Lead Data Scientist

1 Month ago • 5 Years + • Data Analysis • $152,000 PA - $273,700 PA

Job Summary

Job Description

PlayStation is seeking a Lead Data Scientist for its Games and Publishing Analytics team. This role involves providing end-to-end analytics services to support game development and improve player experiences. Key responsibilities include leading media mix modeling to assess marketing channel effectiveness, building churn and LTV models, designing incrementality tests, and serving as a strategic partner to cross-functional teams. The position also requires mentoring junior analysts and collaborating with user research and design teams to extract insights from playtests and scale them across genres. The goal is to push the boundaries of game analytics within PlayStation Studios and the broader industry.
Must have:
  • 5+ years in data science, analytics roles.
  • Strong statistical modeling and causal inference.
  • Proficiency in SQL and Python.
  • Experience with ML frameworks.
  • Experience building churn, LTV, MMM models.
  • Ability to abstract and solve problems.
  • Strong communication skills for insights translation.
Good to have:
  • Analytical thinking over engineering focus.
  • Experience with live service or complex systems.
  • Independent and end-to-end project execution.
  • Deep gaming literacy and commercial insight.
Perks:
  • Medical, dental, vision
  • Matching 401(k)
  • Paid time off
  • Wellness program
  • Employee discounts for Sony products
  • Bonus package may be eligible

Job Details

Why PlayStation?

PlayStation isn’t just the Best Place to Play — it’s also the Best Place to Work. Today, we’re recognized as a global leader in entertainment producing The PlayStation family of products and services including PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, PlayStation®VR, PlayStation®Plus, acclaimed PlayStation software titles from PlayStation Studios, and more.

PlayStation also strives to create an inclusive environment that empowers employees and embraces diversity. We welcome and encourage everyone who has a passion and curiosity for innovation, technology, and play to explore our open positions and join our growing global team.

The PlayStation brand falls under Sony Interactive Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation.

Role overview:

In Games and Publishing Analytics, we work with some of the most legendary game studios in the world -- responsible for developing some of the most recognisable and ambitious console games and franchises on PlayStation, including Uncharted, The Last of Us, Horizon, God of War, and Gran Turismo! 
 
We provide end-to-end analytics services for PlayStation Studios and use data to help them make their amazing games even better. We are looking for dedicated people to join us in pushing the boundaries of game analytics for PlayStation games and the industry at large! 

What you’ll be doing:

  • Operate as part of a centralized team that delivers both portfolio-level strategic insights and deep, title-specific analysis.
  • Lead media mix modelling (MMM) to measure the effectiveness of paid and owned marketing channels across campaigns, genres, and regions, guiding budget allocation and strategic planning.
  • Build and apply churn and LTV models that connect early-game behavior to retention and monetization outcomes across diverse acquisition sources.
  • Design and interpret incrementality tests in partnership with UA, brand, and lifecycle teams to isolate the true ROI of upper- and lower-funnel spend.
  • Serve as a strategic partner to cross-functional teams, contributing to design reviews, experiment planning, and live-service readiness assessments based on predictive modelling.
  • Collaborate with user research and design teams to extract meaningful insights from small-sample playtests, complementing qualitative feedback with statistically grounded analysis.
  • Mentor and collaborate with game analysts to build an evidence-based understanding of games from early playtests through launch. Then, abstract and scale those insights across genres to define transferable design principles and drive systemic, portfolio-level improvements. 

What we are looking for:

  • 5+ years in data science, customer analytics, or marketing analytics roles. Ideally in gaming, e-commerce, or subscription-based businesses. 
  • Strong foundation in statistical modelling and causal inference, with demonstrated ability to quickly adapt to new tools and methodologies as business needs evolve.
  • Proficiency in SQL and Python, with experience in modern ML frameworks.
  • Comfort working with both structured analytics and modern AI/ML approaches, including deep experience building churn prediction, LTV, and marketing mix models in production environments, plus familiarity with LLMs for text analysis and advanced feature engineering.
  • Ability to take specific challenges, abstract them into generalizable problems, and develop solutions using cross-disciplinary tools. Demonstrated across a history of applied projects that influenced strategic decision-making.
  • A collaborative approach and strong communication skills, with the ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable insights for partners across skill levels and departments, from executives to individual contributors, spanning design, marketing, product management, and more. 

Nice to have:

While not required, the following experiences will help you hit the ground running and deepen your impact in the role: 

  • Analytical Thinking over Engineering Focus: Demonstrated strength in defining and solving decision-centric problems rather than focusing solely on model performance or infrastructure.
  • Live Service or Economically Complex Systems: Hands-on experience with live-service games, e-commerce platforms, or systems involving progression tuning, combat balancing, or in-game economies.
  • Independent and End-to-End Execution: A track record of owning analytical projects from problem definition through stakeholder delivery, especially in lean or ambiguous environments.
  • Deep Gaming Literacy and Commercial Insight: Familiarity with modern console and/or PC titles, including how players experience narrative, systems, and design across the player journey. Paired with an understanding of the commercial levers that shape game success, such as acquisition, retention, monetization, and player lifetime value 

 

 Please refer to our Candidate Privacy Notice for more information about how we process your personal information, and your data protection rights.

 

At SIE, we consider several factors when setting each role’s base pay range, including the competitive benchmarking data for the market and geographic location.

Please note that the base pay range may vary in line with our hybrid working policy and individual base pay will be determined based on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location. 

In addition, this role
is eligible for SIE’s top-tier benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, matching 401(k), paid time off, wellness program and coveted employee discounts for Sony products. This role also may be eligible for a bonus package. Click here to learn more.

 

The estimated base pay range for this role is listed below.

$152,000 - $273,700 USD

Equal Opportunity Statement:

Sony is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All persons will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender (including gender identity, gender expression and gender reassignment), race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, disability, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, maternity or parental status, trade union membership or membership in any other legally protected category.

We strive to create an inclusive environment, empower employees and embrace diversity. We encourage everyone to respond. 

PlayStation is a Fair Chance employer and qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for employment.

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