Senior Scientist, Direct

About the Role

We’re hiring a Senior Scientist for the Uber Direct team—one of Uber’s fastest-growing and most dynamic business lines. Uber Direct enables merchants, enterprises, and consumers to get anything delivered, from retail returns and prescription deliveries to cross‑country shipments. This role offers a rare opportunity to help define a new category of delivery beyond food and mobility, and to reimagine what on‑demand logistics can look like at global scale.

In this role, you will serve as a thought partner to cross‑functional leaders and help set the scientific strategy for building a healthy, efficient, and scalable three‑sided marketplace. We are looking for a candidate with deep expertise in Economics, Operations Research, or a related quantitative field, and a strong passion for designing foundational marketplace systems that extend beyond existing food‑delivery paradigms.

You will work closely with Product, Engineering, Operations, and fellow Scientists to develop a deep understanding of marketplace dynamics. You will design incentive mechanisms and build models and algorithms that power pricing, matching, batching, fulfillment efficiency, and other core systems. This role is highly influential, with direct impact on the evolution of Uber Direct’s marketplace architecture, ensuring that our products and decisions are grounded in rigorous scientific thinking.

What the Candidate Will Need / Bonus Points

What You Will Do

1. Leverage advanced analytical and quantitative techniques—including machine learning, statistical modeling, causal inference, funnel analysis, and deep‑dive analytics—to build a best‑in‑class delivery experience for Uber’s Direct business.
2. Translate complex analyses into clear, actionable insights and effectively communicate findings to executives, business leaders, and cross‑functional stakeholders to shape product and business strategy.
3. Collaborate closely with Product, Engineering, and Operations teams to define and drive a roadmap of high‑impact initiatives, ensuring that marketplace design, pricing, and fulfillment strategies are informed by rigorous analysis and competitive intelligence.
4. Provide technical mentorship and thought leadership, raising the bar for scientific rigor, championing best practices in statistical and machine learning methodologies, and fostering a strong culture of data‑driven decision‑making.

Basic Qualifications

1. Ph.D., M.S., or Bachelor's degree in Economics, Operations Research, or a related quantitative field (e.g., Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Computer Science with a strong modeling focus).
2. Strong foundation in marketplace modeling and dynamics, including experimental design (e.g., A/B testing), causal inference, and optimization techniques.
3. Proficiency in SQL and experience using Python or R for data analysis, modeling, and prototyping.
4. Demonstrated ability to extract insights from complex datasets, distill them into actionable strategies, and influence product and business decisions.
5. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly explain technical concepts to cross‑functional stakeholders and drive alignment across teams.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Ph.D. with minimum 5 years of industry experience as an Applied Scientist, Data Scientist, or in a similar quantitative role.
2. Deep expertise in pricing, marketplace modeling, or optimization, particularly in the context of complex multi‑sided platforms.
3. Advanced knowledge of experimental design and causal inference techniques, including observational studies and quasi‑experimental methods.
4. Hands‑on experience working with messy, incomplete, or noisy datasets to generate insights and drive real‑world impact.
5. Proven ability to collaborate and influence senior stakeholders (Director level and above) through clear, data‑driven recommendations.
6. Strong judgment and critical thinking skills, with a track record of navigating ambiguity, setting priorities, and making high‑quality decisions in a fast‑moving environment.

For New York, NY-based roles: The base salary range for this role is USD$183,000 per year - USD$203,000 per year.

For San Francisco, CA-based roles: The base salary range for this role is USD$183,000 per year - USD$203,000 per year.

For Seattle, WA-based roles: The base salary range for this role is USD$183,000 per year - USD$203,000 per year.

For all US locations, you will be eligible to participate in Uber's bonus program, and may be offered an equity award & other types of comp. You will also be eligible for various benefits. More details can be found at the following link

Uber is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know by completing this form.

Offices continue to be central to collaboration and Uber's cultural identity. Unless formally approved to work fully remotely, Uber expects employees to spend at least half of their work time in their assigned office. For certain roles, such as those based at green‑light hubs, employees are expected to be in‑office for 100% of their time. Please speak with your recruiter to better understand in‑office expectations for this role.