Real Estate Data Scientist - Remote Job Listing at Harbor Freight Tools in Calabasas, CA (Job ID 1413623)

Description

The Real Estate Data Scientist is responsible for developing advanced analytical models and data-driven tools that support strategic real estate decisions across the organization. This role partners closely with Real Estate, Finance, Marketing, and Supply Chain teams to deliver predictive insights related to site selection, network optimization, sales forecasting, and market planning. This role incorporates advanced spatial modeling, geostatistics, and geospatial data engineering to evaluate trade areas, quantify market potential, and optimize network performance.

This position combines strong statistical modeling, data engineering, and business acumen to translate complex data into actionable recommendations. The Real Estate Data Scientist plays a critical role in advancing the organization's use of machine learning, automation, and predictive analytics to improve decision quality and scalability. This is a senior individual contributor role with no direct people management responsibility.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Advanced Analytics & Predictive Modeling
  • Develop and deploy predictive models for site selection, sales forecasting, cannibalization, and market potential.
  • Build and maintain machine learning models using regression, classification, clustering, optimization, and spatial modeling techniques.
  • Apply spatial statistical methods (e.g., spatial regression, geographically weighted regression, spatial autocorrelation) to capture geographic variation in demand drivers.
  • Develop trade area and customer draw models (e.g., Huff/gravity models) to estimate market share and competitive impact.
  • Incorporate spatial features such as proximity, co-tenancy, demographics, traffic patterns, and nearby store performance into predictive models.
  • Design methodologies for forecasting store performance under various scenarios, including spatial and competitive effects.
  • Continuously monitor and improve model performance and accuracy. 
• Data Engineering & Automation
  • Design scalable data pipelines integrating real estate, customer, demographic, sales, and geospatial datasets (parcel, census, traffic, mobility, POI data).
  • Perform geospatial data processing including geocoding, spatial joins, coordinate transformations, and spatial indexing (e.g., H3 or similar frameworks).
  • Write efficient SQL and Python workflows to automate recurring analyses, spatial feature engineering, and model refreshes.
  • Ensure data quality, consistency, and reproducibility across analytical outputs, including alignment of spatial boundaries and geographic hierarchies.
• Real Estate Strategy & Decision Support
  • Partner with Real Estate teams to support site selection, market entry, relocations, and closures.
  • Develop drive-time and network-based trade area analyses to assess accessibility and market reach.
  • Conduct market coverage and white space analysis to identify expansion opportunities and underserved areas.
  • Build location-allocation and network optimization models to determine optimal site placement.
  • Quantify cannibalization and competitive effects using spatial overlap and proximity-based modeling.
  • Provide quantitative insights for Real Estate Committee (REC) evaluations and executive decisions.
  • Develop scoring frameworks and decision tools to prioritize opportunities.         
• Visualization & Communication
  • Create clear, compelling visualizations and dashboards (Tableau, Power BI, or similar) to communicate insights.
  • Develop interactive geospatial visualizations including trade area maps, performance heatmaps, and market opportunity analyses.
  • Present analytical findings and recommendations to senior leadership and non-technical stakeholders.
• Experimentation & Innovation
  • Design and execute experiments (A/B tests, quasi-experimental designs) to evaluate real estate strategies.
  • Implement geo-based testing frameworks (e.g., test vs. control markets) to measure impact of site decisions.
  • Apply causal inference methods (e.g., difference-in-differences, synthetic control) accounting for geographic spillovers.
  • Explore new data sources (e.g., mobility, foot traffic) and modeling techniques to enhance predictive capabilities.
  • Contribute to building a best-in-class real estate analytics capability.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Work closely with GIS, Data Engineering, Finance, Marketing, and IT teams to align data and models.
  • Partner with GIS teams to ensure alignment between spatial analysis, mapping, and production data pipelines.
  • Translate business problems into analytical solutions and actionable insights.

Scope

• Staff supervision and development:  No
• Decision making: 
  • Develops models and analytical frameworks used in strategic decision-making
• Travel:  Up to 10%
• Flex Designation:  Anywhere

The anticipated salary range for this position is $98,500-$147,800 depending on location, knowledge, skills, education and experience. This position is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. In addition, we offer comprehensive and competitive benefits to Associates (and their families) such as medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term and long-term disability. Eligible Associates are able to enroll in our company's 401k plan. Associates will accrue paid time off up to 236 hours per year (inclusive of PTO, floating holidays, and paid holidays). Paid sick time up to 80 hours per year unless otherwise required by law.

Requirements

Education and Experience
Education Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in data science, Statistics, Economics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or related field from a nationally recognized institution. Master's degree preferred

Years of Experience

• 5 to 8 plus years of experience in data science, analytics, or quantitative modeling, preferably in retail, real estate, consulting, or related fields.

Skills

• Strong proficiency in Python (pandas, scikit-learn, etc.) and SQL for data analysis and modeling.
• Experience building predictive models and applying statistical techniques to business problems.
• Experience working with cloud-based platforms (Databricks, Snowflake, Azure)
• Familiarity with geospatial analysis and GIS concepts, including trade area modeling, spatial statistics, and network-based analysis (experience with ESRI or similar tools preferred).
• Experience working with large, complex datasets from multiple sources.
• Experience with BI and visualization tools (Tableau, Power BI, etc.).
• Strong understanding of experimental design and statistical inference.
• Ability to communicate complex analyses clearly to non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong problem-solving skills and business acumen.

Physical Requirements
Corporate - Remote - General office environment requiring ability to:

• Stand, walk, sit for extended periods of time .
• Speak and listen to others in person and over the phone and video conferencing.
• Use keyboard and read from computer screen and reports.
• The ability to lift up to 15 lbs.

Safety
Must be able to perform this job safely in accordance with standard operating procedures and good manufacturing practices, without endangering the health or safety of self or others.
corporate corporate corporate

 Apply on company website