Teamlead Data Science (m/f/d) - remote or Karlsruhe

Knuddels aims to make social networks truly social again, moving away from content consumption towards genuine human connection. The Teamlead Data Science will play a key role in strategically redefining and anchoring the Data Science area. Responsibilities include leading and building the team, defining data strategy, acting as a sparring partner, performing hands-on data science, ensuring data quality, and driving business impact through analyses to foster the community's long-term success.

Must Have

• Lead and build the Data Science team, fostering development through coaching and feedback.
• Define long-term data strategy with management and establish a data culture.
• Act as a data-driven conscience, combining quantitative analyses with qualitative community feedback.
• Perform hands-on data science, extracting insights from complex data using Data Mining, Clustering, Forecasting, or Recommendation Classification.
• Ensure data correctness in systems and establish best practices for scalable Data Science products.
• Derive concrete measures from analyses to create value for the community.
• Successfully completed studies in computer science, mathematics, or comparable qualification.
• First leadership experience (e.g., as Teamlead or Mentor).
• Strong communication skills to convey complex topics to non-technicians.
• Entrepreneurial thinking, understanding business implications of patterns.
• Analytical excellence and passion for analyzing large structured and unstructured data.
• Proficiency in AI tools (LLMs, Copilots) and ideas for their beneficial use.
• Excellent knowledge in SQL, Python (pandas, PyTorch, Tensorflow), statistical analyses, and databases.
• Experience with Machine Learning for Forecasting, Clustering, and Categorizations.

Good to Have

• Knowledge of Java
• Knowledge of Mixpanel

Perks & Benefits

• Diverse challenges for leadership growth
• Team support through discussions, coaching, feedback, and mentoring
• Open culture with honest, constructive exchange and strong cohesion
• Flat hierarchies and participation, active contribution of ideas
• Direct reporting to management with significant influence on strategic direction
• Flexibility adapting to life (home office, spontaneous appointments, short-term vacation)
• Office in a prime location with free breakfast and lunch
• Fitness options
• Mystery Lunch
• Workshops
• Beautiful rooftop terrace
• Direct feedback from end-users (B2C Company)
• Focus on own product: a unique community platform bringing people closer together

Job Description

At Knuddels, our goal is to make social networks truly social again - away from consuming content, towards genuine human closeness. At Knuddels, everyone should find 3 important people for their real life. Find the insights we need in our data to achieve this vision.

Your Responsibilities

You will take on a key role, as you will not only work operationally but also strategically redefine and anchor the Data Science area at Knuddels.

• Leadership & Team Building: As the team is undergoing change, you will continue to build its structure and foster the development of your employees through coaching and feedback.
• Data Strategy & Culture: You will define the long-term data strategy together with the management. Your goal is to establish a true data culture, empower colleagues, and make data understandable and accessible within the company.
• Sparring Partner & Bridge Builder: You act as a data-driven conscience, but do not blindly rely on numbers. You link quantitative analyses with qualitative feedback from the community (e.g., through close exchange with Community Management) to gain a holistic picture and enable sound decisions.
• Hands-on Data Science: You work operationally and extract valuable insights from our complex data (millions of events/day) using data mining, clustering, forecasting, or recommendation classification.
• Quality & Processes: You ensure the correctness of our data in the various systems (DWH, analyses) and establish best practices (e.g., code reviews, documentation) for scalable Data Science products.
• Business Impact: You derive concrete measures from your analyses that create the greatest value for our community, thus ensuring the long-term success of Knuddels.

What we offer you?

• Diverse challenges where you can grow as a leader.
• Team support through discussions, coaching, feedback, and mentoring - We live an open culture with honest, constructive exchange and strong cohesion.
• Flat hierarchies and participation - Every voice counts with us: actively shape and contribute your ideas.
• You report directly to the management and have a significant influence on the strategic direction of Knuddels.
• Flexibility that adapts to your life - Home office, spontaneous doctor's appointments, or short-term vacation: we trust in self-organization.
• Office in a prime location with free breakfast and lunch, fitness, mystery lunch, workshops, and a beautiful rooftop terrace - Our work environment offers everything for well-being and creative energy.
• Direct feedback from end-users (B2C Company) - You immediately see how your contribution is received by our users.
• Focus on our own product - A unique community platform that brings people closer together, with meaning and impact.
• All benefits can also be found at jobs.knuddels.de.

What we do not offer?

• Dusty corporate structures.
• Working on business customer projects (We are a B2C company).
• A far-fetched third bullet point if we can only think of two :)

Job Requirements

We are looking for a person who can not only analyze data but also explain it and translate it into practical benefits.

• Education: You have successfully completed a degree in computer science, mathematics, or a comparable qualification.
• Leadership Mindset: You have initial leadership experience (e.g., as a team lead or mentor) and are eager to shape, motivate, and develop a team.
• Communication Skills & Steadfastness: You can clearly communicate complex relationships to non-technicians. You appear confident, even when you have to refute existing opinions with data.
• Entrepreneurial Thinking: You not only recognize patterns but also understand their business implications. You prioritize pragmatically and think in solutions for the product, not just in algorithms.
• Analytical Excellence: You have a quick grasp, a structured way of working, and a passion for analyzing large structured and unstructured data sets.
• AI Mindset: You understand AI (e.g., LLMs, Copilots) as an integral part of modern work. You routinely use appropriate tools to increase your efficiency and have ideas on how we can profitably use AI for our data analyses or the product.
• Tech-Stack: You possess excellent knowledge in SQL, Python (including frameworks like pandas, PyTorch or Tensorflow), statistical analyses, and databases. You are also experienced in using Machine Learning to perform forecasting, clustering, and categorizations.
• Bonus: Knowledge of Java and Mixpanel is a "plus".