Job Details

Staff Data Scientist

Our data scientists are responsible for the entire machine learning model development process from conception with stakeholders, creation of model pipelines, technical development, deployment, and partnership with the credit, product, and finance teams to make business decisions.

The ideal candidate is passionate about using data and models to drive business growth and help customers improve their financial situations. For this role, we're looking for a seasoned data scientist to work within our talented DS team for Empower Cash Advance and Thrive Line of Credit products. This individual will own creating and improving credit risk models, building ML based paycheck detection algorithms to help the business decrease loss rates and increase approval rates. The right person for this role is someone who shines while solving complex problems and is comfortable with a wide variety of technical tools.

Empower is a remote-first company. We drive connectivity through regular company offsites. Travel for company offsites is expected at a minimum 2 times a year.

How You'll Make an Impact

• Grow user base and increase retention through machine learning and analytics
• Build machine learning models with large scale data sets to address business priorities
• Design and influence strategies on underwriting, marketing, fraud and customer experience
• Work closely with our engineering team as you implement models in production
• Collaborate effectively with operations and product to ensure the work fits into the broader strategy and business context
• Develop data standards and analytics pipelines to facilitate current and future analysis

Why You're a Great Fit

• BS degree in engineering, computer science, finance or mathematics
• 6+ years industry experience in data mining, machine learning, statistical analysis, and/or predictive modeling
• Deep understanding of statistics and machine learning techniques, including regression, classification, clustering and optimization Experience building predictive models from scratch
• Strong programming skills in Python with intermediate to advanced knowledge of SQL
• Demonstrable experience with ML packages: scikit-learn, LightGBM, XGBoost, SparkML, etc.
• Knowledge in deep learning and experience with DL toolkits (Tensorflow, Keras, PyTorch) is preferred though not required
• Comfort working with a variety of cross functional partners in tech, product, credit, and business
• Exceptionally strong problem solving and communication with the ability to both get in the weeds and communicate to an executive audience

Don't meet every qualification? If you're excited about this challenge and driven to innovate, we still want to hear from you!

What You'll Get at Empower

• Meaningful Ownership: Competitive salary and generous equity in a profitable, fast growing company.
• Complete Support: 100% coverage for medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, plus a generous WFH reimbursement.
• High-Impact Teams: The chance to thrive in a small, focused team where your contributions directly shape outcomes for our business and customers.
• Remote First: A virtual first environment built on trust and outcomes.
• Team Connection: Twice-yearly company onsites where we come together to connect, learn, and build for the future (our last few have been in San Diego, Vail, and Flagstaff)!
• Growth Path: Ongoing opportunities for development in a dynamic, supportive, and creative environment.

The Empower Way

The Empower Way is one where bold ambition meets an owner mindset, where open dialogue and spirited debate are encouraged, and where everyone works together to put our customers first. We believe diverse voices lead to the best ideas, and we foster an environment where every individual is valued, heard, and supported as part of one unified team working to change lives and build a more inclusive future.

If that sounds like you, join us and be part of a team that's helping millions of people reshape their financial futures.