Lead Data Scientist - Financial Risk

Placements24; Willows (CA); Remote; USD 72,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work stipend

Stock options or equity

Learning and development opportunities

Flexible hours

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a visionary Lead Data Scientist to drive financial risk modeling on a globally remote platform. You will design and deploy ML models for credit risk, fraud detection, and market volatility, while guiding a team of data scientists in a remote-first environment.

The role combines deep technical work with strategic leadership, mentoring analysts, collaborating with product and engineering, and shaping the risk management framework to support scalable fintech services.

Qualifications

• PhD or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related quantitative field.
• Minimum of 7 years of hands‑on experience in data science, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Proven track record of building and deploying machine learning models in a production environment for financial risk applications.
• Expertise in programming languages such as Python or R, and familiarity with libraries like scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch.
• Strong understanding of statistical modeling and ML algorithms.
• Experience with Spark, Hadoop, SQL/NoSQL databases.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management for remote collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development, and deployment of ML models for financial risk assessment.
• Mentor and manage a team of data scientists, providing technical guidance.
• Collaborate with product, engineers, and stakeholders to define DS projects and requirements.
• Develop and maintain robust data pipelines and feature engineering for risk models.
• Evaluate model performance, run A/B tests, iterate for better accuracy and efficiency.
• Stay updated with advances in data science and fintech technologies.
• Communicate complex findings clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Communication

Mentoring

Python/R

Education

PhD or Master’s in CS/Stats/Math

Tools

Spark

Hadoop

TensorFlow

PyTorch

SQL/NoSQL

Python

R

Job description

About the Role

Our client is expanding its pioneering digital banking platform and seeks a visionary Lead Data Scientist to spearhead their financial risk modeling initiatives. This position is fully remote, offering the flexibility to work from anywhere within South Africa. You will be responsible for designing, developing, and deploying advanced machine learning models to predict and mitigate financial risks, including credit risk, fraud detection, and market volatility. This role requires a deep technical background combined with strategic leadership to guide a team of talented data scientists. You will play a crucial role in shaping the company's risk management framework and ensuring the stability and growth of our digital financial services. The ideal candidate is a thought leader in data science with a passion for applying complex algorithms to real-world financial challenges in a remote-first setting.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and implementation of machine learning models for financial risk assessment (credit scoring, fraud detection, AML).
• Mentor and manage a team of data scientists, providing technical guidance and fostering innovation.
• Collaborate with product managers, engineers, and business stakeholders to define data science projects and requirements.
• Develop and maintain robust data pipelines and feature engineering processes for risk models.
• Evaluate model performance, conduct A/B testing, and continuously iterate to improve accuracy and efficiency.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in data science, machine learning, and financial technology.
• Communicate complex findings and model insights clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Requirements

• PhD or Master's degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related quantitative field.
• Minimum of 7 years of hands‑on experience in data science, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Proven track record of building and deploying machine learning models in a production environment, specifically for financial risk applications.
• Expertise in programming languages such as Python or R, and familiarity with relevant libraries (e.g., scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Strong understanding of statistical modeling, machine learning algorithms, and data mining techniques.
• Experience with big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Hadoop) and SQL/NoSQL databases.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills, essential for remote collaboration.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a technical team.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and performance-based bonuses.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• Generous remote work stipend and home office setup support.
• Stock options or equity in a rapidly growing fintech company.
• Opportunities for continued learning, conference attendance, and advanced training.
• Flexible working hours within a fully remote setup.
• A culture that fosters innovation, collaboration, and data-driven decision-making.