Senior Data Scientist, Referrals

Chime · San Francisco

Data & AIposted 3w ago

About the role

We are hiring a Sr. Data Scientist, Referrals to help us understand how our referral investment drives member acquisition and long-term value. Unlike traditional paid channels, referrals operate through member-to-member advocacy, dual-sided incentives, and viral loops, requiring a distinct measurement lens that accounts for organic bleed, incentive sensitivity, and long-term referred member behavior.

As our Sr. Data Scientist, Referrals, you will partner closely with the Referrals team to measure, optimize, and scale spend across the referral channel. You will bring expertise in campaign sizing, operational planning, and channel forecasting, helping the team plan confidently and allocate resources effectively. You will bring rigor to how we evaluate incrementality, attribution, and efficiency, moving us to a defensible view of what our referral dollars actually deliver.

The base salary offered for this role and level of experience will begin at $133,000 and up to $185,000. Full-time employees are also eligible for a bonus, competitive equity package, and benefits. The actual base salary offered may be higher, depending on your location, skills, qualifications, and experience.

In this role, you can expect to

Partner with Referrals to define KPIs and measurement frameworks across campaigns and audiences
Size and scope referral campaigns in partnership with marketing, product and finance: translating acquisition goals into expected spend, volume, and ROI projections ahead of launch, and supporting operational planning for campaign execution
Build and maintain forecasting models for the referral channel, projecting member acquisition volume, cost, and downstream LTV under different spend scenarios, seasonality assumptions, and campaign configurations
Develop attribution approaches that reconcile platform-reported performance with observed member behavior, accounting for the complexity of dual-sided referral incentives and organic word-of-mouth overlap.
Design and analyze geo experiments, holdouts, and platform lift studies to quantify incremental lift and separate true impact from correlation
Build and maintain dashboards that give clear visibility into spend, CAC, funnel conversion, and downstream LTV by campaign
Collaborate with Data Engineering to improve tracking, data quality, and the pipelines behind spend, click, and conversion data
Translate complex analyses into clear, actionable recommendations for cross-functional leadership

To thrive in this role, you have

4+ years of experience in referral programs and in marketing, growth, or product analytics. Experience in FinTech preferred.
Experience with marketing campaign planning and sizing: comfortable working from business goals backward to estimate required spend, expected member volumes, and unit economics, with an understanding of how campaigns are operationally structured and executed
Forecasting experience for a marketing or growth channel: building models that project forward-looking performance and communicating forecast uncertainty and scenario sensitivity to cross-functional stakeholders
Strong experience designing and evaluating incrementality tests: geo experiments, holdouts, and platform lift studies
Working knowledge of causal inference methods including experiment design, holdout analysis, and techniques for isolating organic from incentive driven behavior
Advanced SQL skills and proficiency in Python or R for analysis and modeling
Experience building dashboards (e.g., Looker, Tableau, or similar BI tools) that drive stakeholder decision-making
A strong understanding of attribution concepts and the challenges of measurement in a privacy-constrained, cross-device environment
The ability to communicate complex findings clearly to both technical and non-technical partners and influence decisions with data

#LI-Hybrid #LI-AM1

A little about us

At Chime, we believe that everyone can achieve financial progress. We created Chime—a financial technology company, not a bank*—on the premise that core banking services should be helpful, easy, and free. Through our user-friendly tools and intuitive platforms, we empower our members to take control of their finances and work towards their goals. Whether it's starting a savings account, purchasing a first car or home, launching a business, or pursuing higher education, we're proud to have helped millions unlock their financial potential.

We're a team of problem solvers, dreamers, and builders with one shared obsession: our members. From day one, Chimers have worked tirelessly to out-hustle and out-execute competitors to bring our mission to life. Their grit and determination inspire us to work harder every day to deliver the very best experience possible. We each bring an owner's mindset to our work, refusing to be outdone and holding ourselves accountable to meet and exceed the highest bars for our teams, our company, and our members.

We believe in being bold, dreaming big, and taking risks, while also working together, embracing our diverse perspectives, and giving each other honest feedback. Our culture remains deeply entrepreneurial, encouraging every Chimer to see themselves as stewards of our mission to help everyday Americans unlock their financial progress.

We know that to achieve our mission, we must earn and keep people's trust—so we hold ourselves to the highest standards of integrity in everything we do. These aren't just words on a wall—our values are embedded in every aspect of our business, serving as a north star that guides us as we work to help millions achieve their financial potential.

Because if we don't—who will?

*Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC.

What we offer for our full-time, regular employees

🏢 Our in-office work policy is designed to keep you connected - with four days a week in the office and Fridays from home for those near one of our offices, plus team and company-wide events depending on location. Whether you’re coming in regularly or are part of our fully remote program, you’ll stay engaged with your work and teammates.
💻 Benefits that support your work and life, including backup child, elder, and pet care and subsidized commuter benefits for eligible employees.
✨ Comprehensive health, financial, and wellbeing benefits designed to support you at every stage of life.
🏝 Generous vacation policy and company-wide paid days off
🫂 1% of your time off to support local community organizations of your choice
👟 Annual wellness stipend to use towards eligible wellness related expenses
👶 Up to 22 weeks of paid parental leave for birthing parents and 12 weeks of paid parental leave for non-birthing parents
👪 Access to family planning reimbursement
💚 A challenging and fulfilling opportunity to join one of the most experienced teams in FinTech and help millions unlock financial progress

We know that great work can’t be done without a diverse team and inclusive environment. That’s why we specifically look for individuals of varying strengths, skills, backgrounds, and ideas to join our team. We believe this gives us a competitive advantage to better serve our members and helps us all grow as Chimers and individuals.

Chime is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital or family status, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis under provincial, federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances. We will also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of state and local laws, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Cook County Ordinance, NYC Fair Chance Act, and the LA City Fair Chance Ordinance, and consistent with Canadian provincial and federal laws. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation during any stage of the application process, please contact: accommodations@chime.com.

To learn more about how Chime collects and uses your personal information during the application process, please see the Chime Applicant Privacy Notice.