Senior Data Scientist II

• Own the development of advanced modeling solutions that enable Zip's next generation of financial products, leveraging rich data sources such as bank transaction data to unlock new product capabilities while strengthening the core business.
• Bring deep data science, applied research, and financial services expertise to develop and experiment with innovative modeling approaches—including traditional machine learning, algorithmic solutions, and AI-centric techniques that balance risk, profitable growth, and long-term product opportunity.
• Remote-first opportunity for US-based employees with the option to work in-person out of our Manhattan office

Start your adventure with Zip

As a Senior Data Scientist II, you will leverage your creative and critical thinking skills to develop best-in-class models that push the product and analytical capabilities eraging new rich data sources, you will build the first generation of models enabling new product capabilities. Along the way, you will also build foundational models that enhance the core business. This work will encompass traditional ML, algorithmic solutions, and AI-centric techniques that drive real business impact.

You are self-driven, intellectually curious, and comfortable iterating on simple solutions that are informed by experimental results.

Interesting problems you'll get to solve

• Independently design, build, evaluate, and iterate on new AI/ML models leveraging bank transaction data to enable new product capabilities
• Rapidly experiment, build, and iterate on solutions, providing realistic proofs of concept that can be tested and refined
• Assist with test designs that produce the data necessary to build future versions of your models
• Balance short-term business outcomes with longer-term experimental opportunities that drive overall value of the business
• Leverage AI as a tool to increase productivity where they improve model quality, analytical efficiency, or product outcome
• Build models that mitigate risk while driving profitable growth for the business
• Work closely with the Data and Machine Learning Engineering teams for production considerations to ensure data availability and model scalability
• Own assigned modeling solutions end-to-end, from model development through production monitoring
• Communicate findings, recommendations, and tradeoffs with business stakeholders

What you'll bring to the team

• Advanced degree (PhD preferred) in a quantitative field (e.g., Mathematics, Physics, Social Science, Computer Science)
• 5+ years of experience in Data Science (can include PhD work)
• 2+ years of experience working with data relevant to Financial Services
• Self-starter mentality with strong problem-solving and research skills; able to work independently to drive solutions
• Solid grasp of the fundamentals of probability, statistics, and applied research methods
• Experience working with cashflow data (e.g., Plaid, MX, Finicity) highly preferred
• Proficiency in Python and SQL; hands-on experience with Spark/PySpark a plus
• Experience with Neural Networks, LLMs, GenAI
• Experience with credit and/or fraud risk a plus
• Familiarity with version control systems such as Git
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, multi-tasking environment

What you'll get in return

Zip is a place where you'll get out what you put in. The newness of our sector means we need to move at pace and embrace change, and our promise to you when you join the team is that you'll feel empowered and trusted to make big things happen quickly.

We want you to feel welcome and as though you have the support to be yourself, and care for yourself ause it's important to us that you make the most of the opportunities you'll get to grow your skills and your career, and be surrounded by smart, friendly people and leaders that have…