Data Scientist, See & Spray

We’re Blue River, a team of innovators driven to create intelligent machinery that solves monumental problems for our customers. We empower our customers – farmers, construction crews, and foresters - to implement safer and more sustainable solutions, driving increased profitability with less reliance on scarce labor. We believe that focusing on the small stuff – pixel-by-pixel and task-by-task - leads to big gains. 

Blue River Technology aligns with John Deere’s vision to “innovate on behalf of humanity” by quickly identifying and solving high-value, high-uncertainty challenges in AI, machine learning, computer vision, and robotics. BRT acts as a research and development flywheel, building not only new products but also new platforms that reliably create value for both Deere and its customers. From fully autonomous machines to highly precise farming equipment, BRT and Deere are partnering to create technical breakthroughs in industries like agriculture and construction. 

Our people are at the heart of what we do. Through cross-discipline collaboration, this mission-driven team is eager to define the new frontier of robotics. We are always asking hard questions, rapidly iterating, and getting our boots in the field to figure it out. We won’t give up until we’ve made a tangible and positive impact on the planet! Blue River Technology is based in Santa Clara, CA.

This position is eligible to be fully remote in the US.

Summary

You will be a part of the See & Spray program. We are responsible for building the world’s most intelligent herbicide sprayers. By using data, either at pixel-by-pixel or plant-by-plant level, our team drives the innovations that go into the machine. We are looking for a talented Data Scientist to join our growing team. You’ll work on exciting data problems, collaborate with various stakeholders, and contribute to helping us solve monumental challenges in battling herbicide resistance and reducing overall chemical usage while ensuring our customers’ productivity output.

Job Responsibilities

A combination, not necessarily all-inclusive, of the following:

• Analyze large datasets to provide actionable insights and guide business decisions.
• Develop and implement statistical models and basic machine learning algorithms such as A/B testing, regression analysis, and clustering.
• Work with SQL and PySpark to query and manipulate large datasets.
• Provide ad-hoc analytics support to engineering and business teams and offer recommendations based on your analysis.
• Collaborate with various teams to define metrics and data needs, implement data collection strategy, conduct analyses, and interpret findings to help set engineering and business priorities.
• Create and maintain dashboards and visualizations to communicate data-driven insights effectively.
• Translate complex data into clear, compelling stories for both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Required Experience and Skills

• Fluent in Python (preferred) or R: you should be comfortable working with Python/R for data analysis, statistics, and machine learning tasks.
• Experience with SQL and Big Data Querying: proficient in writing efficient SQL queries and experience working with big data platforms (preferably PySpark).
• Data Visualization & Storytelling: proficient in creating dashboards and visualizations (using tools like Tableau, Power BI, or Looker), and skilled at telling a compelling story from the data.
• Knowledge of Statistics & Machine Learning Algorithms: a solid understanding of statistics and hands-on experience with A/B testing, regression, and clustering techniques.
• Strong Communication Skills: ability to clearly explain complex analyses and insights to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience with Multiple Stakeholders: experience working cross-functionally with various teams to gather requirements and deliver data-driven insights.
• 2 or more years of experience in a related field.

Preferred Experience and Skills

• Interest in robotics and farming: desire to learn how smart robotic systems are transforming agriculture
• Data Engineering Skills: Experience in building and maintaining production-level data pipelines.
• C++: Familiarity with C++ is a plus for any advanced computational tasks or performance optimizations.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure), Docker, and CI/CD pipelines is a plus.

At Blue River, we’re passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity.  While we have more work to do to advance diversity and inclusion, we’re investing in our programs, including recruiting, mentorship, career development, and learning & development to ensure they support our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion goals. We support each employee in living a full life, enabling a thriving career, and accomplishing a meaningful, challenging mission while collaborating with incredible people. We are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align completely with the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway.

We are an equal-opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, perform essential job functions, and receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request an accommodation. 

The US annual base salary range for this position is $108,000 - $193,000, along with eligibility for Blue River’s bonus and benefit programs.

Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your location during the hiring process. During the recruitment process, we may identify an alternative role or level to which you are more suited. If your ideal role at Blue River differs from the advertised position, we will provide an updated pay range as soon as possible during the hiring process.

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