Data Scientist

# LEAD DATA SCIENTIST — FINANCIAL RISK MODELING

## About the Role

An established organization operating in a highly regulated environment is seeking a **Lead Data Scientist** focused on financial and risk modeling. This is a hands-on, Lead-level individual contributor role involving advanced statistical modeling, quantitative analysis, large financial datasets, and the development of models that directly support financial decision-making and risk management.

The successful candidate will independently own complex Data Science initiatives from problem definition through development, validation, implementation, and measurement of business impact. This role requires strong Python and SQL expertise, significant financial and risk modeling experience, excellent statistical and mathematical skills, and the ability to clearly communicate and defend models to senior executives and external auditors.

## Key Responsibilities

• * Build, evaluate, and validate quantitative models supporting financial and risk decisions.
• * Develop statistical and quantitative models using **Python, SQL, and gradient boosting techniques**.
• * Work with large-scale financial, credit, payment, and behavioral datasets.
• * Own complex Data Science projects from initial problem definition through implementation.
• * Develop and validate credit risk, financial risk, loss, probability, behavioral, and comparable financial models.
• * Evaluate model performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
• * Translate model performance and outputs into measurable financial and dollar impact.
• * Partner with stakeholders to translate business problems into quantitative solutions.
• * Present technical methodology, model results, and recommendations to senior and executive stakeholders.
• * Support external model audits and defend model assumptions, methodology, validation, and results.
• * Provide technical leadership and support to other Data Scientists.
• * Identify and quantify high-value opportunities with potentially significant financial impact.

## Required Qualifications

• * **8+ years** of experience in Data Science, quantitative modeling, or closely related fields.
• * Significant experience in **finance and risk modeling within a regulated industry**.
• * Advanced proficiency in **Python and SQL**.
• * Strong statistical and mathematical foundation.
• * Deep experience in data modeling and quantitative modeling.
• * Experience developing and evaluating **gradient boosting models**.
• * Experience with credit risk, financial risk, loss modeling, or comparable regulated modeling problems.
• * Experience supporting external model audits and defending models.
• * Ability to independently own modeling projects end-to-end.
• * Strong communication and presentation skills.
• * Experience presenting technical work and model results to senior or executive stakeholders.
• * Ability to connect model outputs to measurable financial impact.
• * Undergraduate degree in **Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Computer Science, Quantitative Engineering, or another strongly quantitative discipline**.

## Preferred Qualifications

• * Master's degree in Data Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, Computer Science, or another quantitative discipline.
• * Credit risk or credit loss modeling experience.
• * Probability of Default (PD) modeling experience.
• * Scorecard development experience.
• * Payment behavior or credit attribute modeling experience.
• * Experience with mortgage, home lending, credit card, banking, or credit bureau data.
• * Experience quantifying large-scale financial opportunities.
• * Previous technical leadership or mentoring experience.

## Skills & Competencies

• * Financial risk modeling
• * Quantitative modeling
• * Statistical modeling
• * Data Science
• * Python
• * SQL
• * Gradient boosting
• * Data modeling
• * Credit risk modeling
• * Model validation and evaluation
• * Model defensibility and audit support
• * Financial impact analysis
• * Problem-solving
• * Technical communication
• * Executive presentation
• * Stakeholder collaboration
• * Technical leadership
• * Mentoring and knowledge sharing

## Education & Experience

**Education:**

• * Undergraduate degree in Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Computer Science, Quantitative Engineering, or another strongly quantitative discipline is required.
• * Master's degree in a quantitative discipline is preferred.

**Experience:**

• * 8+ years of Data Science, quantitative modeling, or closely related experience.
• * Significant financial and risk modeling experience in a regulated industry.
• * Experience with financial, credit, payment, and/or behavioral datasets.
• * Experience developing, evaluating, validating, and defending quantitative models.

## Work Arrangement & Schedule

• * **Location:** Tempe, AZ preferred; Dallas, TX or Atlanta, GA considered.
• * **Work Model:** Hybrid.
• * **Onsite Requirement:** 4 days onsite, Monday–Thursday.
• * The position is a **Lead-level individual contributor** role; direct people management is not required.
• * Technical leadership and support for other Data Scientists are expected.

## Compensation & Benefits

• * **Base Salary:** $140,000–$150,000.
• * **Bonus:** 10%.
• * The role offers the opportunity to own models through implementation and measurable business results, work on significant financial opportunities, and present directly to senior and executive stakeholders.

## Compliance / Additional Information

• * **Work Authorization:** U.S. Citizens and Green Card holders only.
• * The position operates in a highly regulated environment and requires experience supporting external model audits and defending model methodology, assumptions, validation, and results.
• * This role emphasizes rigorous quantitative modeling, statistical judgment, model defensibility, and measurable business impact.