Principal Data Scientist – Food Intelligence

Company: GreenChoice, PBCLocation: Remote (in USA), or Hybrid in San Diego, CAEmployment Type: Part-Time Consultant / Contract-to-Hire (Full-Time Potential)Experience Level: 8+ Years GreenChoice is a food intelligence company helping retailers, healthcare organizations, and consumers understand the health and sustainability impacts of food. Our platform analyzes and scores over 1M food products across nutrition quality, processing, ingredient safety, and climate footprint — powering shelf labels, digital experiences, and data licenses used by leading retailers nationwide. We are hiring a Principal Data Scientist to take senior, hands-on ownership of GreenChoice’s scoring systems and data science foundations. This is a high-judgment, individual-contributor role, not a people-management position. You will work closely with our nutrition science team, product, and leadership to evolve, defend, and scale the methodologies that sit at the core of our business. This role is ideal for someone who wants deep ownership, real-world impact, and intellectual rigor — and is comfortable operating independently in an early-stage, high-trust environment.  The Role We are seeking a Principal Data Scientist to own the data science and analytics behind our food scoring and 100+ verified health & sustainability attributes. This is a highly strategic, hands-on role that blends statistical modeling, algorithm development, and applied insights. You will work closely with our Head of Engineering, Director of Nutrition Science, and CEO. This is a senior individual contributor role with end-to-end ownership of GreenChoice’s data science function. You will not have any direct reports initially, and no expectation to hire or manage a team in the near term, but the role will be highly collaborative. As GreenChoice grows, the scope of this role may evolve to include team leadership if you want it. You will be responsible for both developing new algorithms, owning new AI applications, shipping improvements and defending methodology – internally, with advisors, and externally with partners and prospects.  Responsibilities You will: Advance and maintain our scoring algorithms across nutrition, ingredient processing, ingredient safety, and climate footprint. Own and maintain clear documentation explaining how scores and attributes are generated, including research evidence, assumptions, tradeoffs, and limitations. Build robust statistical models and QA processes to ensure data accuracy, reliability, and scalability. Derive insights from shopper behavior and retailer sales data to illustrate ROI and reinforce value for our partners. Collaborate with nutritionists and environmental scientists to translate evidence-based criteria into algorithms. Develop lightweight dashboards and automated reporting pipelines that deliver actionable insights to retail and healthcare partners. Proactively identify opportunities for deep learning models, AI applications, predictive analytics, and forecasting to enhance our product and data offerings.  This role is ideal for a self-starter who thrives in ambiguity, is motivated by impact, and loves solving complex, real-world problems with data. You’ll be a key contributor to GreenChoice’s evolution from a data company into a data + insights company – turning complex food data into defensible, decision-grade insights for retailers and partners.  Experience Location is flexible, though US-based candidates are strongly preferred given the nature of our customers, partnerships, and industry engagement. Required 8+ years of experience in data science, with strong expertise in statistical modeling, machine learning, and algorithm development. Strong background in applied statistics and data analysis within a science and/or research-heavy field, preferably in nutrition, healthcare, or sustainability. Experience designing and maintaining production-ready scientific scoring models and data pipelines. Proficiency in Python (Pandas, Scikit-learn, etc.), SQL, and modern data visualization/BI tools. Ability to translate complex datasets into actionable insights for non-technical stakeholders. Entrepreneurial mindset: proactive, curious, and able to thrive in a fast-moving, resource-constrained startup environment. Excellent communication skills and collaborative spirit — we want a partner, not just an executor.  Preferred PhD or Master’s degree in a related field. Background in research and science, biotech, food systems, public health, sustainability, or consumer packaged goods (CPG). Experience working in early-stage or growth-stage startups. Familiarity with nutrition, food or CPG datasets, regulatory frameworks (USDA, FDA, WHO), or environmental metrics (GHG Protocol, WFN).  Compensation & Commitment Part-time consultant (20-30 hours per week) with potential to turn into a full-time role.Compensation will be competitive for a senior, part-time Principal Data Scientist at an early-stage company, with meaningful equity available based on impact, commitment, and long-term ownership.Flexible work schedule. Why this role matters GreenChoice’s scoring systems sit at the center of our product, our credibility, and our growth. This role is not about tuning models in isolation – it’s about building something that will be scrutinized by retailers, healthcare organizations, regulators, and the public. If you enjoy high-stakes, real-world applied data science with clear ownership and impact, this role is for you.