Senior Data Scientist - Credit Risk

Preacta; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 170,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Preacta in Sydney is seeking a senior data scientist specializing in credit risk analytics and IFRS 9 impairment modelling. The role focuses on building, calibrating, and monitoring ECL models, while collaborating with engineers to productionize solutions.

You will run sensitivity analyses, back-testing, and provide clear rationale for provisioning to Finance and auditors, shaping risk policy through rigorous analysis.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in data science, credit risk modelling or portfolio analytics.
• Hands-on experience with IFRS 9 ECL modelling.
• Version control, testing and reproducible workflows on a modern data platform.
• Clear model documentation and audit/validation readiness.

Responsibilities

• Build, calibrate and monitor IFRS 9 impairment models across PD, LGD, EAD and staging.
• Run sensitivity analyses and back-testing for provisioning decisions.
• Explain provisioning changes to Finance and auditors.
• Collaborate with engineers to productionize models and raise team standards.
• Track portfolio performance across arrears, losses and vintages to inform risk appetite.

Skills

Credit risk modelling

ECL IFRS9

Data science

Portfolio analytics

Version control

Testing workflows

Education

Statistics/Maths/Economics/Actuarial science degree

Tools

Git

SQL

Job description

Sydney | Hybrid, 3 days in office | $200k + super + bonus

The company

This is a well-established Australian lender with a large, data-rich loan book. The data and AI function is growing, with ML and data engineers working alongside the credit risk analytics team. That means your models get built and deployed properly, not left in a spreadsheet. You get the scale and data depth of a mature lender without big bank bureaucracy.

The role

This is a senior individual contributor role with no direct reports. You’ll sit within the credit risk analytics team.

ECL is the core of the job. You’ll build, calibrate and monitor IFRS 9 impairment models across PD, LGD, EAD, staging, overlays and macroeconomic scenarios. You’ll run sensitivity analysis and back-testing. When provisioning moves, you’ll be the one explaining why to Finance. Your work needs to hold up in front of auditors and model validation.

Beyond ECL, you’ll work on scorecards, behavioural models and segmentation. You’ll also track portfolio performance across arrears, losses, hardship and vintages, and support credit policy and risk appetite decisions with solid analysis. You’ll work with engineers to get models into production cleanly, and help lift the team’s standards through peer review.

What you’ll need

• 5+ years in data science, credit risk modelling or portfolio analytics in lending or financial services
• Hands-on experience building, calibrating or monitoring ECL models under IFRS 9
• Version control, testing and reproducible workflows on a modern data platform
• Clear model documentation and comfort with audit and validation scrutiny
• A degree in statistics, maths, economics, actuarial science or another quantitative field (postgrad a plus)

Nice to have: consumer or secured lending experience, and a working knowledge of Australian responsible lending and financial reporting requirements.