Principal Data Scientist, Analytics

Overview

Second Dinner is an award-winning independent game development studio. For MARVEL SNAP, we’ve partnered with Marvel, and we have other projects in the works. We are a remote-first company that values diversity and encourages applications from everyone who can bring something unique to the table.

We are an award-winning studio with a track record of recognition and are looking for talented individuals to join our team.

At Second Dinner, we believe that with great people and a great environment, we can create great games and player experiences. The Data & AI team is at the center of that — we turn player data into insight, and insight into action. Our team spans analytics, data science, data engineering, and AI/ML, and we work closely with every part of the company to help make smarter decisions faster.

We care deeply about the quality of our data, the rigor of our analysis, and finding the most impactful questions to answer. The work is collaborative, fast-moving, and directly tied to how Second Dinner grows and what our players experience.

We are seeking a Principal Analyst - Growth to help scale the growth engine behind Marvel Snap and future Second Dinner titles. This role will report into the VP, Data & AI. You will partner with the Growth team to turn data into faster, smarter acquisition decisions — building the measurement systems, predictive models, and analytical frameworks that power sustainable player growth across multiple games.

The role requires startup-speed thinking and scrappy execution to scale self-publishing analytics from one title to many while maintaining Second Dinner’s leadership in performance marketing.

• Shape UA Measurement Strategy:
  Define and evolve the analytical framework for evaluating paid growth — including measurement methodology, attribution philosophy, and the roadmap for predictive capabilities. Your work will inform budget allocation, channel strategy, and scaling acquisitions across markets.
• Drive Paid User Acquisition Performance:
  Collaborate with the Director of Growth to optimize campaigns across channels. Surface trends, flag risks, and accelerate decisions through sharp analysis and scalable tooling (reports, dashboards).
• UA Performance Deep Dives & Analysis:
  Scope and execute UA analysis across key dimensions to uncover insights that inform media mix, geo strategy, and budget decisions.
• Build & Deploy Predictive Models:
  Design, train, and deploy models that predict cohort LTV, payback periods, and ROAS — informing investment decisions across channels and geographies. Own the full lifecycle from feature engineering through production deployment, and clearly communicate model performance and limitations.
• Measurement, Attribution & Data Quality:
  Own the measurement and attribution framework across platforms (Apps Flyer, Firebase, Meta), ensuring reliable signals for evaluating channel performance. Monitor attribution windows, event quality, and fraud signals to ensure accurate measurement. Validate performance data across UA systems and marketer-operated platforms, acting as the first line of QA on the UA side and escalating discrepancies to Data Engineering as needed.
• Incrementality & Experimentation:
  Design and execute incrementality tests, geo lift studies, and media mix analyses to validate the true impact of UA spend. Establish a rigorous experimentation framework that informs scale decisions with confidence.
• Establish & Evangelize Measurement Best Practices:
  Define the standards for how Second Dinner measures, attributes, and evaluates UA performance — and ensure those standards scale as we expand to additional titles. Serve as an internal resource for analysts and data scientists, promoting data-driven decision-making.
• Collaborate Cross-Team:
  Partner with Product Analytics and Data Engineering to interpret business performance and ensure reliable measurement across acquisition and product funnels.

7+ years in growth analytics, UA data, or marketing performance roles (mobile or gaming strongly preferred). Strong understanding of marketing channels (Meta, Google, ASA, DSPs) and how media buying…