Decision Scientist

The Disney Decision Science + Integration (DDSI) is a consulting team that supports clients across The Walt Disney Company, including Disney Experiences, Media Networks (i.e. ABC, ESPN), Studio Entertainment, Disney Theatrical Group (e.g., Broadway shows), and Disney Interactive Media. They provide support in with yield management, revenue planning, forecasting, pricing, and optimization. Key partners to the DDSI organization include Marketing, Finance, Business Development, Research, and Operations. We develop, analyze, and execute strategies to maximize profitability and improve the value proposition for our Guests, Cast Members, and Shareholders. The team leverages technology, data analytics, optimization, statistical and econometric modeling to explore opportunities, shape business decisions and drive business value.

What You Will Do:  

The Decision Science team resides within the Disney Decision Science + Integration (DDSI) organization. DDSI provides internal consulting services for clients across The Walt Disney Company. The DDSI team sits at the intersection of business strategy, advanced analytics, and technology integration to help our partners explore opportunities for analytics, shape business decisions, and drive value. Our work includes conceptualizing new solutions, solution design and development, implementation and integration with business processes, and ongoing business support.

The Decision Science team focuses on creating innovative mathematical models to inform business decision making through data. The team is interested in all fields related to data science, with emphasis on statistics, operations research, econometrics, and machine learning. 

The team works in office at least 4 days a week in Lake Buena Vista, FL.

Responsibilities: 

• Achieve business goals and objectives—Research and develop decision science models and act as a consultant to all business units within The Walt Disney Company 

• Pursue innovation—Conduct research on analytical techniques and translate that research into usable and sustainable solutions for users

• Put your skills to the test—Perform data collection and data mining, and build state-of-the-art decision science algorithms, tools, and systems

• Drive value—Model and analyze revenue management and pricing related issues using various mathematical, statistical, and simulation techniques

• Tell the story—Present science results to business partners and clients

• Support a global and enterprise-wide mission—Identify and apply best practices in the field of advanced analytics for multiple businesses such as theme parks and resorts (e.g., Walt Disney World), Disney Cruise Line, media (e.g., ABC, ESPN), movies (e.g.,Walt Disney Animation Studios), live shows (e.g., Disney on Broadway), and retail (e.g.,shopDisney) 

Required Qualifications & Skills:

Must exhibit competence in at least one of the following four analytical fields, inclusive of topics as noted:

• Statistics (two or more topics):
  Bayesian statistics
  Generalized linear models
  Mixture models
  Nonparametric regression
  Structural equation models
  Time series (state space models, ARIMA, etc.) 

• Optimization (at least one topic):
  Decision analysis or multiple criteria decision making
  Mixed-integer optimization
  Nonlinear optimization
  Stochastic optimization
  Discrete-event simulation and stochastic models

• Econometrics (two or more topics):
  Generalized method of moments
  Instrumental variables
  Limited dependent variables
  Panel data
  Simultaneous equations models

• Machine learning (two or more topics):
  Boosting
  CART
  Clustering
  Graphical models
  Neural networks
  Random forests
  Reinforcement learning
  Support vector machines

Must exhibit competence in at least one computing topic: 

• General computing (Python, Java, C, C++, etc.)

• Statistical computing (R, SAS, etc.)

• Scientific computing (Julia, MATLAB, etc.) 

How to Stand Out:

• Proven knowledge of revenue management context, including demand forecasting, resource allocation, and pricing

Required Education

• Bachelors degree in Advanced Mathematics, Statistics, Data Science, or comparable field of study, and/or equivalent work experience

Preferred Education

• Ph.D. degree in advanced Mathematics, Statistics, Data Science, or comparable field of study, and/or equivalent work experience​

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