Data Science Manager

Company Overview

Established in 2008, Zicasso is the most‑reviewed and highest‑rated luxury travel company, specializing in immersive custom tours, vacations, and safaris. Our travel specialists are the world’s top 2% of boutique tour operators and travel agents, pre‑vetted and handpicked to create itineraries tailored to each traveler’s unique preferences. Joining Zicasso, you’ll play a key role in bringing travelers’ dreams to life—pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with luxury travel experiences.

Zicasso is a fully remote company spanning five continents. We foster a dynamic, progressive global work environment that values creativity, initiative, and continuous learning. Our team meets biannually for international retreats and summits, providing opportunities for collaboration and professional growth.

As an AI & Data Science Manager, you will lead a team of talented data scientists, guiding the development of data‑driven solutions that directly impact the company’s strategic decision‑making. You will be responsible for both hands‑on technical contributions and people management, mentoring your team to deliver high‑impact insights that improve operations, enhance customer experiences, and optimize business performance.

This is a fully‑remote, full‑time position for candidates who live in Texas, USA. Work hours are flexible but should overlap with California hours (up to 4 PM Pacific Time).

• Lead, mentor, and grow a team of data scientists, providing coaching and professional development opportunities.
• Manage project allocation, set priorities, and define project roadmaps to align the team’s work with business objectives.
• Serve as the primary liaison between the data science team and cross‑functional stakeholders, translating business needs into technical requirements.
• Foster a collaborative, innovative, and results‑oriented team culture.

• Maintain hands‑on expertise by leading the design, development, and validation of complex predictive models and data‑driven solutions, including machine learning and natural language processing (NLP).
• Guide the team in analyzing large, complex datasets to uncover strategic insights that drive product innovation and business growth.
• Oversee the design, implementation, and interpretation of A/B tests and multi‑variant experiments.
• Collaborate closely with data engineering teams to ensure scalable data infrastructure and maintain data quality.
• Provide training and guidance on utilizing data analysis and reports to foster a data‑centric culture across the organization.

• Minimum 7 years of professional experience as a Data Scientist or related role, with at least 2 years leading a team of data professionals.
• Demonstrated experience in mentoring and coaching junior and mid‑level data scientists.
• Help shape the data science strategy in line with organizational goals.
• Proficiency in Python or R, with experience implementing ML pipelines and frameworks.
• Advanced SQL skills, with experience working on large‑scale relational and/or distributed datasets.
• Experience with data visualization tools such as Tableau or Power BI.
• Hands‑on experience with statistical analysis, predictive modeling and data mining on large and complex datasets.
• Hands‑on expertise in AI, machine learning, and NLP techniques, including model development, tuning, and validation.
• Strong problem‑solving skills, translating ambiguous business challenges into actionable analytics projects and team roadmaps.
• Effective collaborator with experience working independently in remote team environments.

• Master’s degree in a quantitative field such as Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Engineering, Data Science, or a related discipline.
• Strong understanding of statistical modeling, data analysis techniques, and experimental design.
• Proficiency with various data science tools and programming languages (Python, R, SQL) and experience working with large datasets.
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to translate complex data insights into clear, actionable recommendations.
• Ability to translate analytical findings into strategic recommendations that drive business decision‑making.

• Fully remote work arrangement.
• Competitive compensation and benefits package (medical, dental, vision).
• Open Paid Time Off policy and 10 days of company‑paid holidays.
• Stock options package.
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer matching.
• Substantially discounted luxury travel during off‑season.
• Two company‑sponsored business trips each year at international destinations we serve.