Scientist Intern

Job Description

Job Title: Scientist Intern (PhD Candidate) – Summer 2026

About the Internship:
We are seeking PhD candidates to join the Earner Online Experience Team as a Scientist intern for a 12-week period during Summer 2026. As an intern, you will be embedded in a product team, focusing on solving real-world Uber problems. You will work under the direct supervision of a scientist and have the unique opportunity to collaborate closely with Scientists, Software Engineers, Product Managers, and other cross-functional partners.

About The Role (Within Uber’s Sciences Division):
The Sciences division at Uber is dedicated to creating “magic” within Uber’s marketplace. This involves making critical trade-offs, blending advanced algorithms with human ingenuity, and simplifying complex systems. We build sophisticated systems to predict future needs and craft the most cost-efficient marketplace for matching supply and demand. Our passion lies in leveraging innovative economics, machine learning, and scalable distributed software to automate and optimize every intricate aspect of the marketplace dynamics. We are involved in every stage of the product development cycle, using data to inform decisions, building models to power solutions, and developing platform tools used across teams, with a primary focus on Mobility and Delivery. We collaborate with millions of earners globally to make this magic a reality.

About The Team (Earner Online Experience):
The Earner Online Experience team is responsible for the entire online journey of Uber’s earners (drivers and couriers). This encompasses the period from just before an earner goes online to just after they go offline. The team’s charter includes supply management, decision-making while on the job, and the end-to-end trip or delivery experience. We work in close partnership with various Marketplace Teams to understand how products impact earner behavior and how earners’ actions, in turn, influence the broader marketplace of millions of earners, riders, and eaters worldwide.

What You’ll Do:

• Work closely with a dedicated mentor to define a business problem, scope a project, and then develop and prototype a solution using data-driven approaches.
• Collaborate with engineers and product managers to transform prototypes into scalable, production-ready solutions.
• Present findings to leadership to inform key business decisions.
• Establish and promote standard methodologies for science, covering areas such as modeling, coding, analytics, optimization, and experimentation.
• Conduct experiments to directly drive business decisions and insights.

Basic Qualifications:

• Currently pursuing a Ph.D. with a major in Economics, Operations Research, Statistics, Machine Learning, or other related quantitative fields.
• Must have at least one semester/quarter left of education after the completion of the internship.
• Possess strong problem-solving and analytical abilities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Coding proficiency in languages/tools such as Python, Spark, and SQL.
• Solid knowledge of the underlying mathematical foundations of statistics (including causal inference), machine learning, optimization, stochastic processes, economics, and analytics.
• Background in data visualization using open-source libraries/packages or third-party tools (e.g., Tableau, Mixpanel, Looker, or similar).
• Experience in the following areas: Exploratory Data Analysis, Statistical Analysis, Model Development, Operations Management, Revenue Management and Pricing, Advertising, Experimental Design, Assortment Planning, Transportation.
• 0-2 years of prior work experience in an analytical setting.
• Organized, detail-oriented, and capable of working independently on multiple projects simultaneously.
• Ability to communicate effectively with both technical and business partners.
• Open to feedback, with excellent ability to implement newly learned ideas and concepts.
• Possesses a research mentality with a bias towards action, capable of structuring a project from idea to experimentation, prototype, and ultimately implementation.
• Demonstrates independence, a self-starter mindset, excellent communication skills, and outstanding follow-through; an energetic approach to work, embracing the responsibility of individual empowerment.

Compensation (San Francisco, CA-based roles):
The base hourly rate for this role is USD$67.00 per hour. You will also be eligible for various benefits.