Lead Data Scientist, Rail Data and Risk

Sperry Rail is on a mission-critical journey to revolutionize the Rail Flaw Detection industry. Through the continuous development of cutting-edge diagnostic technologies and AI-assisted analysis, we are transforming railway safety worldwide. Our global engineering teams work collaboratively to develop step-change technologies that define Sperry as the unparalleled market leader.

For nearly a century, we have repeatedly modernized and improved rail diagnostics through our relentless pursuit of improvement. Determined is an understatement. We are obsessed with advancing science and raising the bar on what’s possible with our ever-improving suite of products and service offerings.

Emboldened through the shared values of honesty, accountability, passion, integrity, and teamwork, we are driven by the challenge and bridging concepts with fruition. Each technologist entering Sperry imprints themselves into our brand and further galvanizes a culture of innovation and advancement. Allow us to be clear, Thought Leaders are welcome!

We are agile and hungry and invite those with similar passions to join us in challenging the status quo and bringing new ideas to the market. Fast-paced, high-touch with a distinct sense of purpose. We offer more than a job; we offer an opportunity to be part of something different.

As Lead Data Scientist, Rail Data and Risk, you will build Sperry's view of where risk sits in our customers' track and how it is changing. We run non-stop inspection across North America and hold years of ultrasonic, induction, and eddy current test data. Your first job is descriptive: where defects and surface conditions are concentrated, and how they are trending.

The second is predictive: where failure is likely, and what it would cost. These are different problems, and the expectation is that you compound toward all of them rather than arrive expert in each. What makes the role senior is the second half of it. The analysis only counts once it reaches the people who act on it – our commercial team, the analysts reviewing that track, and our customers.

This is the first seat in a new US data science team. You will hire and line manage a data scientist working on analyst decision quality and a software engineer who puts models into production. Both join in the following quarter, so for the first two quarters this is majority hands-on work, with the team building around you rather than you waiting for it.

The role carries real autonomy. The business case, the reporting line, and the recruiting channel are already in place; the methodology, the models, and the way this work reaches its audiences are yours to set. We hold a large amount of data and not everything we would ideally want, so part of the job is getting useful answers out of imperfect data and telling us what we should be collecting instead.

We expect an exceptional level of drive and ambition. You think beyond today's work to what the team and organization need next, champion bold ideas, and see them through. Your hunger is infectious – it inspires those around you to aim higher. We are looking for someone who sets the standard for humility. You are open and receptive to feedback and criticism, you create an environment where everyone feels valued and heard, and you handle both success and failure with grace.

We need someone who can operate with full autonomy. You will set your own direction aligned with organizational goals, define and deliver ambiguous, high-impact work, and be trusted for critical decisions. You should be capable of representing the team externally, including in front of customers. Strong analytical thinking is critical. You will decompose ambiguous, multi-faceted…