Staff Research Scientist at Upstart

Auto Loans
Upstart’s Auto Lending team is changing the car buying experience. We are the first of its kind to build the most sophisticated machine learning models that are revolutionizing the car buying experience. We’re a fun-loving, hard working group of trail blazers who believe anything is possible with the right team. Our product offers a fully end-to-end digital lending experience which includes our leading AI lending technology. With 53% fewer defaults at the same approval rate and 5x more risk separation than Fico, we are truly changing the game. 
The Team
At the heart of the auto loan product sits our underwriting models that evaluate the risk of every applicant. The auto underwriting ML team is responsible for researching and building these models and therefore have a direct impact on our company’s success. The team is part of the Machine Learning organization and consists of Research Scientists, Data Scientists, ML Engineers and other highly specialized roles.
Because our challenges are so new, members of the team need strong creative problem-solving skills and the technical background to implement solutions. Our research environment affords team members the opportunity to utilize a variety of statistical and machine learning methods with the freedom and encouragement to pursue alternative approaches to solving problems. We are continuously seeking the next big ideas to move our business forward.
 
The Role
As a Staff Research Scientist with Upstart, you'll enjoy a fast-paced environment with a focus on productionalizing, deploying and training machine learning models. You’ll also have an opportunity to work alongside a talented team that values curiosity, humility, drive and teamwork.  


Position Location - This role is available in the following locations: Columbus, Austin or Remote (#LI-REMOTE)


Time Zone Requirements - This team operates on either the East or West Coast time zones.


Travel Requirements - This team has regular on-site collaboration sessions six times annually split between our San Mateo or Columbus office locations. If you need to travel to make these meetups, Upstart will cover all travel related expenses.


 
What we’re looking for:

Strong academic credentials with a master's degree in computer science, statistics, mathematics, or other quantitative areas of study; Ph.D. preferred
Generally 4-5+ years experience in autonomous research and development of high impact production models in the real world
Full-stack expertise with all steps of the modeling process from ideation to productionalizing code; OR deep expertise in either statistical modeling or machine learning
Ability to discover and deliver significant improvements to Upstart's core business while setting the standard for quality and velocity
Programming expertise with Python with proficiency in writing clear, bug-free and well-documented code that runs well and is easily understood
Proficiency in many, with deep expertise in some- mathematical, statistical learning and machine learning concepts 
Knowledge of machine learning, pipelines and engineering architecture with detailed understanding of building good technical solutions; ability to convert ideas into testable hypotheses and/or next steps
Ability to lead several projects that may involve multiple team members
Adeptness in dealing with technical challenges and trade-offs; ability to make reasonable decisions under uncertainty; and to prioritize effectively
Capable of leading team members on technical best practices, providing constructive feedback and mentoring to junior team members; ability to provide comprehensive and useful design and methodology reviews for ML projects.
Ability to navigate and work well with cross-functional stakeholders on projects with an understanding of how to deliver appropriate amount of technical communication communication to stakeholders to serve team or business needs
Ability to communicate technical concepts to a non-technical audience
Strong sense of intellectual curiosity balanced with humility, drive and teamwork
Numerically-savvy and smart with ability to operate at a speedy pace
Enthusiasm for and alignment with Upstart’s mission and values

 
What you’ll love: 

Competitive Compensation (base + bonus & equity)
Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
Personal Development and Technology & Ergonomic Budgets 
Life insurance and disability benefits 
Clubs and Activities  (Game Nights, Fitstarters, Superwomen, Book Club, Investing Club, Money Discussions, Photography Club and Basketball teams) 
Generous vacation policy
401(k) and Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)
Catered lunches + snacks & drinks

 
The minimum base pay for this position in Colorado is $155,000 + bonus + equity + benefits. Base pay may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. This information is provided in accordance with the Colorado Equal Pay Act. It is specific to Colorado and may not be applicable to other locations.
#LI-REMOTE
#LI-MidSenior