Data Scientist, Intern (PhD)
Summary
PhD-level Data Science intern at Duolingo (Pittsburgh or NYC): analyze large behavioral datasets, evaluate product experiments, and apply causal inference, statistics, and ML/AI to model user behavior and guide product decisions. Core stack is SQL plus R or Python. Requires a 3rd+ year PhD student in a quantitative field.
Our mission at Duolingo is to develop the best education in the world and make it universally available. It’s a big mission, and that’s where you come in!
At Duolingo, you’ll join a team that cares about educating our users, experimenting with big ideas, making fact-based decisions, and finding innovative solutions to complex problems. You’ll have limitless learning opportunities and daily collaborations with world-class minds — while doing work that’s both meaningful and fun.
Join our life-changing mission to develop education for our half a billion (and growing!) learners around the world.
Read our blog to learn more.
About the role
You will...
- Derive insights from data to influence product roadmaps and drive business results
- Apply advanced analytical methods, structural approaches, causal inference, and/or machine learning and AI to model user behavior and estimate the impact of potential new feature implementations, and collaborate with product and engineering teams to develop solutions
- Evaluate product experiments to create and improve user experiences
- Communicate and present findings and recommendations to senior management
- Help preserve our culture of fact-based decision making as we scale
You have...
- Pursuing a PhD degree (in at least the third year of PhD program) in a quantitative field (e.g. Economics, Finance, Statistics, Math, Linguistics, Computer Science, Computational Social Science, ML/AI), ideally planning to graduate in Fall 2027 or Spring/Summer 2028
- Strong understanding of consumer digital products and an interest in applying advanced analytics and economics to business outcomes
- Previous experience analyzing large datasets, communicating results to technical and non-technical senior-level audiences, and making actionable recommendations that improve the product or business
- Skilled in SQL, R or Python, and/or statistical methods to analyze behavioral data
- Enthusiasm for learning and sharing analytical methods to help grow a collaborative Data Science team and data-forward company culture
- Able to relocate to Pittsburgh or NYC for the internship
Exceptional candidates will have...
- Experience with "big data" and cloud computing technologies like BigQuery, Snowflake, and/or dbt
- Experience articulating business questions and using available data to find answers that translate into product recommendations
- Self-starter, with a desire to both learn new techniques and guide others
- Previous experience/internships in applied business settings
- Familiarity with AI tools such as Cursor, a knack for prompt engineering, and a desire to continue to innovate and learn in AI
- A GPA of 3.5+
- A Duolingo streak
Why you’ll love working here…
- Language learning opportunities
- Catered in-house lunches and breakfast
- Company-wide Hackathon
- PTO and company holidays
- Frequent company-wide dinners, monthly celebrations, social clubs, and so much more!
Connect with your recruiter on the benefits for interns at Duolingo!
Skills
As published by greenhouse · 19 questions · 2 written answers
Basics
First Name, Last Name, Email, Phone, Resume/CV, Cover Letter, Location
Short answers (7)
- Preferred First Name
- How do you pronounce your name? (e.g., 'An-na' or 'Ah-na')
- Undergraduate GPA
- Do you have a Duolingo account? If yes, what is your username?
- Alternate Email optional
- LinkedIn Profile optional
- Website optional
Pick from a list (10)
- Are you currently enrolled in a PhD program?
- What is your expected graduation timeline?
- Are you willing to work from the office location of the job?
- Which office location are you most interested in?
- Where did you hear about this job?
- What Duolingo sponsored conferences have you attended and/or organizations are you a part of? optional
- Are you authorized to work lawfully in the United States for Duolingo?
- Will you now, or in the future, require sponsorship (i.e. H-1B visa, etc.) to legally work in the U.S.?
- If so, are you eligible or currently in a period of Optional Practical Training (OPT)?
- After the OPT, are you eligible for a 24-month OPT extension or are currently in a 24-month OPT extension based upon a degree from a qualifying U.S. institution in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics after the Optional Practical Training (OPT)?
Written answers (2)
- Why are you interested in Duolingo?
- How will your personal experiences make an impact at Duolingo?