Senior Model Risk Validation Lead

Risk Hub; San Francisco, New York, Portland (CA, NY, OR); Hybrid; USD 167,000 - 208,000; Full time

Job summary

Mercury is seeking a Model Risk Manager to build and operate a practical, risk-based Model Risk Management program as we scale and prepare for regulated banking environment. You will perform validations, challenge assumptions, and improve our model inventory and monitoring across risk, data, engineering, product, finance, and audit teams.

This hands-on role moves between technical analysis, regulatory expectations, and business context; success means safe, responsible, and effective use of

Qualifications

• 5+ years in model validation, development, or related risk analytics in banking/fintech.
• Bachelor's in Statistics/Math/CS/Engineering; advanced degree preferred.
• Strong knowledge of model risk principles and SR 26-2 regulatory expectations.
• Experience validating or developing models in BSA/AML, fraud, CECL, capital, liquidity, or credit.
• Proficiency with SQL and Python; ability to analyze models independently.

Responsibilities

• Perform independent validations across credit, fraud, BSA/AML, CECL, finance, liquidity, pricing, and operational risk.
• Evaluate methodology, data quality and lineage, implementation and performance.
• Provide credible challenges to model developers and owners; maintain 1LOD relationships.
• Maintain complete model inventory including ownership, risk rating, dependencies and monitoring.
• Review ongoing monitoring plans and data drift; assess fit-for-purpose of models.
• Evaluate vendor/third-party models; review documentation, performance, limitations.
• Document conclusions, identify issues, and track remediation through resolution.
• Support controlled model use when validation cannot be completed before implementation.
• Develop reporting on model risk, validation coverage, and remediation status.
• Improve Model Risk Management policy, standards, and templates.
• Utilize automation to streamline inventory, testing, monitoring and reporting.
• Coordinate with Data and AI Governance for boundaries with generative AI.

Skills

Model risk management

Quantitative risk analytics

SQL

Python

Regulatory knowledge

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Independent challenge

Education

Bachelor's in Statistics/Math/CS/Engineering

Advanced degree (Master/PhD) preferred

Tools

Haskell

Job description

Mercury is seeking a Model Risk Manager to build and operate a practical, risk-based Model Risk Management program as we scale and prepare for regulated banking environment. You will perform validations, challenge assumptions, and improve our model inventory and monitoring across risk, data, engineering, product, finance, and audit teams.

This hands-on role moves between technical analysis, regulatory expectations, and business context; success means safe, responsible, and effective use of