Full-Time

Principal Data Scientist

Posted on 3/11/2025

Tekion

Tekion

1,001-5,000 employees

Cloud-native platform for automotive retail

Compensation Overview

$200k - $300k/yr

+ Equity Compensation + Bonus + Commission

Expert

Pleasanton, CA, USA

In Person

Category
Data Science
Data & Analytics
Required Skills
Python
Data Science
Git
Apache Spark
Machine Learning
Apache Kafka
Hadoop
Data Analysis
Requirements
  • PhD or Master’s degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Operations Research, or a related field.
  • 15+ years of experience in applied science, data science, or machine learning roles with a significant track record of delivering business impact through AI/ML solutions.
  • Expertise in advanced ML algorithms, deep learning, and statistical modeling, with hands-on experience deploying models in production environments.
  • Extensive programming experience in Python and/or similar languages, with strong software development skills and proficiency in version control (e.g., Git).
  • Proven experience in designing scalable, distributed machine learning systems and pipelines.
  • Strong understanding of big data ecosystems and tools (e.g., Spark, Hadoop, Kafka).
  • Exceptional ability to translate complex data science concepts into strategic business decisions.
  • Demonstrated leadership in mentoring senior technical staff and fostering innovation.
Responsibilities
  • Define and lead the strategic vision for Tekion’s Applied Science initiatives, aligning with business goals to drive innovation and industry disruption.
  • Provide deep technical expertise and leadership in developing and deploying scalable ML/AI models to solve complex, high-impact automotive industry problems.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional executive leaders, product managers, and engineering teams to identify opportunities for machine learning solutions and implement them effectively.
  • Design and oversee production-grade ML systems, integrating models into decision-making platforms and business applications.
  • Drive the development and continuous improvement of state-of-the-art algorithms, ensuring robust evaluation metrics for both offline and online performance.
  • Identify and incorporate diverse data sources, applying innovative techniques to enhance model accuracy, scalability, and impact.
  • Lead the creation of end-to-end ML pipelines, ensuring best practices in data processing, model deployment, monitoring, and governance.
  • Mentor and guide senior data scientists and applied scientists, fostering a high-performance culture of technical excellence and continuous learning.
  • Publish and present cutting-edge research internally and externally to reinforce Tekion’s leadership in applied data science.
  • Influence industry trends by identifying emerging technologies and integrating them into Tekion's product and research roadmaps.
Desired Qualifications
  • Deep expertise in Recommendation Systems, Natural Language Processing (NLP), and Computer Vision.
  • Extensive domain knowledge of the automotive industry and its business models.
  • Experience integrating ML models with cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and MLOps practices.
  • Strong interpersonal and executive communication skills, with the ability to articulate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
  • A proactive, self-starter mindset with a passion for solving ambiguous and complex problems.
  • Active contributor to the data science and machine learning community through publications, open-source projects, or speaking engagements.

Tekion offers a cloud-native platform designed for the automotive retail industry, with its main product being a Dealer Management System (DMS). This system uses technologies like Big Data, IoT, and Machine Learning to provide dealerships with a centralized view of their operations, improving management and efficiency. Unlike competitors, Tekion integrates seamlessly with major OEMs at no extra cost and operates on a subscription-based model. The company's goal is to enhance dealership profitability and customer experience through its comprehensive platform.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

Growth Equity (Venture Capital)

Total Funding

$635.1M

Headquarters

Pleasanton, California

Founded

2016

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Tekion secured $200 million in growth capital for platform expansion and tech enhancement.
  • Strategic partnerships with Sharebox and Curbee expand Tekion's ecosystem and platform value.
  • Increased AI adoption in automotive retail drives demand for Tekion's AI-powered solutions.

What critics are saying

  • Legal battles with CDK Global could harm Tekion's reputation and financial standing.
  • Rapid expansion may strain resources, leading to potential operational inefficiencies.
  • Resistance from traditional dealerships may slow down adoption of Tekion's advanced tech solutions.

What makes Tekion unique

  • Tekion offers the first cloud-native platform for the automotive retail industry.
  • The platform integrates OEMs, retailers, and consumers seamlessly, enhancing operational efficiency.
  • Tekion's AI Agents boost business value by enhancing customer engagement and operational efficiency.

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Benefits

Competitive compensation and generous stock options

100% employer-paid top-of-the-line medical, dental and vision coverage

Great benefits including unlimited PTO, parental leave and free snacks and beverages

The opportunity to work with some of the brightest minds from Silicon Valley’s most dominant and successful companies

Be part of an early stage, hyper-growth start-up with the opportunity to grow and prosper

Work on the latest and coolest technologies – everything is home-grown and built ground-up

A dynamic work environment with a strong sense of community and collaboration

The open and transparent culture that encourages innovation, rewards performance and discourages hierarchy

Exciting opportunities for career growth and development

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

↓ -1%

1 year growth

↑ 0%

2 year growth

↓ -4%
Automotive World
Mar 18th, 2025
Tekion launches AI Agents on its platform, boosting business value for automotive retail

Building on the success of Tekion AI Copilot for Service, first unveiled at NADA 2025, Tekion plans to launch a first-of-its-kind suite of AI Agents for the automotive industry, starting with Tekion AI Agent for Service.

Reuters
Feb 12th, 2025
Auto tech giant CDK accuses rival Tekion of hacking 'campaign' in lawsuit

Feb 11 (Reuters) - Automotive retail software giant CDK Global has sued rival Tekion in U.S. court, accusing it of an illegal cyber hacking campaign to scrape confidential data from dealerships' computer systems in a bid to drive new business.

Automotive News
Jan 14th, 2025
Tekion, Ken Garff forge new DMS partnership

Dealership management system upstart Tekion has inked a new partnership with longtime Reynolds and Reynolds customer Ken Garff Automotive Group, a Utah-based dealership group with 70 stores across nine states.

Dealership Guy
Dec 10th, 2024
Tekion sues CDK Global, accuses firm of holding data 'hostage'

Automotive software firm Tekion is suing CDK Global over alleged anti-competitive practices involving dealership data.

Tekion
Nov 12th, 2024
Sharebox Joins the Tekion Strategic Partner Program to Streamline Secure Key Management for Dealerships

Sharebox joins the Tekion strategic Partner program to streamline secure key management for dealerships.

INACTIVE