Exchange Optimization Lead Analyst, OpenX

• This role is ideal for someone who thrives in data, is fluent in advanced SQL, and has a passion for uncovering optimization opportunities across billions of bid requests each day
• The ideal candidate is relentlessly curious, comfortable pivoting complex data, and excited to explore the inner workings of one of the largest ad exchanges in the world
• 7+ years of experience in analytics, data operations, or optimization within a high-scale programmatic environment (SSP, DSP, or ad exchange)
• Expert-level SQL skills, especially in BigQuery or a similar large-scale data platform
• Strong background in data analysis, statistics, or experimentation—able to interpret noisy signals and guide decision-making with evidence
• Proven ability to break down complex systems, identify optimization levers, and implement data-driven strategies
• Demonstrated ability to manipulate, aggregate, and pivot large datasets for insight discovery
• Familiarity with OpenRTB, programmatic auction mechanics, and bidstream signals
• Clear communicator who can articulate technical findings to product managers, business leads, and engineers alike
• Programmatic Advertising Expertise:
• Familiarity with OpenRTB specifications, bid request/response structure, and auction flows
• Understanding of SSP/DSP mechanics, including campaign delivery, win rates, QPS and traffic shaping
• Exposure to supply path optimization (SPO) concepts, ad quality signals (e.g., bcat, badv), and deal types
• Basic knowledge of identity frameworks (cookies, IPs, UID2, etc.) and how they impact optimization
• Awareness of request filters, throttling, floor pricing, traffic sets, and other monetization levers
• Technical Proficiency:
• Heavy (expert level) SQL + to drive ideas to experimentation to analysis
• Comfort with BigQuery or similar large-scale analytics platforms (e.g., Snowflake, Redshift). Strong understanding of joins, UDFs, subqueries, CTEs, and performance tuning
• Familiarity with structuring analytical pipelines for analysis, learning and reporting
• Comfortable with scripting in Python, particularly for:
• Lightweight ETL or automation
• Statistical analysis (e.g., pandas, numpy, scipy)
• Bonus: Exposure to Airflow, GCP Dataform
• Attitude & Mindset:
• Entrepreneurial problem-solver who thrives in ambiguity and complexity
• Strong ownership mentality—sees problems through from insight to resolution and iteration
• Naturally curious, with a bias for action and experimentation
• Comfortable operating in lightly structured environments and building frameworks from scratch
• Thrives in a fast-paced, high-scale setting, balancing speed and rigor
• Communicates clearly and concisely with both technical and non-technical partners
• Eager to challenge assumptions and improve systems—even when that means breaking status quo
• Operates as a strategic partner, not just an analyst—constantly thinking about levers, constraints, and tradeoffs

Desirable

• OpenX is seeking a highly capable and entrepreneurial Lead Exchange Optimization Analyst to join our core team focused on improving the efficiency, performance, and monetization of our global programmatic exchange
• You will work hands-on with rich datasets to diagnose inefficiencies, test hypotheses, and drive measurable improvements that benefit DSPs, publishers, and OpenX
• While not a formal data science team, we deeply value analytical rigor and statistical thinking—and are looking to strengthen our bench with someone who brings that mindset to the table
• You’ll play a key role in shaping how the exchange evolves to serve a more dynamic, data-informed, and value-driven ecosystem
• You’ll be empowered to go beyond just surfacing insights—your work can directly translate into action
• Analysts on our team not only identify inefficiencies but also design and launch live experiments to validate improvements
• When successful, those changes can be shipped to production in a matter of hours—shaping how billions of requests are processed across the exchange
• Your ability to connect business understanding with data-driven execution will be critical to driving meaningful impact at scale
• Our analytics stack is fully cloud-based, giving us scalable access to both raw logs and curated data views
• Whether we’re debugging at the request level or analyzing patterns across weeks of exchange traffic, querying billions of records takes seconds
• This speed and flexibility empower us to move quickly from hypothesis to insight to action
• Analyze large-scale exchange data (bid requests, impressions, wins, revenue) to surface actionable insights and optimization opportunities
• Design, execute, and evaluate experiments that test hypotheses around traffic shaping, bid filtering, pricing floors, or other monetization levers
• Develop and maintain dashboards and recurring reports in SQL and BI tools like Looker to monitor key exchange metrics and alert on anomalies
• Partner closely with product, engineering, and data science teams to refine exchange logic and build smarter systems for request routing, deal handling, and QPS allocation
• Work collaboratively across demand and supply teams to identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and growth opportunities
• Serve as an internal subject matter expert on bid request data quality, ad decisioning paths, and exchange performance drivers
• Translate complex data findings into clear narratives and strategic recommendations for cross-functional stakeholders