Lead Data Scientist - Fraud (Hybrid)

Enova International; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 106,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) matching

Paid time off

Sabbatical program

Summer hours

Paid parental leave

DEI groups

Employee recognition

Charitable matching

Volunteer day

Job summary

Enova International, a leading fintech, is seeking a Lead Data Scientist for its Fraud Analytics team. You will develop and deploy fraud models, surface emerging trends, and work with Fraud Operations to refine features based on investigations.

Our 100-strong analytics department drives data-driven decision making, enabling fast, trustworthy credit. The role offers a hybrid schedule with in-office Tue–Thu and remote options on Mon/Fri.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of analytics, applied machine learning, or quantitative modeling.
• Hands-on fraud experience — fraud analytics, fraud strategy, or risk modeling in fintech or lending.
• Advanced Python and SQL; ownership of models end-to-end on large-scale transactional data.
• Track record of translating analysis into business strategy and communicating with senior stakeholders.
• Previous leadership experience mentoring teammates and shaping priorities.

Responsibilities

• Develop, deploy, and monitor models and pattern-recognition algorithms to detect fraud trends across lending products.
• Write Python programs for data analysis and predictive modeling; query large datasets in SQL.
• Collaborate with Fraud Operations through the full detection loop to refine features and reduce false positives/negatives.
• Conduct ad hoc analyses on large datasets to scope new fraud trends and recommend risk/verification strategies.
• Communicate findings to cross-functional partners and support implementation.
• Help improve underwriting and verification processes from a fraud-risk perspective.
• Apply AI in production to streamline fraud prevention processes.
• Manage team members and coordinate their work with business priorities.

Skills

Analytics experience

Fraud analytics

Python

SQL

Model deployment

Leadership

Stakeholder communication

Tools

Colossus platform

Job description

We are interested in every qualified candidate who is eligible to work in the United States. However, we are not able to sponsor visas or take over sponsorship at this time.

About the role:

Staying a step ahead of fraudsters takes an inquisitive mind, an appetite to dig deeper, and the imagination to shed new light on how we fight fraud — and here, it all starts with data. As a Lead Data Scientist on Enova's Fraud Analytics team, you'll be the quantitative engine of our fraud prevention effort. You'll develop, enhance, and test the models and pattern-recognition pipelines that surface emerging fraud trends across our lending products — then work hand-in-hand with our Fraud Operations team, who investigate the individual applications your models flag. Their findings (the false positives and false negatives) come back to you to sharpen the identifying characteristics and pivot the approach. It's a fast, iterative loop, and you sit at the center of it.

The broader Enova Analytics department consists of 100 quantitative professionals dedicated to using the latest cutting-edge techniques to drive business value: providing customers with access to fast, trustworthy credit while managing risk. Our company-wide, data-driven culture means you spend less time presenting and more time on the fun part: crunching data.

Key responsibilities:

• Develop, deploy, and monitor models and pattern-recognition algorithms to detect emerging and shifting fraud trends across one or more lending products
• Write customized programs in Python for meaningful data analysis and predictive modeling, and query large, complex datasets in SQL
• Partner closely with Fraud Operations through the full detection loop — pulling data together, surfacing suspicious patterns, and incorporating their investigation results to refine features and reduce false positives/negatives
• Conduct ad hoc analysis on large, complex datasets to scope new or changing fraud trends and recommend risk, verification, and operational strategies
• Communicate findings clearly to cross-functional partners, provide requirements, and support implementation
• Help improve underwriting and verification processes from a fraud-risk perspective
• Apply AI in production applications to streamline fraud prevention processes
• Manage team members, and help coordinate their work with business priorities.

Requirements:

• 5+ years of experience in analytics, applied machine learning, or quantitative modeling
• Hands-on fraud experience required — fraud analytics, fraud strategy, or risk modeling, ideally in fintech or lending
• Advanced Python and SQL; experience owning models end-to-end — design through deployment and monitoring — on large-scale transactional data
• Track record of translating analysis into business strategy and communicating with senior stakeholders
• Previous leadership experience mentoring teammates, driving team initiatives, and shaping priorities.

Compensation:

The budgeted annual salary range for this position is$106,000 to $140,000. Actual annual salary will be determined based on qualifications, skills, experience, and level assessed during the hiring process and may fall outside of the range shown. Additional compensation for this role may include a bonus. All full-time employees are eligible to participate in Company benefits, described in more detailhere .

• Our hybrid roles require in-office work Tuesday through Thursday, with remote flexibility on Mondays and Fridays. This schedule fosters collaboration, team connection, and strategic planning, enhancing communication and effectiveness to drive results.
• Health, dental, and vision insurance including mental health benefits
• 401(k) matching plus a roth option (U.S. Based employees only)
• PTO & paid holidays off
• Sabbatical program (for eligible roles)
• Summer hours (for eligible roles)
• Paid parental leave
• DEI groups (B.L.A.C.K. @ Enova, HOLA @ Enova, Women @ Enova, Pride @ Enova, South Asians @ Enova, APEX @ Enova, and Parents @ Enova)
• Employee recognition and rewards program
• Charitable matching and a paid volunteer day…Plus so much more!

About Enova

Enova International is a leading financial technology company that provides online financial services through our AI and machine learning-powered Colossus™platform. We serve non-prime consumers and businesses alike, while offering world-class technology and services to traditional banks—in order to create accessible credit for millions.

Being a values-driven organization is at the core of Enova’s success. We live our values by listening to our customers, challenging assumptions, thinking big, setting high expectations, and hiring and developing the best. Through our values and our commitment to making Enova an awesome place to work, we maintain an environment of inclusion and culture where our employees can thrive. You can learn more about Enova’s values and culture here .

It is our policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all persons and not discriminate in employment decisions by placing the most qualified person in each job, without regard to any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law. California Applicants: Click here to review our California Privacy Policy for Job Applicants.