Senior Data Scientist, AI Search / AEO Research

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Senior Data Scientist, AI Search / AEO Research based in United States. This role sits at the intersection of data science, AI search, commerce, and digital discovery, helping define how brands succeed in AI-powered shopping experiences. You will lead original research into how answer engines represent products, brands, and recommendations across emerging AI search platforms. The position combines rigorous quantitative analysis with experimentation, modeling, research design, and measurement strategy. Your findings will help shape the AI Shopping product roadmap while establishing credible frameworks for measuring and improving AI visibility. You will move fluidly between research, product strategy, customer conversations, and external thought leadership. The role offers the opportunity to build a new measurement discipline from the ground up in a rapidly evolving and largely undefined market. This is an ideal environment for a curious, data-driven researcher who enjoys turning emerging behaviors into actionable insights and compelling narratives.

Lead original research into AI search and answer-engine behavior, developing evidence-based insights into how AI systems discover, interpret, and represent brands and products. Design rigorous studies, benchmarks, market analyses, and performance research that help define how AI Shopping capabilities and outcomes should be measured. Develop quantitative models, measurement frameworks, and analytical methodologies for evaluating AI visibility, product representation, and search performance. Apply statistical analysis, causal inference, econometric techniques, and experimentation to distinguish meaningful signals from noise. Design and analyze A/B tests and other experiments to validate hypotheses and identify opportunities for improving AI search outcomes. Translate research findings into actionable recommendations that inform product strategy, roadmap priorities, and optimization approaches. Collaborate closely with product and other cross-functional teams to turn research into practical AI Shopping capabilities and measurement tools. Present research findings and recommendations directly to customers, helping them understand what AI search data means for their businesses and digital strategies. Turn complex datasets and analytical results into clear narratives, defensible points of view, benchmarks, whitepapers, and other thought-leadership materials. Contribute to establishing a new research and measurement function, defining methodologies and processes where established industry playbooks do not yet exist. Monitor developments across AI search, AEO/GEO, SEO, e-commerce, digital markets, and emerging AI visibility tools to continuously refine research approaches. Represent the organization externally through research publications, industry discussions, customer presentations, conferences, or other thought-leadership opportunities as appropriate. Requirements Demonstrated expertise or a strong, evidence-based point of view on AI search, Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), or Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) . Strong quantitative foundation with advanced data science, statistical analysis, and causal inference or econometric skills. Fluency in Python, SQL, or comparable analytical technologies , with the ability to frame questions, design analyses, build models, and defend methodologies. Proven experience conducting original research, including benchmarks, market studies, performance studies, or comparable research where you owned the question and methodology. Strong understanding of SEO, search discovery, and how users and algorithms discover and evaluate information. Hands-on experience designing and running A/B tests or other experimentation frameworks. Ability to translate complex quantitative findings into clear, compelling narratives for technical and non-technical audiences. Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to defend analytical conclusions and communicate recommendations confidently. Comfort operating in ambiguous environments and building measurement frameworks or research functions from the ground up. Genuine curiosity about e-commerce, marketing, analytics, consumer behavior, and the factors influencing how shoppers and algorithms make decisions. External recognition for research, such as press coverage, published whitepapers, industry benchmarks, or conference presentations, is a plus. Customer-facing, consulting, or advisory experience is preferred, particularly the ability to present research findings and recommendations directly to customers. Familiarity with the AEO/GEO tooling ecosystem and current approaches to measuring AI visibility is desirable. Experience working in e-commerce, martech, search, or closely with retail brands and product data is a plus. An advanced degree or academic research background in economics, digital markets, computational social science, or another quantitative discipline is desirable. Benefits $136,000–$182,000 USD per year salary range for the San Francisco market. Remote-first and hybrid working environment, depending on role and location. Opportunity to work at the intersection of AI, commerce, data science, and digital search. High-impact research role with direct influence on AI Shopping product strategy and roadmap development. Opportunity to define new measurement frameworks in an emerging field where established playbooks are still developing. Significant exposure to original research, experimentation, quantitative modeling, and thought leadership. Customer-facing opportunities to translate research into actionable business recommendations. Opportunity to publish research and contribute to industry conversations around AI search, AEO/GEO, and AI-powered commerce. Collaborative environment combining research, product, technology, and customer perspectives.