Hi, I'm Emily Hommerding
Senior Data Scientist
Greater Seattle Area
Accomplished data scientist focused on data and analytics, 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

My career has taken a few interesting turns — from experimental physics researcher to Android developer 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 – PresentSenior Software Engineer
December 2023 – December 2025Microsoft — 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 — drove analytics strategy, hosted office hours, and advised 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
- •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
- •Sole developer of a patented Android application (Java, Android Studio) for a chemical/biological detection device — shipped to international production in 2017 and 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
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
Research in Raman spectroscopy for superconducting RF cavities. Published in Physical Review Special Topics - Accelerators and Beams.
Certifications
- •Claude Code in Action
Patents
- •US Patent US20170300779A1
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).