Staff Applied Scientist

OhioX; Columbus, Austin, San Francisco (OH, TX, CA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Upstart in Columbus is seeking a Staff Applied Scientist to provide technical leadership across high-impact ML initiatives. You will define scientific approaches to ambiguous problems and influence modeling strategies across teams.

You’ll lead the design and evaluation of advanced modeling approaches to improve predictive performance, robustness, and scalability, and identify opportunities to improve model development and production performance as part of a collaborative, digital-first culture.

Responsibilities

• Define technical direction for complex machine learning initiatives, translating broad business objectives into scientific strategies and measurable outcomes.
• Lead the design and evaluation of advanced modeling approaches that address challenging problems in predictive performance, robustness, and scalability.
• Identify systemic opportunities to improve model development, experimentation, evaluation, and production performance across teams.

Job description

About Upstart

At Upstart, we’re united by a mission that matters: to radically reduce the cost and complexity of borrowing for all Americans. Every day, we bring creativity, experimentation, and advanced AI to reshape access to credit, helping millions move forward financially with clarity and confidence.

As the leading AI lending marketplace, we partner with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit through technology that’s both radically intelligent and deeply human. Our platform runs over one million predictions per borrower using more than 3,000 signals, powering smarter, fairer decisions for millions of customers. But the numbers only hint at the impact. Every idea, every voice, and every contribution moves us closer to a world where credit never stands between people and their financial progress.

We’re proudly digital-first, giving most Upstarters the flexibility to do their best work from wherever they thrive, alongside teammates across 80+ cities in the US and Canada. Digital-first doesn’t mean distant. We’re intentional about in-person connection through team onsites, planning sessions, and moments that spark creativity and trust. And whether you choose to work primarily from home or collaborate in-person from one of our offices in Columbus, Austin, the Bay Area, or New York City, you’ll have the support to work in the way that works best for you.

If you’re energized by tackling meaningful problems, excited to innovate with purpose, and motivated by work that truly matters, we’d love to hear from you.

The Team

Upstart’s Machine Learning team advances the scientific methods and predictive systems that power our AI-driven lending marketplace. The team combines applied research, large-scale modeling, and cross-functional collaboration to improve decision quality, model reliability, and the effectiveness of our lending platform.

As a Staff Applied Scientist at Upstart, you will provide technical leadership across complex, high-impact machine learning initiatives. You will define scientific approaches to ambiguous problems, influence modeling strategy across teams, and establish methods that improve the performance and reliability of our machine learning systems.

How you’ll make an impact

• Define technical direction for complex machine learning initiatives, translating broad business objectives into scientific strategies and measurable outcomes.
• Lead the design and evaluation of advanced modeling approaches that address challenging problems in predictive performance, robustness, and scalability.
• Identify systemic opportunities to improve model development, experimentation, evaluation, and production performance across teams.