Principal Data Scientist, Growth 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.

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.

Your Role

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.

What You’ll Do

• 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 (AppsFlyer, 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.

What You’ll Need

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 connects to attribution, ROAS, LTV, and optimization. Experience building cohort-based analyses to guide geo, channel, and budget decisions. Hands-on with attribution platforms (e.g., AppsFlyer, Adjust, or Singular), including event setup, SKAN, and postback QA. Proficiency in building dashboards and visualizations to track UA performance, pacing, and results using tools like Tableau, Looker, or similar. Fluent in SQL and Python, with experience using both for analytical workflows and model development. Experience with cloud data platforms (e.g., Snowflake, Redshift, Databricks) and data libraries such as pandas, Spark. Strong QA instincts and a bias toward proactive data validation and troubleshooting. Able to communicate data insights clearly across teams and identify opportunities in ambiguous situations.

Nice To Have, But Not Necessary

Experience in a mobile-first UA or analytics role, with additional exposure to cross-platform or PC titles a plus. Practical use of AI tools or agentic workflows to automate analysis, improve reporting, or experiment with creative analytics approaches. Familiarity with privacy-constrained measurement frameworks (SKAN 4.0+, Privacy Sandbox) and strategies for maintaining signal quality as platform-level attribution erodes.

Compensation & Benefits

The total compensation for this position includes a new hire offer base salary range of $180,000 - $200,000 USD + equity + comprehensive benefits + potential for discretionary performance bonuses. Individual pay within this range may span multiple levels within the discipline and is determined by assessed job-related skills, experience, education or training. It also factors in market demands and business needs. The disclosed range is not adjusted by location and may be modified based on business needs. Your recruiter can answer questions about total compensation during the hiring process.

An overview of the benefits and perks at Second Dinner:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans with Second Dinner paying 100% of premiums for employees and 75% for dependents for many plans
• 401(k) contribution with no waiting period
• 16 weeks paid parental leave with no waiting period
• Home office improvement bonus
• Paid Vacation & Sick time
• Up to 10 BetterHelp sessions covered each benefits plan year
• Remote-first with core overlap hours between 10AM and 4PM PT
• Company Summer Holiday shutdown (week of July 4)
• Company Winter Holiday shutdown (Dec 25-Jan 1)
• Company Events - In-person all-hands gathering, and virtual events throughout the year

Equal Opportunity

We are an equal opportunity employer that places high value on diversity and inclusion. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, age, disability status, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, military status, or veteran status.

Authorization

You must be legally authorized to work and reside in the United States. We do not sponsor visas or support employment outside the U.S. for this role.