We’ve blogged a few times about Zillow (here and here), a website that is trying to shake up the real estate industry. I’ve made radical predictions about the future of the real estate industry. I’m hoping that Zillow will help make those prophesies come true.
So to do my part (and because I am as susceptible to flattery as the next guy — if you read on you will see what I mean), I’m spreading the word about a new data analytics job that Zillow is trying to fill. If you think you have what it takes, send a resume to Chloe Harford. Here is the job description:
Job Title: Data and Analytics Specialist
Description:
Do you love answering questions and telling stories using data? Do you have a knack for transforming data into compelling insights? Do you lose track of time delving into fascinating data trends? Do you dream in numbers, pivot tables, and charts? Do you find typically that you are more likely to know who Edward Tufte and Steven Levitt are than those around you? Are you passionate about technology and transforming an industry?
If so, Zillow has the job for you. Be part of an analytics team helping to bring innovation, creativity, and excellence to the real estate industry. You’ll work in an informal, collaborative atmosphere with a team of strong, smart, self-starters like yourself. You’ll work hard, have a big impact in a small company, and have fun doing it!
In this role, you’ll conduct research and analysis on real estate market conditions and trends, millions of Zillow users and their behavior[s], and patterns in our terabytes of data. You’ll tackle projects and specific ad hoc analyses on topics of interest to you, our users, and our partners. Your results will be used in blogs, the broader press, partner communications, site content, and to drive internal decision-making. You’ll have plenty of opportunity to take the initiative to develop new high-impact data projects, and make recommendations based on your analyses.
Qualifications:
Excellent data, analytic, and problem-solving skills. Ability to analyze data and translate into actionable insights which can be easily understood and utilized by the entire organization, external partners, and press.
Strong knowledge of SQL (preferably MS SQL) is essential and experience getting insight from OLAP cubes is very helpful.
Strong organizational skills. Can track issues and work with other parties to resolve issues.
Superior presentation, communication, and interpersonal skills.
High energy and creativity; openness to new ideas/approaches; willingness to be flexible and do whatever you can to bring value to the team.
Qualities sought include: creativity, initiative, self-starter, attention to detail, sense of ownership, and being result-oriented, loves working in a high-energy growth environment in which data can make a substantial difference.
I only ask one thing. If you get the job, go into the Zillow database and double the value of my home, which — if you believe their numbers — is worth only half what I paid for it.
and 
. You can also watch it on 
I’m a real estate agent- I will now infiltrate, sabotage, and destroy…
Many thanks for the plug Steve. I’m really looking forward to hearing from Freakonomics fans!
I’ll be posting another new job for data hungry folks this week too – Advertising Business Analyst. I wonder who I should flatter in that one
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It’ll be here
http://zillow.hrmdirect.com/employment/openings.php?sort=td
Too bad they’re in Seattle… I’m in the market for a job, that’s a good fit for me but I can’t relocate the family and the commute (from the SF Bay Area) wouldn’t work for me.
Darn.
WhizGidget
If any job cried out for telecommuting, you’d think this one would. Go for it.
Is there any actual data on how good/bad the Zillow basic data generally is? I bought my house in 1986, Zillow says it was last “Sold 04/16/2004″ for $150,000 (I wonder who I sold it to, and why they let me stay). Other parts of the data are almost that bad, but I don’t think they’re confusing it with another house. “2007 Property Tax $0″? I wish. The baths and square footage are out of date by a remodeling or so. Built in 1860? Well, I’ve been told parts are older, parts are younger, I won’t complain about that one.
I wish them well, but if my case is typical, I’d say Zillow is built on rather sloppy data. Is there evidence that my case is atypical? Has somebody checked a random set of Zillow entries, and if so what happened? (Maybe it’s a regional issue; perhaps villages in upstate NY are low on Zillow’s quality-control priorities.)
Hi, it’s David from Zillow.com,
Tom -
We publish our accuracy performance on the site each quarter. You’ll find those metrics here: http://tinyurl.com/fgz5k
Zillow is built on public records which are aggregated for us from County tax assessors and recorders by our data providers. Your case is not typical but it’s also not uncommon; gremlins can and do work their way into local public records and the process by which they’re aggregated. To address this issue, owners on Zillow can claim their homes and update their home facts and have those edits factored into the next Zestimate update. The phantom sales transaction is something I’d like to investigate – could you e-mail me your address [davidg AT zillow DOTCOM]
So can this be a telecommute job? I’m located in Orange County, CA; have been a realtor for 4 years now; and also have a full time job as a research market analyst doing data management & analytic reporting. Relocating the entire family would just be impossible but the job truly does fit!
That job sounds dreamy. All day I dream about some data.