Chairlift

Hi, I'm Emily Hommerding

Senior Data Scientist

Greater Seattle Area

I'm an accomplished data scientist specializing in analytics and business intelligence, with strong critical-thinking skills and a determination to get to the bottom of tough problems. Passionate about facilitating collaboration across teams and stakeholders, while bringing a unique background to the table.

About Me

Emily Hommerding

My career has taken a few interesting turns, moving from experimental physics researcher to software engineer to data scientist, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Each chapter has sharpened how I think, and today I bring that breadth to my work as a Senior Data Scientist at Microsoft, where I turn complex data into decisions that actually move the needle.

I'm genuinely passionate about data, not just the tools and pipelines, but the stories data tells and the problems it can solve. I love digging into a tough question until I find an answer that holds up, and I care deeply about making sure insights reach the people who need them in a way they can use.

Collaboration is at the core of how I work. I thrive in cross-functional environments and believe the best solutions come from bringing diverse perspectives to the table. I'm also committed to advancing marginalized groups in the workplace: I co-lead a women's group, have run allyship programs, and mentor through first-generation and low-income employee initiatives, because I believe a more equitable industry is a better one for everyone.

Outside of work, you'll find me at the gym lifting heavy things, cheering on my hockey team, or stress-testing a new baking recipe. I share my life with a wonderful boyfriend and one very opinionated cat who supervises everything I do.

Experience

Senior Data Scientist

December 2025 – Present

Senior Software Engineer

December 2023 – December 2025

Microsoft, Redmond, WA

  • Drove product insights via high impact dashboards and on-demand analytics, increasing monthly active usage by 3.5M+, boosting paid compliance by 15pp, and influencing 100k+ paid license activations.
  • Leveraged AI tools including Claude Code and the Power BI MCP server to quickly and accurately build reports and accelerate data workflows.
  • Built & maintained 20+ data pipelines (Scope, Synapse, PySpark, ADF), cutting COGS by removing 4B+ unnecessary telemetry rows/day.
  • Authored production-ready BI solutions using Kusto, SQL, DAX, PowerQuery.
  • Served as Data Champion for the Power Apps org, driving analytics strategy, hosting office hours, and advising teams on data best practices.
  • Co-led allyship program (35 grads, 60%+ knowledge increase) & 200+ member women’s group supporting career growth and mentorship. Mentored six first-generation college student interns over the course of four years.

Software Engineer II / Software Engineer I

Microsoft, Redmond, WA

July 2017 – December 2023
  • Contributed to data analytics and engineering initiatives supporting large-scale data pipeline infrastructure.
  • Implemented new functions in the Power Apps formula language (C#, TypeScript) and served on a 24/7 on-call rotation to support production web services.
  • Partnered with Red Cross developers to rapidly build Power Apps solutions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Built a visual, interactive server health monitoring tool for Dynamics 365 telemetry using Unity; improved Azure services and CI/CD pipelines.

Laboratory Physicist

Research International, Monroe, WA

July 2016 – July 2017
  • Sole developer of a patented Android application (Java, Android Studio) for a chemical/biological detection device, which shipped to international production in 2017 and is still in use today.
  • Applied computer vision (OpenCV) to automate image analysis of chemical test strips, replacing manual interpretation with reliable, repeatable software.
  • Designed and wrote firmware for a custom CPU microcontroller powering a battery monitoring circuit, implementing analog-to-digital conversion and USB/RS-232 communication protocols.

Education

Master of Science, Physics

University of Oregon, Eugene, OR

June 2016

NSF Graduate Research Fellow. Research in quantum properties of nitrogen vacancy centers in diamond.

Bachelor of Science, Physics (Magna Cum Laude)

Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL

May 2013

Research in Raman spectroscopy for superconducting RF cavities. Published in Physical Review Special Topics - Accelerators and Beams.

Certifications

  • Claude Code in Action

Publications

  • Cao, C., Ford, D., Bishnoi, S., Proslier, T., Albee, B., Hommerding, E., Zasadzinski, J. F. (2013). Detection of surface carbon and hydrocarbons in hot spot regions of niobium superconducting RF cavities by Raman spectroscopy. Physical Review Special Topics - Accelerators and Beams, 16(6).

Skills

Current

Power BIAnalyticsClaude CodeKusto (KQL)SQLDAXPowerQueryAzurePySparkAzure Data FactorySynapse

Past

C#PythonJavaAndroid DevelopmentUnityC++COpenCVTypeScript

Leadership & Collaboration

MentoringCross-Team CollaborationIntern CoachingWomen in Tech AdvocacyVolunteer InstructionProgram Design

Get in Touch

Emily on the phone

Feel free to reach out. I'd love to connect!