Sr Data Scientist

The Company

PayPal has been revolutionizing commerce globally for more than 25 years. Creating innovative experiences that make moving money, selling, and shopping simple, personalized, and secure, PayPal empowers consumers and businesses in approximately 200 markets to join and thrive in the global economy. 

We operate a global, two-sided network at scale that connects hundreds of millions of merchants and consumers. We help merchants and consumers connect, transact, and complete payments, whether they are online or in person. PayPal is more than a connection to third-party payment networks. We provide proprietary payment solutions accepted by merchants that enable the completion of payments on our platform on behalf of our customers.

We offer our customers the flexibility to use their accounts to purchase and receive payments for goods and services, as well as the ability to transfer and withdraw funds. We enable consumers to exchange funds more safely with merchants using a variety of funding sources, which may include a bank account, a PayPal or Venmo account balance, PayPal and Venmo branded credit products, a credit card, a debit card, certain cryptocurrencies, or other stored value products such as gift cards, and eligible credit card rewards.  Our PayPal, Venmo, and Xoom products also make it safer and simpler for friends and family to transfer funds to each other. We offer merchants an end-to-end payments solution that provides authorization and settlement capabilities, as well as instant access to funds and payouts. We also help merchants connect with their customers, process exchanges and returns, and manage risk. We enable consumers to engage in cross-border shopping and merchants to extend their global reach while reducing the complexity and friction involved in enabling cross-border trade. 

Our beliefs are the foundation for how we conduct business every day.  We live each day guided by our core values of Inclusion, Innovation, Collaboration, and Wellness. Together, our values ensure that we work together as one global team with our customers at the center of everything we do – and they push us to ensure we take care of ourselves, each other, and our communities.

Job Summary:

This role leads data-driven risk strategy development and analytics to support PayPal's Small and Medium Business (SMB) portfolio. You will partner with cross-functional teams—including Risk Products, Decision Science, Modeling, Fraud Operations, and Engineering—to define requirements, evaluate model performance, and translate analytical insights into actionable risk strategies. Your work will directly impact fraud prevention, credit risk management, and merchant onboarding strategies across global markets.

Job Description:

Essential Responsibilities:

• Lead the development and implementation of advanced data science models.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to understand requirements.
• Drive best practices in data science.
• Ensure data quality and integrity in all processes.
• Mentor and guide junior data scientists.
• Stay updated with the latest trends in data science.

Expected Qualifications:

• 3+ years relevant experience and a Bachelor’s degree OR Any equivalent combination of education and experience.

Additional Responsibilities & Preferred Qualifications:

Additional Responsibilities:
Risk Strategy & Analytics

• Lead the development and implementation of risk strategies for SMB acquisition, onboarding, and portfolio management that balance risk/reward trade-offs

• Conduct thorough analysis using large-scale transactional and behavioral datasets to derive insights that inform strategic decisions

• Define requirements and provide input to modeling teams for fraud detection, credit risk, and merchant risk scoring models

• Evaluate model outputs and performance, providing feedback to modeling teams to drive continuous improvement

• Design strategies to mitigate third-party fraud, first-party abuse, and money movement risks

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with SMB business leaders, Product, Engineering, and Modeling teams to execute on the risk management roadmap

• Serve as the liaison between business stakeholders and technical modeling teams, translating business needs into model requirements

• Translate complex analytical findings into actionable recommendations for technical and non-technical stakeholders

• Collaborate with model validation and regulatory teams to ensure compliance with applicable requirements

Portfolio Monitoring & Reporting

• Set up and maintain detailed portfolio monitoring frameworks to track volume, strategy performance, and emerging risk trends

• Conduct ongoing performance reviews with senior leadership, providing insights via reporting leveraging internal and external data

• Identify fraud pressure and work with peers to mitigate risks with a high level of urgency

• Perform sensitivity testing and scenario analysis to optimize strategy and manage credit exposure

Technical Leadership

• Drive best practices in data analysis methodology, documentation, and governance

• Ensure data quality and integrity across all analytical processes

• Mentor and develop junior data scientists, fostering a culture of continuous learning and technical excellence

• Stay current with emerging trends in risk analytics, payments, and fintech innovation

Expected Qualifications

Required

• 3+ years of relevant experience in risk analytics, data science, or quantitative analysis within fintech, payments, or financial services

• Bachelor's degree in a quantitative field (Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, or related discipline); Master's degree preferred

• Strong proficiency in SQL and Python for data analysis and manipulation

• Experience analyzing large-scale datasets to develop risk strategies and business recommendations

• Deep understanding of statistical analysis techniques and ability to interpret model outputs

• Experience with data visualization and reporting tools (Tableau, Looker, or similar)

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to convey complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences and influence cross-functional partners

Preferred

• Experience with payment systems, money movement products, and merchant risk management

• Familiarity with fraud typologies (synthetic ID, account takeover, transaction fraud) and mitigation strategies

• Knowledge of credit risk concepts including underwriting, portfolio management, and collections

• Familiarity with regulatory frameworks related to consumer and SMB acquisition (AML, KYC)

• Experience providing requirements and feedback to modeling teams

• Track record of building and maintaining relationships with cross-functional stakeholders

• Prior experience in a fast-paced, high-growth fintech environment

Key Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple projects simultaneously

• High intellectual curiosity and commitment to continuous learning

• Demonstrated ability to influence decision-making through data-driven insights

• Collaborative mindset with ability to influence without direct authority

Subsidiary:

PayPal

Travel Percent:

0

-

The base pay for this role will depend on where you work and the relevant experience and expertise you bring. The expected range of pay for this role by location is:

Primary Location | Pay Range:

Chicago, Illinois | ($130,500.00 - $193,600.00 Annually)

Additional Location(s) | Pay Range:

Scottsdale, Arizona | ($123,500.00 - $183,700.00 Annually)

Additional compensation for this role may include an annual performance bonus, equity, or other incentive compensation, as applicable.

PayPal does not charge candidates any fees for courses, applications, resume reviews, interviews, background checks, or onboarding. When making an application directly, we will never ask you to share passwords, one-time passcodes (OTP), or verification codes.  Any such request is a red flag and likely part of a scam. All communication regarding your application will come from official PayPal email domains. If you suspect fraudulent activity, please report it immediately.  To learn more about how to identify and avoid recruitment fraud please visit https://careers.pypl.com/contact-us. 

For the majority of employees, PayPal's balanced hybrid work model offers 3 days in the office for effective in-person collaboration and 2 days at your choice of either the PayPal office or your home workspace, ensuring that you equally have the benefits and conveniences of both locations.

Our Benefits:

At PayPal, we’re committed to building an equitable and inclusive global economy. And we can’t do this without our most important asset-you. That’s why we offer comprehensive, choice-based programs, to support all aspects of personal wellbeing—physical, emotional, and financial—delivering meaningful value where it matters most. We strive to create a flexible, balanced work culture with a holistic approach to benefits, including generous paid time off, healthcare coverage for you and your family, and resources to create financial security and support your mental health.

Who We Are:

Click Here to learn more about our culture and community.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion 

PayPal provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.  In addition, PayPal will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.  If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at paypalglobaltalentacquisition@paypal.com.

Belonging at PayPal: 

Our employees are central to advancing our mission, and we strive to create an environment where everyone can do their best work with a sense of purpose and belonging. Belonging at PayPal means creating a workplace with a sense of acceptance and security where all employees feel included and valued. We are proud to have a diverse workforce reflective of the merchants, consumers, and communities that we serve, and we continue to take tangible actions to cultivate inclusivity and belonging at PayPal.

Any general requests for consideration of your skills, please Join our Talent Community.

We know the confidence gap and imposter syndrome can get in the way of meeting spectacular candidates. Please don’t hesitate to apply.