Teamwork makes the stream work.

Roku is changing how the world watches TV

Roku is the #1 TV streaming platform in the US and Mexico, and we've set our sights on powering every television in the world. Roku pioneered streaming to the TV. Our mission is to be the TV streaming platform that connects the entire TV ecosystem. We connect consumers to the content they love, enable content publishers to build and monetize large audiences, and provide advertisers unique capabilities to engage consumers.

From your first day at Roku, you'll make a valuable - and valued - contribution. We're a fast-growing public company where no one is a bystander. We offer you the opportunity to delight millions of TV streamers around the world while gaining meaningful experience across a variety of disciplines.

About the team 

Our Data Science team is an elite research team actively shaping the future of TV, using Big Data to build and enhance the user experience on the Roku streaming platform. Our production-level machine learning models and statistical solutions optimize the user experience across all of Roku’s core business models and products, and our scientists engage closely with business, product, and engineering leaders to make material and measurable impacts on the success and growth of the platform.  

About the role 

As a Senior Research Data Scientist on Roku’s Data Science team, you will be at the forefront of machine learning—building models that serve as scalable, production-ready solutions with measurable improvements—while driving actionable insights that shape the future of the Roku platform. In this role, you will analyze user behaviors and develop best-in-class models using techniques from machine learning, operations research, and advanced statistical methods. You will also create visualizations that depict complex platform phenomena. Your work will span a wide array of initiatives aimed at expanding video ad capabilities, optimizing advertising placements, and innovating new user experiences. You will collaborate closely with domain experts to refine methodologies, debate emerging approaches, and advance the state-of-the-art in both data science and connected TV advertising.  

You will be instrumental in delivering high-impact outcomes such as: 

• Driving incremental video ad revenue through enhanced targeting, programmatic strategies, and ad auction optimization. 

• Enhancing Roku’s measurement capabilities, including audience targeting, advanced TV analytics, and integrated attribution models. 

• Improving the performance and value of native and video advertising through data-driven optimizations and ML-driven decision-making including estimating the effects of advertising. 

• Streamlining the creative launch process and automating workflows to reduce operational overhead and time-to-market. 

• Collaborating with third-party measurement and identity partners to expand platform integrations and broaden the scope of performance insights using personal and household graphs. 

• Innovating on shoppable ad experiences to increase demand, enhance user engagement, and simplify purchase flows. 

This role is ideal for a data enthusiast who thrives in a fast-paced, intellectually challenging environment—someone who relishes solving complex problems, continually refining analytical methods, and having a tangible impact on the connected TV advertising landscape 

What you will do

• Dive into data, clean it up, and interpret insights that can be used to improve business and product performance. 

• Develop best-in-class algorithms to improve product and business outcomes, defining problem statements, and delivering against technical and research objectives in a timely manner. 

• Run live experiments to prototype the improvements and prove their efficacy. 

• Work cross functionally with engineering and product management teams to align roadmaps, adopt best practices, and deploy data science products. 

• Provide expert consultative assistance to other teams in the company, including data scientists working in other areas of Roku’s stack. 

• Contribute to the technical vision of the Data Science team. 

We're excited if you have 

• PhD Degree (or equivalent experience) in Machine Learning, Operations Research, Applied Math, Economics, or similar field. 

• Experience as an ML engineer, applied scientist, or research scientist driving measurable business impact, particularly in AdTech or MarTech. 

• Proven problem solving, analytical, and communication abilities. 

• Excellent understanding of algorithms and data structures for optimization. 

• Proficiency with analysis tools such as Spark, SQL, Python, R, or similar.  

• Experience with TB or PB size datasets preferred. 

Benefits

Roku is committed to offering a diverse range of benefits as part of our compensation package to support our employees and their families. Our comprehensive benefits include global access to mental health and financial wellness support and resources. Local benefits include statutory and voluntary benefits which may include healthcare (medical, dental, and vision), life, accident, disability, commuter, and retirement options (401(k)/pension). Our employees can take time off work for vacation and other personal reasons to balance their evolving work and life needs. It's important to note that not every benefit is available in all locations or for every role. For details specific to your location, please consult with your recruiter.

The Roku Culture

Roku is a great place for people who want to work in a fast-paced environment where everyone is focused on the company's success rather than their own. We try to surround ourselves with people who are great at their jobs, who are easy to work with, and who keep their egos in check. We appreciate a sense of humor. We believe a fewer number of very talented folks can do more for less cost than a larger number of less talented teams. We're independent thinkers with big ideas who act boldly, move fast and accomplish extraordinary things through collaboration and trust. In short, at Roku you'll be part of a company that's changing how the world watches TV. 

We have a unique culture that we are proud of. We think of ourselves primarily as problem-solvers, which itself is a two-part idea. We come up with the solution, but the solution isn't real until it is built and delivered to the customer. That penchant for action gives us a pragmatic approach to innovation, one that has served us well since 2002. 

To learn more about Roku, our global footprint, and how we've grown, visit https://www.weareroku.com/factsheet.

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