Data Scientist

Toronto, ON, Canada

Full Time

Data Science Team

Mid Level

Who we are

At illumin, we are transforming the advertising landscape. Our platform offers an integrated space for journey planning, execution, and reporting. It empowers marketers to connect with their audiences in powerful ways through real-time data and easy-to-use visual tools. By seamlessly combining media planning and buying in an intuitive interface, marketers can take complete control of their campaigns, meeting customers wherever they are in the buying journey and maximizing the impact of their ad spend through personalized insights for smarter decision-making.

We are at a pivotal moment, evolving into a product-led company with a team of over 100 skilled professionals and new leadership guiding our path forward. By harnessing the power of data, advancing our AI capabilities, and deeply investing in our people, we are preparing for a future that will redefine what’s possible in journey advertising.

Our work is guided by two beliefs: that the ability to execute is paramount to success and that we are only as good as our people. As we grow and transform, we are looking for team members (illumineers) who share our bias for speed, delivery over perfection, and an entrepreneurial mindset. Joining us now is a chance to be part of our transformation.

Who we need

Reporting to the Director, AI, we are hiring a Data Scientist to turn complex data into practical models, experiments, and recommendations that improve platform performance and business outcomes. In this role, you will apply statistical modelling, machine learning, experimentation, and applied AI techniques to solve ambiguous business problems, improve decision-making, and identify opportunities for automation and insight generation. You will work across a broad portfolio of data science initiatives, from predictive modelling and optimization to AI-powered workflows, with direct influence on how data is used across product, engineering, and business teams.

This is an existing full-time, hybrid opportunity working Tuesdays, Thursdays and one additional day in our downtown Toronto office. Our headquarters are located within minutes of St. Andrew and Union subway stations.

What's in it for you

Impact. As part of a small Data Science team within a publicly traded, product-led company, you will help shape how data science influences product decisions, campaign outcomes, and business performance. Your work will turn analysis into practical recommendations that improve how our platform serves customers.

Technical exposure. Our platform processes nearly 150 billion requests daily across a wide range of digital advertising channels. You will work with high-volume, real-world datasets where analytical quality, scalability, and performance matter.

Autonomy and exploration. You will contribute across a broad portfolio of initiatives, from predictive modeling and experimentation to applied AI and automation. You will have room to explore ideas, challenge assumptions, and help define how data science is applied across the business.

How you will make an impact:

Develop predictive and optimization solutions. You will design, develop, and refine algorithms that improve targeting, forecasting, ranking, recommendation, optimization, and decision-making workflows. You will build predictive models that help improve platform performance, business outcomes, and customer experiences.
Turn data into actionable insights. You will analyze large-scale datasets spanning business performance, user interactions, campaign activity, and platform operations to identify trends, uncover opportunities, and solve complex problems. You will translate ambiguous business questions into clear analytical approaches and practical recommendations.
Build scalable data science workflows. You will work with large volumes of data to develop and improve recommendation systems, forecasting models, targeting strategies, and optimization frameworks. Partnering closely with Engineering, you will help ensure data science solutions are scalable, reliable, and ready for production environments.
Drive experimentation and performance improvements. You will design, analyze, and interpret experiments to measure the impact of new ideas, platform enhancements, and optimization strategies. Using statistical analysis and data-driven decision-making, you will identify opportunities to improve performance across products, workflows, and business outcomes.
Contribute to AI-powered innovation. You will support the development of AI and LLM-powered solutions that improve workflows, automate processes, and generate meaningful insights. You will evaluate emerging technologies and contribute to initiatives that bring practical AI capabilities into the business.
Collaborate across the organization. You will partner with Product, Engineering, Sales, Finance, and leadership teams to understand challenges, develop solutions, and communicate findings. You will translate technical concepts into clear recommendations that help stakeholders make informed decisions and drive measurable impact.

What you bring:

The experience. You have experience applying data science, machine learning, statistical modelling, experimentation, forecasting, recommendation systems, or optimization techniques to solve business problems. Your experience may come from AdTech, FinTech, gaming, market research, consumer technology, IoT, digital platforms, or other data-rich environments where large volumes of data are used to drive decision-making and performance. You have experience developing and refining data-driven solutions and ideally have exposure to building applications powered by large language models (LLMs). Advanced education in Data Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Engineering, Actuarial Science, or a related discipline is considered an asset.
The drive. You are highly analytical, innovative, and solution-oriented and excel at turning complex data problems into actionable insights. You are comfortable working through ambiguity, asking thoughtful questions, and defining a path forward when challenges are not fully formed. Resourceful and self-motivated, you take ownership of your work and enjoy solving problems that require both technical expertise and business judgment.
The technical expertise. You have experience building, evaluating, and optimizing predictive models, recommendation systems, forecasting models, optimization frameworks, or other machine learning solutions that deliver measurable business outcomes. You are proficient in Python and SQL and are comfortable working directly with large datasets to analyze problems, test hypotheses, and develop scalable solutions. Experience with distributed computing, cloud-based environments, or applied AI and LLM-powered solutions is considered an asset.
The interpersonal skills. You have excellent written and verbal communication skills and can relay complex data concepts effectively to technical and non-technical stakeholders. You can build trust and collaborate seamlessly with cross-functional teams, sharing knowledge and adopting constructive feedback. You value diverse perspectives and understand how they contribute to better decision-making and innovation.
The growth mindset. You are naturally curious and eager to learn. You enjoy exploring new ideas, challenging assumptions, and continuously improving how problems are solved. You view setbacks as opportunities for growth, using them to refine your approach. Resourceful and self-motivated, you stay current with emerging trends, tools, and techniques in data science, machine learning, and AI.

Compensation

At illumin, we believe compensation should be transparent, fair, and reflective of both experience and impact. The base salary range for this role is $120,000 - $140,000.

Compensation is determined based on skills, experience, and the scope and complexity of the role. We value open conversations about compensation and are happy to discuss our approach at any stage of the hiring process.

What else should you know about us?

We are undergoing a transformative shift. We are embracing change and the opportunities that come with it, empowering every illumineer to innovate, experiment, and bring forward new ideas. Whether accessing new technology, restructuring workflows, or expanding your team, you will have full support if you can make the business case.

We are a broad and diverse team, but we all share a passion for success, a drive to do more, and a love of creating connections. We hire for talent and commitment and provide the guidelines and guidance to elevate skills, knowledge, and abilities across all areas. This is a place where proven methods meet bold ideas, offering opportunities to grow personally and professionally.

To support a healthy work-life balance, we offer a flexible work environment, a meal credit for your in-office days, and a free massage with an RMT in-house every eight weeks. That is in addition to our comprehensive benefits, which include life, AD&D, long-term disability insurance, and coverage for prescriptions, dental, vision, mental health, and professional health services. You will also have access to a workplace advisor, the Vitality Wellness app, and a $300 annual healthcare spending account.

Apply now

If you want to seize the opportunity to impact a company and influence an industry, and you have 70% of what we are looking for, apply now. We can't promise an interview, but we will consider your whole application.

What you can expect from our interview process:

A virtual interview with a Talent Advisor will discuss your interest in the role and background. The conversation will be recorded using BrightHire, an AI-powered video interview tool. More details will be shared when you are invited to interview.
A virtual interview with the Director, AI focused on your data science experience, technical capabilities, problem-solving approach, and ability to apply analytical thinking to complex business and platform challenges.
An in-person technical interview with a Data Scientist and the Director, AI to further explore your experience and discuss how it aligns with the needs of the team and our clients. It will be an opportunity to ask questions about the role, team, and product trajectory, as well as meet with the VP, AI to learn more about the future direction of AI and Data Science at illumin.

illumin is firmly committed to diversity within its community and welcomes applications from racialized persons/persons of colour, Indigenous People of North America and the world, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ persons, and those who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

We are committed to providing equitable opportunities in employment and to providing a workplace which is free from discrimination and harassment. We are equally committed to providing an inclusive and accessible workplace. If you require accommodations at any stage of the interview process, please email us at [email protected] .

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Help us maintain an inclusive culture.

We want anyone, anywhere to have the same chance and opportunity to build a life they love and that they are proud of. We are proactive in creating a belonging environment that anyone can be a part of. Thoughtful, data-driven decision-making is core to this success. We ask these questions to strengthen our practices by using data to identify and mitigate unconscious bias in our hiring process.

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1.) Indigenous peoples: Based on the definition below, are you an Indigenous person?
"Indigenous peoples" means First Nations, Inuit or Métis peoples of Canada.*

2.) Persons with disabilities: Based on the definition below, are you a person with a disability?
"Persons with disabilities" are individuals who have a long-term or recurring physical, mental, sensory, psychiatric, or learning impairment, and who consider themselves to be disadvantaged in employment by reason of that impairment, or believe that an employer or potential employer is likely to consider them to be disadvantaged in employment by reason of that impairment. This includes persons whose functional limitations owing to their impairment have been accommodated in their current job or workplace.*

3.) Members of visible minorities: Based on the definition below, are you a member of a visible minority?
"Members of visible minorities" are persons, other than Indigenous peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour, regardless of birthplace.*

4.) To which gender identity do you most identify?*

5.) What are your salary expectations?**

6.) Are you legally eligible to work in Canada on an ongoing basis?*

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8.) If you have been referred by an illumin employee, include their name below.

9.) Are you proficient in Python and SQL for data science applications?*

10.) Do you have experience working with large datasets and big data technologies?*

11.) Have you developed and optimized machine learning models for real-world applications?*

12.) Have you developed or implemented applications that use Large Language Models (LLMs) such as GPT, BERT, or similar, in a production or real-world environment (beyond academic coursework)?*

13.) This is an existing full-time, hybrid opportunity working Tuesdays, Thursdays and one additional day in our downtown Toronto office. Are you comfortable with this arrangement?*

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