Lead Data Scientist, People Science

Job description

Get to Know the Team The People Science (PSI) team that is part of the Office of Organisational Capabilities (OCO) team. The OCO team works at the intersection of People Operations (Pops), Corporate Real Estate and Security (CREST), and Grabber Technology Services (GTS): the three domains that shape how every Grabber performs day to day, covering their people experience, physical environment, and digital tools. Within OCO, the People Science (PSI) team is Grab's internal capability for turning people data into strategic advantage. PSI is evolving: moving beyond dashboards and retrospective reporting toward predictive insight, democratised self-service analysis, and the design of new data sources where they do not yet exist. Our work directly advances Grab's People North Star, which is to increase productivity advantage while optimising People Team costs. You will report to the Head, People Science. Get to Know the Role As a Lead Data Scientist on the People Science team, you will play a hands-on role in shifting how Grab's People function operates: from describing what happened to predicting what will happen and recommending what to do about it now. You will own end-to-end delivery across people analytics: building predictive models and insight frameworks, designing and shipping self-service tools that allow managers and leaders to analyse people data independently, identifying gaps in existing data and designing new collection mechanisms, and partnering with the People Data Warehouse (PDW) team to improve data quality and access at scale. You will not be working on reporting but will focus on insight and product that requires equal parts analytical rigour, product instinct, and consultative judgement. You will define what to measure, not just how to measure it to solve end-to-end problems while collaborating closely with cross-functional partners. The Critical Tasks You Will Perform The work will be dynamic and challenging, requiring a combination of technical depth, product thinking, and stakeholder consulting skills. You will be responsible for: Delivering predictive and forward-looking insight Build and maintain analytical models that generate proactive signals across the People North Star, including flight risk, skill growth, disengagement indicators, and People Team cost-to-serve, enabling the People function to act before issues escalate. Transform complex, multi-source people datasets into clear, decision-ready narratives for People Operations leaders and senior stakeholders. Design and measure the impact of data- and science-backed behavioural interventions that shape Grabber behaviours at scale (e.g. embedding meeting-hygiene practices and nudge design grounded in behavioural research). Democratising people data and analysis Build and maintain People metrics, scorecards, and dashboards across the employee lifecycle, covering engagement, productivity, skills, and cost, designed for usability by non-technical audiences and not just analytical accuracy. Design and ship self-service tools and workflows, including integrations with internal platforms such as Valet and Cortana, that enable managers and leaders to conduct their own people analysis without PSI mediation. Transform existing People assets (e.g. the People Impact Card) from static summaries into automated, insight-driven outputs with actionable recommendations and just-in-time nudges. Designing new data sources Identify gaps where existing people data is insufficient to answer critical workforce questions, and design new data collection mechanisms to fill them: not just improving what exists, but building what is needed. Scope data requirements, guide toward optimal data models, and run user testing to ensure new sources are usable, sustainable, and privacy-compliant. Partner with the People Data Warehouse (PDW) team to solve for upstream data access design, hygiene, and automation in a scalable way. Consultative business partnering Apply a structured consultative approach to People problems: scope the question, develop hypotheses, mine data, and deliver recommendations with measurable impact. Partner with People Operations teams as an embedded analytics advisor, defining success metrics, responding to ad hoc insight requests, and connecting analysis to ongoing People initiatives. Support robust data-repository creation by scoping requirements, guiding toward optimal data models, and running user testing. What Essential Skills You Will Need We are looking for someone who brings technical craft, product instinct, and the judgement to work independently on ambiguous, high-stakes people questions. Technical and analytical skills Hands-on fluency in SQL and at least one of Python, R, or SAS; comfortable querying and manipulating large-scale databases independently. Experience building and shipping BI dashboards or self-service analytics tools (Tableau, Power BI, or equivalent) designed for non-technical end-users. Able to define what to measure, not just how to measure it, and comfortable working from ambiguous questions to actionable recommendations. Experienced handle data privacy and algorithmic bias; able to balance business impact against risk without escalation. Communication and stakeholder skills Strong storytelling skills and ability to create compelling, intuitive data visualisations and narratives for non-technical stakeholders. Experienced in leading and facilitating conversations across Analytics, Technology, and People Operations teams. Experience and qualifications Bachelor's/Master's degree in a quantitative field (Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Economics, Social Research), or equivalent practical experience. Minimum 5 years of experience as a Data Analyst, Data Scientist, or Analytics Consultant, with experience moving from ambiguous questions to applicable recommendations. Demonstrated ability to work autonomously on end-to-end analytical problems, from problem scoping through to stakeholder delivery. Efficient time management in a dynamic, fast-paced environment; comfortable operating with incomplete information. Good to Have Experience in People Analytics, HR data, or workforce research. Exposure to predictive modelling in a production or near-production environment. Familiarity with AI-assisted prototyping (vibe-coding) to build lightweight self-serve tools or automated nudges from data triggers. Knowledge of organisational or social psychology, behavioural economics, or behavioural design applied to workplace contexts. Change management experience or familiarity with design-thinking methodologies. Experience designing new data collection instruments (surveys, passive sensing, process data) rather than purely analysing existing datasets. Life at Grab We care about your well-being at Grab, here are some of the global benefits we offer: We have your back with Term Life Insurance and comprehensive Medical Insurance. With GrabFlex, create a benefits package that suits your needs and aspirations. Celebrate moments that matter in life with loved ones through Parental and Birthday leave , and give back to your communities through Love-all-Serve-all (LASA) volunteering leave We have a confidential Grabber Assistance Programme to guide and uplift you and your loved ones through life's challenges. Balancing personal commitments and life's demands are made easier with our FlexWork arrangements such as differentiated hours What We Stand For at Grab We are committed to building an inclusive and equitable workplace that enables diverse Grabbers to grow and perform at their best. As an equal opportunity employer, we consider all candidates fairly and equally regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, family commitments, physical and mental impairments or disabilities, and other attributes that make them unique. About Grab and Our Workplace Grab is Southeast Asia's leading superapp. From getting your favourite meals delivered to helping you manage your finances and getting around town hassle-free, we've got your back with everything. In Grab, purpose gives us joy and habits build excellence, while harnessing the power of Technology and AI to deliver the mission of driving Southeast Asia forward by economically empowering everyone, with heart, hunger, honour, and humility.