Okay, I've searched for full-time Data Scientist roles in Birmingham, AL, requiring a bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related fields, with 3+ years of experience, and a salary range of $120,000 to$140,000 annually. I have found 42 positions for you.

Sure. Here's the analysis:

Job Analysis:

This Data Scientist role at Advance Local is fundamentally about leveraging data-driven insights to fuel and optimize business growth, particularly across consumer revenue, advertising, product, and marketing functions. The core purpose is to translate massive and disparate datasets into actionable models and strategies that improve customer experiences and revenue outcomes. Key responsibilities revolve around developing and deploying predictive models, conducting rigorous A/B testing, and synthesizing findings into clear communication for diverse stakeholders. The candidate must navigate a complex matrix of cross-functional teams—product managers, marketers, content strategists, and analytics groups—to ensure models are not only technically sound but also pragmatically integrated into real business workflows. The emphasis on statistical rigor, machine learning acumen, and experimentation reflects a need to test hypotheses methodically in order to discover new levers of growth and operational efficiency. Success will likely be measured by the ability to deliver consistent, measurable improvements in marketing effectiveness, user engagement, and monetization, alongside establishing robust processes to monitor model performance and data integrity. Given the company's scale and data richness, balancing innovation with execution discipline is critical, as is managing ambiguity when new data sources or product opportunities arise.

Company Analysis:

Advance Local Media is a significant player in the regional media landscape with a broad footprint across more than 20 American cities, combining legacy media brands with new digital properties. Positioned at the intersection of journalism, digital consumer engagement, and advertising, the company is navigating the industry’s ongoing transformation toward data-driven personalization and revenue diversification. This environment demands agility and a forward-looking mindset, as evidenced by their investment in integrated data platforms and customer data ecosystems. Culturally, Advance Local espouses values such as Integrity, Customer-first orientation, Inclusiveness, and Collaboration, signaling a workplace that values ethical data use and teamwork to solve complex problems across departments. Given the size and decentralized structure of the organization, this Data Scientist role likely offers both individual contributor responsibilities and cross-team influence, requiring strong communication skills and adaptability. Strategically, this position supports the company’s broader push to harness data science for improving business operations in a competitive digital advertising and media context, making it a crucial hire for scaling advanced analytics capabilities. For a candidate, thriving here means aligning with a mission-driven yet innovation-focused culture, being comfortable with the dynamism of media tech, and demonstrating both technical prowess and business savvy.

Absolutely. Here are some mock interview questions that could come up:

• Behavioral: Tell me about a time when you had to work across multiple departments to implement a data-driven solution. How did you ensure alignment and buy-in?
• Behavioral: Describe an instance when your data analysis or model challenged a widely held assumption. How did you communicate your findings and what was the outcome?
• Behavioral: Can you share a time when you had to handle imperfect or incomplete data sources? How did you address this challenge?
• Behavioral: Give an example of a complex problem you solved using statistical modeling. What was your approach from start to finish?
• Technical: How would you design an A/B testing framework for a new product feature aiming to increase user engagement?
• Technical: Walk me through your process for building and validating a predictive model using large-scale customer data.
• Technical: What machine learning techniques do you consider most effective for marketing optimization campaigns, and why?
• Technical: Explain how you would evaluate the quality and performance of a model implemented in a production environment.
• Situational: Imagine one of your deployed models starts underperforming after an update in the customer data platform. What steps would you take to diagnose and fix the issue?
• Situational: Suppose a key stakeholder disagrees with your recommended data-driven strategy for a marketing campaign. How would you handle that conversation?
• Situational: If you discover a new data source that has the potential to improve model accuracy but comes with uncertain data quality, how would you approach integrating it?
• Company Fit/Motivation: What draws you to Advance Local and this particular Data Scientist position?
• Company Fit/Motivation: How do you see your approach to data science aligning with Advance Local’s values of integrity, collaboration, and customer focus?
• Company Fit/Motivation: How do you stay current with machine learning trends and industry best practices, and how would you apply this learning here?
• Questions for Interviewer: How does the data science team currently collaborate with product and marketing teams to ensure model impact?
• Questions for Interviewer: What are the biggest challenges Advance Local is facing in building its integrated data platform and customer data ecosystem?
• Questions for Interviewer: How does Advance Local support the professional growth of data scientists, particularly in terms of tools, experimentation freedom, and career progression?