Lead Data Scientist, People Science

About Grab and Our Workplace

Grab is Southeast Asia's foremost superapp, offering services ranging from meal delivery to digital financial management and seamless transportation, driven by a purpose to empower the region economically through innovative technology and AI, guided by values of heart, hunger, honour, and humility.

Team Overview

The People Science (PSI) team resides within the Office of Organisational Capabilities (OCO), intersecting domains such as People Operations, Corporate Real Estate and Security, and Grabber Technology Services. PSI transforms people-related data into strategic insights, evolving from traditional reporting towards predictive analytics, empowerment through self-service analysis, and innovating data collection where gaps exist, all aligned with enhancing productivity and managing People Team costs.

Role Summary

As Lead Data Scientist on PSI, you will partner closely with the Head of People Science to transition Grab's People function from descriptive analytics to proactive, predictive, and prescriptive insights. Ownership spans full lifecycle of people analytics projects including model development, self-service tool creation, new data source design, and collaboration with data infrastructure teams to ensure high-quality, scalable data access.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and sustain predictive models addressing critical indicators like employee flight risk, skill advancement, engagement levels, and People Team cost efficiency.
• Convert complex people datasets from multiple sources into straightforward, actionable insights for leadership and People Operations.
• Create and evaluate behaviourally informed interventions based on scientific data to influence employee practices at scale.
• Construct and maintain intuitive People metrics, dashboards, and scorecards tailored for non-technical users across the employee lifecycle, covering areas such as engagement and productivity.
• Build and launch user-friendly self-service analytics tools integrated with internal systems to empower managers and leaders for independent data analysis.
• Innovate automation and insight-driven enhancements to existing People analytics products, such as transforming static reports into dynamic tools offering actionable guidance.
• Identify and address gaps in existing data by designing and implementing new collection methods, ensuring usability, sustainability, and privacy compliance.
• Collaborate with People Data Warehouse teams to improve upstream data quality, accessibility, and automation for scalable analytics.
• Employ a systematic consultative approach to define business problems, craft hypotheses, analyse data, and provide recommendations with clear impact measures.
• Serve as a strategic analytics consultant embedded with People Operations teams, helping define success metrics, responding to ad hoc requests, and linking insights to ongoing initiatives.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Proficiency in SQL alongside at least one statistical programming language (Python, R, or SAS) to manage and query large-scale data independently.
• Experience developing and deploying business intelligence dashboards or self-service analytics tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) designed for users without technical background.
• Ability to define key metrics to measure impact effectively, working from ambiguous questions to specific, actionable solutions.
• Competence managing data privacy and mitigating algorithmic bias while considering business implications thoughtfully.
• Strong storytelling capabilities with aptitude in crafting intuitive visualizations and narratives for diverse stakeholders.
• Experienced in facilitating cross-functional discussions involving Analytics, Technology, and People Operations.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in quantitative disciplines such as Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Economics, or Social Research, or equivalent practical experience.
• At least five years of experience as a Data Analyst, Data Scientist, or Analytics Consultant handling complex analytical assignments from scope through to delivery.
• Ability to work independently under ambiguity, prioritize time effectively in a fast-paced setting, and deliver outcomes despite incomplete information.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience specifically in People Analytics, HR data, or workforce research domains.
• Hands-on in predictive modeling in production or near-production environments.
• Familiarity with AI-powered prototyping tools for self-service analytics or automated nudging based on data triggers.
• Knowledge of social and organisational psychology, behavioural economics/design applied within workplaces.
• Experience in change management or design thinking frameworks.
• Background in designing original data collection tools such as surveys, passive sensing, or process-related data beyond secondary dataset analysis.

Additional Information

Benefits include Term Life Insurance and comprehensive Medical Insurance, flexible benefit customization via GrabFlex, meaningful leave policies including Parental, Birthday, and volunteering leaves, a confidential Employee Assistance Program, and flexible work arrangements to support work-life balance.

Diversity and Inclusion

Grab is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and fair workplace where employees from all backgrounds are equally considered regardless of various personal attributes ensuring a respectful and supportive environment.