Lead Data Scientist

Visa Hunt; Suomi; On-site; CAD 145,000 - 209,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

5 weeks vacation

Private healthcare compensation

Hobby grant

Mental health support

Share options

Job summary

Bondora seeks a Lead Data Scientist to steer our data science strategy and build high-impact scoring models across credit, product, and engineering.

You will lead a team of data scientists, ensure model accuracy and regulatory compliance, and partner with business units to enable data-driven decision making.

This role blends strategic vision with hands-on execution, with opportunities to shape our AI product roadmap across Europe.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in building and validating credit models.
• Experience leading data science teams and delivering production-grade models.
• Strong programming in Python or R and SQL; fluent in data storytelling.

Responsibilities

• Oversee design, development, and deployment of scalable scoring models.
• Collaborate with the Credit team to align data strategies with business goals.
• Mentor junior data scientists and promote best practices in model development.
• Communicate complex concepts to non-technical stakeholders for data-driven decisions.
• Establish testing and validation protocols ensuring regulatory compliance.
• Stay updated on industry trends and integrate new tech into workflows.
• Collaborate with product, engineering, and business teams to productionize insights.

Skills

Data science leadership

Modeling expertise

Python

SQL

Communicating insights

Agile

Tools

scikit-learn

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Azure

Docker

Kubernetes

Tableau

ETL pipelines

Job description

At Bondora, our mission is simple: to make finance easy, transparent, and accessible for everyone.

Founded in 2008, we’ve helped more than 700,000 customers across Europe borrow and invest effortlessly through our trusted digital products.

As a rapidly growing financial technology company, we’re reaching new heights with a bold vision. We’re set to acquire a banking license, unlocking a world of possibilities for our customers. This transition will allow us to expand our lending across more EU countries and broaden our product suite to deliver even more value.

Join us on this journey and let’s build the future of finance together!

What is this role about?

As the Lead Data Scientist at Bondora, you’ll be the driving force behind our data science strategy and the creation of high-impact scoring models. This is both a strategic and hands‑on role — you’ll collaborate with our credit, product, engineering, and business teams to bring advanced data science to life in everyday decision‑making.

You’ll lead a talented team of data scientists, ensuring model accuracy, regulatory compliance, and business alignment, while building a culture of innovation and learning

Your main responsibilities

• Oversee the design, development, and implementation of scalable scoring models to drive business impact.
• Collaborate with the Credit team to define data science strategies and ensure alignment with overall business objectives.
• Guide and mentor junior data scientists, fostering a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and best practices in model development and deployment.
• Communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, providing actionable insights and driving data-informed decision-making.
• Establish rigorous testing and validation protocols to ensure model accuracy, reliability, and compliance with regulatory standards.
• Stay on top of industry trends and emerging technologies, integrating them into the team’s workflow to maintain competitive advantage.
• Work closely with product, engineering, and business teams to integrate data science outputs into production systems and strategic initiatives.

What would ensure success in this role?

• Proven track record in developing and validating credit models, ensuring they meet both regulatory requirements and business performance standards.
• Expertise in regression, classification, ensemble methods, and time-series forecasting through both linear and nonlinear modeling.
• Strong proficiency in Python (or R) and SQL, with hands‑on experience in libraries like scikit-learn, TensorFlow/PyTorch.
• Experience building and managing robust data pipelines, including ETL processes, data cleaning, and integration across disparate systems.
• Familiarity with deploying machine learning models into production environments using cloud platforms (Azure) and containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Proficiency in visualization tools, such as Tableau, to translate complex data insights into clear, actionable business intelligence.
• Knowledge of agile development practices to efficiently manage projects and deliver iterative improvements in dynamic environments.

What can you expect at Bondora?

• Be part of Bondora’s ambitious journey toward 1BN in revenue - your work will have a real impact.
• Enjoy a competitive salary and amazing benefits: 5 weeks of vacation, private healthcare compensation, hobby grant, mental health support, share options, and much more!
• Work in an environment that encourages growth and innovation - with resources and budget for continuous learning.

Our hiring process:

1. Meet Anna, our Recruiter — your first chat to share your story and ambitions.
2. Meet Rafael, Head of Data Science.
3. Tackle a home task to showcase your skills.
4. Discuss your case study with the team.
5. Complete our personality and logic assessments via Alva Labs.
6. Chat with Juris, our Chief Credit Officer.
7. Chat with Martin Sulg, our VP of Engineering.
8. If the stars align — welcome to Bondora!

Join our team of Bondorians, and let’s make it happen!

If you'd like to read how Bondora collects, uses, and protects your personal data during recruitment, please see HERE.