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About This Role
Requisition ID \# 169102
Job Category: Accounting / Finance
Job Level: Individual Contributor
Business Unit: Electric Engineering
Work Type: Hybrid
Job Location: Oakland
Department Overview
The System Performance, Reliability and Resiliency Strategy team within the overall Electric Transmission and Distribution Engineering organization is responsible for planning, organizing, and managing the resources necessary to successfully execute PG\&E’s Electric Reliability Strategy and initiatives. This team of forward–thinking individuals will be tasked with deploying technology and infrastructure and influencing the organization to achieve the company’s reliability goals. The team is responsible for implementing programs required to modernize the electric grid allowing for safe, resilient and efficient operations. The team participates in a cross functional team of internal and consulting participants being tasked with leading the transition of a project from development and testing to being operational for each phase of each project.
Position Summary
Within the System Performance, Reliability and Resiliency Strategy team, this position reports to the Senior Manager of Reliability Analytics and is responsible for developing advanced data science models and industry\-leading anomaly detection techniques to identify potential failures and enhance the reliability of the electric transmission and distribution grid.
Key responsibilities include designing, developing, and executing scripts, programs, models, algorithms, and processes using structured and unstructured data from diverse sources and of varying sizes. The goal is to generate defensible, valid, scalable, reproducible, and well\-documented machine learning and artificial intelligence models (predictive or optimization) to support problem\-solving and strategic decision\-making.
The role also involves active participation in internal and external communities of practice in data science, AI, and machine learning to stay current and contribute to advancements in the field. Additionally, the candidate will help educate non\-technical stakeholders on the benefits, limitations, and maturity of data science solutions.
In this role, the successful candidate will be uniquely positioned at the forefront of utility industry analytics. Working as part of cross\-functional teams, including data engineers, data scientists, technologists, and subject matter experts – this individual will lead the development of data science capabilities that could lead to paradigm changes in how the utility operates.
This position is hybrid, working from your remote office and your assigned work location based on business need. The assigned work location will be within the PG\&E Service Territory. Position requires reporting to Oakland/Dublin twice a week.
PG\&E is providing the salary range that the company in good faith believes it might pay for this position at the time of the job posting. This compensation range is specific to the locality of the job. The actual salary paid to an individual will be based on multiple factors, including, but not limited to, specific skills, education, licenses or certifications, experience, market value, geographic location, and internal equity. Although we estimate the successful candidate hired into this role will be placed towards the middle or entry point of the range, the decision will be made on a case\-by\-case basis related to these factors.
Bay Minimum: $126,000
Bay Maximum: $200,000
\&/OR
CA Minimum: $120,000
CA Maximum: $190,000
This job is also eligible to participate in PG\&E’s discretionary incentive compensation programs.
Job Responsibilities
Lead research and development of state\-of\-the\-art methodologies to detect potential system failures and improve the reliability of the electric transmission and distribution grid.
Applies data science/ machine learning /artificial intelligence methods to develop scalable, defensible and reproducible models,
Serves as the technical lead for the development of predictive/reliability analytics models.
Develops python codes for data processing and data science model developments (e.g., ML/AI models, advanced statistical models)
Documents datasets, modeling processes, and result to ensure transparency, reproducibility, and defensibility.
Contribute to the development of data science strategies aligned with system performance, reliability, and resiliency team goals.
Communicate technical concepts and model results to internal/external stakeholders.
Qualifications
Minimum:
Bachelor’s Degree in Data Science, Machine Learning, Computer Science, Physics, Econometrics or Economics, Engineering, Mathematics, Applied Sciences, Statistics, or equivalent field
4 years in data science OR 2 years, if possess Master’s Degree, as described above
Desired:
Ph.D. or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Operations Research, Transportation Engineering, Physics, Applied Sciences, Statistics, or a related field.
Relevant industry (electric or gas utility, renewable energy, analytics consulting, etc.) experience
Strong foundation in statistics, machine learning (ML), and artificial intelligence (AI).
Hands\-on and theoretical experience in developing and deploying data science and ML models using Python.
Proven ability to formulate and solve unstructured, complex problems using data\-driven approaches.
Proficiency in working with large datasets, including structured and unstructured data from diverse sources.
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to non\-technical audiences.
Ability to develop, coach and teach career level data scientists in data science/artificial intelligence/machine learning techniques and technologies
Salary Context
This $126K-$200K range is above the median for Data Scientist roles in our dataset (median: $160K across 258 roles with salary data).
View full Data Scientist salary data →Role Details
About This Role
Data Scientists extract insights and build predictive models from data. In the AI era, many roles now include LLM-powered analytics, automated reporting, and integration with generative AI tools. The role has evolved from 'the person who runs SQL queries' to 'the person who builds AI-powered data products.'
Modern data science roles fall into two camps: analytics-focused (insights, dashboards, experimentation) and ML-focused (building predictive models, recommendation systems, NLP features). The best data scientists can operate in both modes. The AI shift means that even analytics-focused roles now involve building automated insight pipelines using LLMs, going well beyond one-off reports.
Across the 4,317 AI roles we're tracking, Data Scientist positions make up 8% of the market. At Pacific Gas and Electric, this role fits into their broader AI and engineering organization.
Data Scientist roles remain in high demand, though the definition keeps shifting. Companies increasingly want candidates who can bridge traditional statistics with modern ML and LLM capabilities. The 'pure insights' data scientist role is consolidating into analytics engineering, while the 'build models' data scientist role is merging with ML engineering.
What the Work Looks Like
A typical week includes: analyzing experiment results for a product feature launch, building a predictive model for customer churn, creating an automated reporting pipeline using LLM-powered summarization, presenting insights to stakeholders, and cleaning data (always cleaning data). The ratio of analysis to engineering varies by company, but expect both.
Data Scientist roles remain in high demand, though the definition keeps shifting. Companies increasingly want candidates who can bridge traditional statistics with modern ML and LLM capabilities. The 'pure insights' data scientist role is consolidating into analytics engineering, while the 'build models' data scientist role is merging with ML engineering.
Skills Required
Python, SQL, and statistical modeling are the foundation. Increasingly, roles want experience with LLMs for data analysis, automated insight generation, and building AI-powered data products. Familiarity with cloud data platforms (Snowflake, BigQuery, Databricks) and ML frameworks (scikit-learn, PyTorch) covers most job requirements.
Experimentation design and causal inference are underrated skills that separate strong candidates. Companies care about whether their product changes cause improvements, and can distinguish causation from correlation. A/B testing methodology, Bayesian statistics, and the ability to communicate uncertainty to non-technical stakeholders are high-value skills.
Good postings specify the data stack, the types of problems you'll work on, and the team structure. Look for companies that differentiate between analytics and ML data science. Vague 'data scientist' postings that list every skill under the sun usually mean the company doesn't know what they need.
Compensation Benchmarks
Data Scientist roles pay a median of $192,890 based on 789 positions with disclosed compensation. Senior-level AI roles across all categories have a median of $227,400. This role's midpoint ($163K) sits 15% below the category median. Disclosed range: $126K to $200K.
Across all AI roles, the market median is $215,000. Top-quartile compensation starts at $266,300. The 90th percentile reaches $320,790. For comparison, the highest-paying categories include AI Safety ($287,500) and Research Engineer ($272,100). By seniority level: Entry: $110,000; Mid: $194,400; Senior: $227,400; Director: $274,554; VP: $241,000.
Pacific Gas and Electric AI Hiring
Pacific Gas and Electric has 2 open AI roles right now. They're hiring across Data Scientist. Based in Oakland, CA, US. Compensation range: $200K - $277K.
Location Context
Across all AI roles, 15% (635 positions) offer remote work, while 3,657 require on-site attendance. Top AI hiring metros: New York (1,650 roles, $220,000 median); San Francisco (1,335 roles, $265,000 median); Los Angeles (708 roles, $214,112 median).
Career Path
Common paths into Data Scientist roles include Data Analyst, Statistician, Quantitative Researcher.
From here, career progression typically leads toward Senior Data Scientist, ML Engineer, AI Product Manager.
Start with statistics and SQL. Build a real analysis project on public data that demonstrates insight generation alongside model building. The market values data scientists who can communicate findings clearly to business stakeholders. If you want to move toward ML engineering, invest in software engineering fundamentals and production deployment skills.
What to Expect in Interviews
Interviews combine statistics, coding, and business acumen. SQL is almost always tested, often with complex joins and window functions. Expect a case study round where you're given a business problem and asked to design an analysis plan. Coding rounds focus on pandas, statistical modeling, and visualization. The strongest differentiator is how well you communicate insights to non-technical stakeholders during presentation rounds.
When evaluating opportunities: Good postings specify the data stack, the types of problems you'll work on, and the team structure. Look for companies that differentiate between analytics and ML data science. Vague 'data scientist' postings that list every skill under the sun usually mean the company doesn't know what they need.
AI Hiring Overview
The AI job market has 4,317 open positions tracked in our dataset. By seniority: 138 entry-level, 2,071 mid-level, 1,655 senior, and 453 leadership roles (Director, VP, C-Level). Remote roles make up 15% of the market (635 positions). The remaining 3,657 roles require on-site or hybrid attendance.
The market median for AI roles is $215,000. Top-quartile compensation starts at $266,300. The 90th percentile reaches $320,790. Highest-paying categories: AI Safety ($287,500 median, 34 roles); Research Engineer ($272,100 median, 227 roles); AI Engineering Manager ($244,000 median, 23 roles).
Data Scientist roles remain in high demand, though the definition keeps shifting. Companies increasingly want candidates who can bridge traditional statistics with modern ML and LLM capabilities. The 'pure insights' data scientist role is consolidating into analytics engineering, while the 'build models' data scientist role is merging with ML engineering.
The AI Job Market Today
The AI job market spans 4,317 open positions across 15 role categories. The largest categories by volume: AI/ML Engineer (3,004), Data Scientist (345), AI Software Engineer (309). These three account for the majority of open positions, though smaller categories often have higher per-role compensation because of specialized skill requirements.
The seniority mix tells a story about where AI teams are in their maturity. Entry-level roles (138) are outnumbered by mid-level (2,071) and senior (1,655) positions, reflecting that most companies are past the 'build a team from scratch' phase and need experienced engineers who can ship production systems. Leadership roles (Director, VP, C-Level) total 453 positions, representing the bottleneck between technical execution and organizational strategy.
Remote work availability sits at 15% of all AI roles (635 positions), with 3,657 requiring on-site or hybrid attendance. The remote share has stabilized after the post-pandemic correction. Senior and specialized roles (Research Scientist, ML Architect) are more likely to be remote-eligible than entry-level positions, partly because experienced hires have more negotiating power and partly because these roles require less hands-on mentorship.
AI compensation is structured in clear tiers. The market median sits at $215,000. Top-quartile roles start at $266,300, and the 90th percentile reaches $320,790. These figures include base salary with disclosed compensation. Total compensation (including equity, bonuses, and sign-on) runs 20-40% higher at companies that offer those components.
Category matters for compensation. AI Safety roles lead at $287,500 median, while Prompt Engineer roles sit at $145,000. The spread between highest and lowest-paying categories reflects the premium on specialized technical skills versus broader analytical roles.
The most in-demand skills across all AI postings: Python (2,249 postings), Aws (1,224 postings), Azure (938 postings), Rag (915 postings), Gcp (660 postings), Pytorch (640 postings), Prompt Engineering (624 postings), Kubernetes (559 postings). Python dominates, appearing in the vast majority of role descriptions regardless of category. Cloud platform experience (AWS, GCP, Azure) is the second most common requirement. The newer entrants to the top skills list (RAG, vector databases, LLM APIs) reflect the shift from traditional ML toward generative AI applications.
Frequently Asked Questions
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