Staff Data Scientist, Upstart

Research Scientist

$174.9-242k

+ Bonus, Equity and Employee Stock Purchase Plan

SQL
Python
R
Plotly
Senior level
Remote in US

More information about location

Upstart

AI lending marketplace

Open for applications

Upstart

AI lending marketplace

1001+ employees

B2CMarketplaceLendingFinancial Services

Open for applications

$174.9-242k

+ Bonus, Equity and Employee Stock Purchase Plan

SQL
Python
R
Plotly
Senior level
Remote in US

More information about location

1001+ employees

B2CMarketplaceLendingFinancial Services

Company mission

To enable effortless credit based on true risk.

Role

Who you are

  • MS degree or related experience in a production setting
  • 5+years experience in data science projects
  • Knowledge in applied statistical methods and causal inference (e.g., AB testing, hypothesis testing, linear and logistic regression)
  • Experience with modern predictive modeling techniques (XGBoost, artificial neural networks)
  • Experience with Python or R and SQL
  • Strong Machine Learning experience

Desirable

  • PHD in Applied Stats, Mathematics, Economics
  • A subject matter expert on model performance evaluation in a business context
  • Experience in building visualizations and maintaining Dashboards (Plotly or Matplotlib) to track model performance
  • Serving as an expert in the areas of experimental testing, Causal Inference, A/B testing or Hypothesis testing
  • Collaborating with and mentoring other data scientists in these areas

What the job involves

  • As a Data Scientist, you'll leverage technical and business acumen to become an expert in our models and how the models interact with the business
  • Identify potential problems or opportunities for improvement, communicate these issues to the team, stakeholders and suggest solutions
  • This involves self-directed investigation into our business and its data, designing and preparing regular reports, as well as conducting ad hoc analyses for the Machine Learning team, company leadership, and external business partners
  • By presenting reports to key stakeholders and decision makers on model performance and how it impacts the business. Oftentimes this person will report directly to corporate executives
  • By finding issues with the models before they have a chance to impact our business
  • By analyzing experimental data to uncover heterogeneous effects and recommend opportunities for personalized interventions
  • By collaborating with research scientists to build and evaluate novel models and modeling applications
  • By writing clear, bug-free, and well documented code that runs well and is easy to understand

Our take

Business startups across the world usually seek out funding, but this is often difficult for companies led by millenials. Millennial entrepreneurs with an excellent track record in business are increasingly requiring access to these loans, but their lack of credit history results in proposals frequently being declined.

Upstart provides loans that are aimed towards the target audience of millennials with entrepreneurial intentions, offering low interest rates that average at 12%. The company claims these rates are 10% lower than traditional lenders, and the service aims towards ensuring that the client is subject to no further fees (such as prepayment penalties).

Upstart claims that its unique selling point lies in the fact that its loans are funded the day after approval. Whilst the service focuses on personal loans for business, the company has also expanded to offer loans for car refinancing. Over 2022 and 23, Upstart's stocks fell dramatically and an investigation was undertaken by a law firm representing the company's long-term investors over alleged security law violations by its board of directors. However, the end of 2023 saw a 20% stock value rise for Upstart after its partnership with Mutual Security Credit Union led to a rise in customers, indicating that it is on the up after a difficult two years.

Freddie headshot

Freddie

Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle

Insights

Top investors

Few candidates hear
back within 2 weeks

-16% employee growth in 12 months

Company

Funding (last 2 of 6 rounds)

Apr 2019

$50m

SERIES D

Mar 2017

$32.5m

SERIES D

Total funding: $135.7m

Company benefits

  • Comprehensive health plans
  • 401k Plan
  • Life insurance
  • Disability insuranc
  • Generous vacation policy
  • Flexible time off
  • Parental leave
  • Technology equipment budget
  • Personal development budget
  • Various clubs and extracurricular activities
  • Catered lunches
  • Fully-stocked micro-kitchen

Company values

  • Every second counts
  • Do the right thing even when it's hard
  • Make clever use of numbers
  • Be smart and know you might be wrong
  • Don't assume it can be done

Company HQ

South San Mateo, San Mateo, CA

Leadership

David Girouard

(CEO)

They started their career at Accenture and Booz Allen & Hamilton before working in Product Management at Apple and Virage. They left their role of 8 years as President of Enterprise at Google to found Upstart in March 2012.

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