Data Scientist

About The Company

Airbnb was founded in 2007 when two hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home. Since then, it has grown into a global community with over 5 million hosts who have welcomed more than 2 billion guest arrivals across nearly every country. Airbnb is dedicated to creating authentic travel experiences by connecting guests with unique stays and local communities. The company’s mission is to help create a world where anyone can belong anywhere, fostering a sense of community and belonging through innovative technology and personalized services.

About The Role

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Data Scientist to join our Listing Understanding Data Science team. In this role, you will focus on leveraging Computer Vision and multimodal data approaches to enhance listing understanding, which directly impacts guest search, booking experiences, and overall trip quality. You will work closely with cross-functional teams including product, engineering, and design to develop and execute a strategic roadmap for integrating photo analysis into our platform. Your expertise will help ensure that technological advancements meaningfully improve the guest and host experience while maintaining safety and effectiveness standards. This hands-on role requires proficiency in prototyping, evaluating, and deploying machine learning models, as well as measuring causal impacts to inform business decisions.

Qualifications

• 9+ years of industry experience in applied Machine Learning, with a focus on Computer Vision
• Experience with CLIP, Vision Transformer (ViT), or similar models
• Expertise in causal inference, preferably within marketplace environments
• Advanced degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Econometrics, or related fields
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R for data analysis
• Familiarity with SQL for data querying and management
• Experience developing proof-of-concept prototypes and evaluating ML models
• Deep understanding of ML best practices, including feature engineering, model selection, and A/B testing
• Strong communication skills for cross-functional collaboration with product, engineering, and design teams
• Demonstrated ability to succeed independently and in team environments
• Active engagement with the technical community and continuous learning mindset, especially around LLMs and dynamic AI systems

Responsibilities

• Assess and develop computer vision and multimodal approaches to enhance listing understanding using photos and related data
• Size business opportunities and create strategic roadmaps for investments in CV and multimodal technologies
• Leverage structured and unstructured data to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of listing understanding models
• Build causal models to analyze how photos influence guest search behavior, bookings, and trip quality
• Prototype, evaluate, and iterate machine learning features in collaboration with engineering, product, and design teams
• Develop assessment frameworks to ensure the safety and efficacy of CV and multimodal models
• Measure the business impact of technological improvements through experimentation and causal analysis
• Stay current with advancements in AI and ML, integrating new techniques into product development
• Communicate findings and insights effectively to cross-functional partners to guide product and business strategies

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based bonuses
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans
• Flexible work arrangements, including remote work options
• Generous paid time off and holiday leave
• Professional development opportunities and continuous learning support
• Employee travel credits and discounts
• Inclusive and diverse work environment that fosters innovation and belonging

Equal Opportunity

Airbnb is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where diversity is celebrated and everyone has equal opportunity to succeed. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status.