,800 per year

Company

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

What you will do

• Define and drive the scientific and technical strategy for data-driven attribution (DDA) and causal measurement across advertising systems.
• Establish methodologies for incrementality estimation, counterfactual learning, delayed-feedback modeling, and bias correction in environments with partial observability.
• Lead the design and production adoption of attribution and causal inference frameworks that improve bidding, ranking, optimization, and advertiser ROI at web scale.
• Set evaluation standards that distinguish correlation from causation and elevate experimental rigor across teams.
• Operate across organizational boundaries to align research, engineering, product, and business leaders on measurement strategy.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Statistics, Econometrics, Computer Science, Electrical or Computer Engineering, or related field AND 6+ years related experience (e.g., statistics, predictive analytics, research) OR equivalent experience.

Nice to have

• Master’s Degree in Statistics, Econometrics, Computer Science, Electrical or Computer Engineering, or related field AND 9+ years related experience (e.g., statistics, predictive analytics, research) OR Doctorate in Statistics, Econometrics, Computer Science, Electrical or Computer Engineering, or related field AND 6+ years related experience (e.g., statistics, predictive analytics, research) OR equivalent experience.
• Experience defining measurement strategy for advertising platforms, marketplaces, or large-scale recommendation systems.
• Deep expertise in causal inference, data-driven attribution, treatment effect estimation, counterfactual learning, or experimental design — applied in production environments.
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into guidance for senior technical and business leaders.

Culture & Benefits

• Foster a culture of inclusion, growth, and innovation, built on values of respect, integrity, and accountability.