AI & Data Science Manager

Company Overview Established in 2008, Zicasso is the most-reviewed and highest-rated luxury travel company, specializing in immersive custom tours, vacations, and safaris. Our Zicasso travel specialists are the world’s top 2% of boutique tour operators and travel agents, pre-vetted and handpicked to compete in creating itineraries tailored to each of our travelers’ unique preferences. Joining Zicasso, you'll play a key role in bringing our travelers’ dreams to life—pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with luxury travel experiences. As a member of our team, you’ll be part of a company recognized for its strong brand reputation among discerning travelers. Our authority in the luxury travel industry is consistently affirmed through features in top media outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, BBC, Forbes, CNN, and Condé Nast Traveler, to name a few. See our press coverage here . We are a fully remote company spanning five continents, and we foster a dynamic, progressive global work environment that values creativity, initiative, and continuous learning. We're seeking passionate, data-driven individuals who thrive in a high-performance environment and are eager to contribute to our innovative company culture, underpinned by a consistent pursuit of excellence, integrity, and teamwork. Our global team comes together biannually for international retreats and summits . These are typically held for a week at a new location each time, providing opportunities to share ideas, collaborate in person, and strengthen our culture, all while learning firsthand about the destinations we serve. These events embody our commitment to both professional growth and the transformative power of travel. Join us in shaping the future of luxury travel while working towards our vision—creating a more connected humanity through travel. To learn more, visit . The Role As an AI and Data Science Manager at Zicasso, you will lead a team of talented data scientists, leveraging your deep expertise in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to guide the development of high-impact, data-driven solutions that directly inform and execute the company's strategic decision-making. You will be responsible for both hands-on technical contributions and people management, mentoring your team to deliver high-impact insights that improve operations, enhance customer experiences, and optimize business performance. This is an international, fully-remote, freelance contractor position, working from home, at a location outside of the United States. We are particularly seeking candidates who are based in Latin America. There is flexibility in your work hours but we expect that you will generally maximize your overlap with California hours (eg. until 3pm Pacific Time Zone). The work will be conducted in English. Key Responsibilities People Management and Leadership: Lead, mentor, and grow a team of data scientists, providing coaching and professional development opportunities to foster their skills and career paths with a particular focus on advanced AI/ML techniques and production best practices. Manage project allocation, set priorities, and define project roadmaps to ensure the team's work aligns with business objectives and delivers maximum value. Serve as the primary liaison between the data science team and cross-functional stakeholders, translating business needs into technical requirements and communicating complex model outcomes and AI/ML insights effectively to both technical and executive audiences. Foster a collaborative, innovative, and results-oriented team culture. Technical and Strategic Responsibilities: Maintain hands-on expertise by leading the design, development, and validation of complex AI-driven solutions, including production-ready machine learning models, deep learning architectures, and Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques. Guide the team in analyzing large, complex datasets to uncover strategic insights that drive product innovation and business growth. Oversee the design, implementation, and interpretation of A/B tests and multi-variant experiments to evaluate and optimize product and operational initiatives. Collaborate closely with data engineering teams to ensure the development of scalable data infrastructure and maintain data quality and consistency. Provide training and guidance on utilizing data analysis and reports to foster a data-centric culture across the organization. Required Experience Minimum 7 years of professional experience as a Data Scientist or in a related role, with at least 2 years of experience leading or managing a team of data professionals. Demonstrated experience in mentoring and coaching junior and mid-level data scientists. Help shape the AI and data science strategy in line with organizational goals, while establishing clear objectives and benchmarks. Proficiency in Python or R, with demonstrated experience implementing ML pipelines and production-grade frameworks. Advanced SQL skills, with experience working on large-scale, relational and/or distributed datasets. Experience with data visualization tools such as Tableau or Power BI. Proven hands-on experience with performing statistical analysis, predictive modeling and data mining on large and complex datasets. Hands-on expertise in AI, machine learning, and natural language processing (NLP) techniques, including model development, tuning, and validation preferred. Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate ambiguous business challenges into actionable analytics projects and team roadmaps. Effective collaborator with experience working independently in remote team environments. Qualifications Master’s degree  in a quantitative field such as Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Engineering, Data Science, or a related quantitative discipline. Strong understanding of statistical modeling, data analysis techniques, and experimental design. Proficiency with various data science tools and programming languages (e.g., Python, R, SQL) and experience working with large datasets. Exceptional communication skills with a proven ability to translate complex data insights into clear, actionable recommendations for both technical and non-technical audiences. Ability to translate analytical findings into clear actionable insights and strategic recommendations that drive business decision-making. What We Offer Remote work from your home base and flexible hours that allow you to enjoy a great work-life balance. Innovative, fast-paced and collaborative culture that values diverse voices and opinions. Learning and development annual budget. Two company-sponsored business trips each year at international destinations we serve