Director of Data Science, Credit
Mission Lane is seeking a Director of Data Science to lead the strategy and technical direction of its credit acquisition models. This role involves overseeing a data science team and collaborating with cross-functional groups to enhance machine learning models that support efficient and accurate financial decisions. The position is remote, open to candidates across the United States.
In this role, you will be responsible for translating Mission Lane's growth and underwriting objectives into a roadmap that balances approval rates, portfolio performance, and fair lending practices. You will provide technical leadership to data scientists developing and maintaining acquisition models, ensuring high standards for model design, code quality, and production rigor. Additionally, you will implement model risk and monitoring practices to maintain compliance, explainability, and accuracy as underwriting conditions evolve. Collaboration with teams such as Credit Risk, Portfolio, Data Engineering, and company leadership will be essential to align acquisition modeling with Mission Lane's broader risk appetite.
Candidates should possess a PhD in a quantitative field with over five years of related leadership experience, or a BS/MS in a quantitative field with more than eight years of experience in a similar role. Experience in applying data science to credit risk management is crucial. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in creating, deploying, and managing supervised learning models in production environments for high-impact applications. Strong software engineering fundamentals, including test-driven development, code reviews, and refactoring, are required, along with proficiency in the Python data stack (numpy, scikit-learn, pandas). Experience in consumer lending, particularly credit card acquisitions, is preferred.
The compensation for this role includes an annual base salary ranging from $184,000 to $219,000, with additional compensation through participation in annual incentive and equity programs. Mission Lane offers a comprehensive benefits package, including paid time off, 401(k) matching, a monthly wellness stipend, health, dental, and vision insurance options, disability coverage, paid parental leave, flexible spending accounts for childcare and healthcare, life insurance, and a remote-first work environment.
Founded in December 2018, Mission Lane is a purpose-driven fintech company headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. The company aims to provide clear and accessible credit options to individuals who have been overlooked by traditional credit card companies. Mission Lane partners with sponsor banks to offer credit cards under its brand, focusing on better terms and a refined customer experience. To date, over four million consumers have chosen Mission Lane, earning high customer ratings and industry-leading Net Promoter scores.