Staff Research Scientist

Maya; Manila; On-site; PHP 2,000,000 - 4,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Maya is hiring a senior AI research leader in Manila to drive applied AI across lending, fraud, and operations. You will lead a team of researchers, translate business problems into production-ready AI, and collaborate with Product and Engineering to deploy scalable models.

The role requires advanced degrees in quantitative fields, a proven track record in AI research, and strong publication or conference contributions.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in a quantitative field (Statistics/Math/CS).
• Experience leading and managing Data Science teams.
• Proven track record delivering AI/Data Science solutions in fast-paced environments.
• Publications or research contributions are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead applied AI research across Maya's AI initiatives.
• Translate business problems into production-ready AI solutions.
• Design, prototype, validate, and deploy scalable models.
• Drive adoption of emerging AI technologies (e.g., causal AI).
• Partner with Product, Engineering, and Business to productionize research.
• Lead and grow a high-performing AI research team with mentorship.
• Define and execute research roadmaps aligned with Maya's AI strategy.
• Represent Maya in AI community via publications and conferences.
• Drive improvements in lending, fraud, marketing, and operations through AI.

Skills

Leadership

People management

Stakeholder management

Communication

Presentation

Interpersonal skills

Agile

Project management

Hands-on AI

Team development

Education

Master's degree

PhD

Statistics

Mathematics

Computer Science

Tools

Gurobi

CPLEX

OR-Tools

SCIP

PyTorch

TensorFlow

Job description

Research

Our Mission

Our goal is for everyone to make bolder choices with their finances.

To get there, we're creating an all-in-one ecosystem of financial services for today's generation of goal-getters. That feat takes extraordinary people-those with the guts to challenge the way things are and transform them into something better.

To be part of Team Maya is to be Bolder for Better.

Description

What you will be doing

• Lead applied AI research and develop innovative machine learning, optimization, and data-driven solutions across Maya's AI initiatives.
• Translate complex business problems into production-ready AI, machine learning, and optimization solutions.
• Design, prototype, validate, and deploy scalable models and systems that deliver measurable business impact.
• Drive the adoption of emerging AI technologies and research advancements, including Causal AI and Neuro-symbolic AI.
• Partner closely with Product, Engineering, and Business teams to bring research innovations into production.
• Lead and grow a high-performing AI research team, providing technical direction, mentorship, and strategic leadership.
• Define and execute research roadmaps aligned with business priorities and Maya's AI strategy.
• Represent Maya in the AI research community through academic partnerships, publications, and participation in leading AI/ML conferences.
• Drive improvements across lending, fraud, marketing, and intelligent operations through innovative AI solutions, faster deployment of research, and increased adoption of frontier AI techniques.

What We Are Looking For

• Master's degree or PhD in Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field.
• Experience in Data Science, Machine Learning, AI Research, or a related field.
• Experience leading and managing high-performing Data Science teams.
• Proven track record of delivering impactful AI or Data Science solutions in fast-paced environments.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to design innovative solutions while balancing business, regulatory, and responsible AI requirements.
• Publication record or demonstrated research contributions through conference papers, workshops, or pre-prints is an advantage.

Displayed Skill Mastery

• Proven leadership, people management, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to lead, mentor, and develop high-performing teams.
• Strong communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Experience working in agile environments and managing complex projects.
• Ability to balance hands-on technical contributions with leadership responsibilities across multiple AI research domains.

Specialization Track A: LLMs, Audio Processing & Speech AI

• Experience developing and fine-tuning speech, audio, and language models in research or production environments.
• Strong knowledge of speech recognition, speaker verification, emotion recognition, audio classification, and speech-based behavioral modeling.
• Experience with transformer-based architectures, multimodal learning, self-supervised learning, and representation learning.
• Strong proficiency in PyTorch, TensorFlow, digital signal processing, feature engineering, and deep learning architectures such as Transformers, CNNs, and RNNs.
• Familiarity with Causal AI and Neuro-symbolic AI approaches.
• Background in behavioral science, psychology, psychometrics, or behavioral modeling is a plus.

Specialization Track B: Operations Research & Optimization

• Strong background in Operations Research, Optimization, or Applied Mathematics.
• Experience solving complex optimization problems, including linear programming, mixed-integer programming, multi-objective optimization, scheduling, routing, and resource allocation.
• Experience developing algorithms, heuristics, simulation models, and decision-support systems.
• Proficiency with optimization tools such as Gurobi, CPLEX, OR-Tools, SCIP, or similar platforms.
• Strong understanding of mathematical modeling, algorithms, and computational complexity.

About Us

Maya is the all-in-one money platform that is bringing Filipinos bolderways to master their money.It is powered by a unique integrated financial services ecosystem that addresses the ever-evolving needs of today's generation of moneymakers through cutting edge technology.

We lead millions of Filipinos - consumers, businesses,communities, and government agencies alike - into a version ofthe current digital economy that's more inclusive, transparent,and empowering than ever.

We are powered by the country's only end-to-end digital payments company Maya Philippines, Inc. and Maya Bank, Inc. for digital banking services.

Maya Bank, Inc. and Maya Philippines, Inc. are regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. https://www.bsp.gov.ph/