Data Scientist II, AI Focus

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is home to some of the world's most beloved films and television series. From Cobra Kai to The Night Agent, our content reaches millions worldwide. Behind the scenes, our Insights, Strategy & Analytics (ISA) team empowers storytellers and business leaders with data-driven insights to shape the future of entertainment. We're looking for a Data Scientist II with expertise in Gen AI and advanced machine learning to join our team. You'll work on high-impact projects that combine advanced analytics, machine learning, and experimentation to drive smarter decisions across SPE's production and content distribution businesses. This role will be specifically focused on applying LLMs, agentic AI frameworks, and next-gen modeling techniques to unlock new ways of analyzing content and data science operational workflows. What You'll Do: Develop and deploy AI/ML models, including generative AI approaches, to solve media and entertainment business challenges. Apply LLMs, prompt engineering, and fine-tuning to tasks such as text analysis, summarization, metadata enrichment, and content tagging Research, prototype, and test agentic AI frameworks that automate workflows and accelerate data-driven decision making. Build and deploy predictive models and advanced analytics that guide business and creative strategies. Explore and analyze large, complex datasets to uncover audience insights and optimize content adoption. Manage cleansing and feature extraction of large unstructured data and develop insights on top of it Partner with engineers to productionalize machine learning models and monitor performance. Create clear, compelling visualizations and communicate insights to both technical and non-technical audiences. Collaborate with cross-functional partners (marketing, distribution, strategy, finance) to translate data insights into real-world business actions. Research and test emerging machine learning techniques (e.g., natural language processing, deep learning) to keep SPE at the cutting edge. Champion data-driven decision making within the organization by presenting findings to senior leaders. Stay at the forefront of GenAI research and tools, and champion adoption across the ISA team. What We're Looking For: Bachelor's degree in a quantitative field (Statistics, Computer Science, Engineering, Math, etc.); advanced degree a plus. 6+ years of applied experience in data science, analytics, or machine learning. Strong proficiency in Python and SQL. Hands-on experience with generative AI (LLMs, prompt engineering, fine-tuning) and familiarity with open-source frameworks (Hugging Face, LangChain, etc.). Experience with statistical modeling and building predictive models. Experience with MLOps practices - model lifecycle management, containerization, workflow orchestration (Airflow, Kubeflow). Excellent communication skills - ability to turn complex data into actionable recommendations. In depth knowledge of machine learning techniques, variable reduction, feature importance, and model interpretability Highly analytical, results oriented, have superior organizational skills with strong attention to details and deadlines in a fast-moving environment Nice to have: Experience in the media & entertainment industry. Familiarity with data visualization tools (Tableau, Power BI, Dash, or Shiny). Experience applying GenAI for audience research, recommendation systems, or content insights. Why Join Us Shape the future of entertainment - your work will directly influence how audiences around the world discover and enjoy Sony content. Collaborate with a diverse team of scientists, engineers, and strategists solving exciting, real-world challenges. Be part of a culture that values curiosity, innovation, and continuous learning, with access to professional development and cutting-edge tools. Enjoy the benefits of working at a global studio while contributing to projects that matter. The anticipated base salary for this position is $112K to $146K. This role may also qualify for annual incentive and/or comprehensive benefits. The actual base salary offered will depend on a variety of factors, including without limitation, the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and if applicable, the location of the position. Sony Pictures Entertainment is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other protected characteristics. SPE will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records in accordance with applicable law. To request an accommodation for purposes of participating in the hiring process, you may contact us at SPE_Accommodation_Assistance@spe.sony.com.