Lead Data Scientist

About Pagaya

Pagaya is a global technology company making life-changing financial products and services available to more people nationwide, as it reshapes the financial services ecosystem. By using machine learning, a vast data network and a sophisticated AI-driven approach, Pagaya provides comprehensive consumer credit and residential real estate solutions for its partners, their customers, and investors. Its proprietary API and capital solutions integrate into its network of partners to deliver seamless user experiences and greater access to the mainstream economy. Pagaya has offices in New York and Tel Aviv. For more information, visit pagaya.com .

About the Role

Help shape the next generation of auto lending. As a Lead Data Scientist, you’ll own strategic, hands-on research that improves credit decisions, loan offers and portfolio performance—and mentor researchers across the department.

You’ll develop models and optimization algorithms that help lenders compete, find financing structures borrowers can close, and deliver compelling offers in the dealership marketplace. You’ll also help build AI-powered research agents that accelerate experimentation and dis

Key Responsibilities

• Advance credit models: Build and deploy predictive models using credit bureau, alternative and vehicle data.
• Optimize loan offers: Balance pricing, terms, down payments, conversion and portfolio risk.
• Improve underwriting: Evaluate data providers and develop models for fraud detection, income verification and reduced manual review.
• Accelerate research with AI: Develop research agents for data exploration, experimentation and model diagnostics.
• Lead research into production: Mentor data scientists, guide technical reviews and measure model impact after deployment.

Requirements

• 8+ years of hands-on machine learning experience, particularly predictive modeling with tabular data.
• B.Sc, M.Sc. or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Engineering, Physics or a related quantitative field.
• Strong Python and data science skills, deep foundations in applied statistics, and experience in mathematical optimization.
• A track record of translating research into production systems and measurable business results.
• Strong communication, collaboration and mentoring skills, with an independent, curious approach to problem-solving.

An Advantage

• Experience in consumer credit or auto lending, fraud and verification, alternative data evaluation, AI agents, model explainability or fair lending.

Our Team

Pagaya was founded in 2016 by seasoned research, finance, and technology entrepreneurs, and we are now 500+ strong in New York, Los Angeles, and Tel Aviv.

We move fast and smart, identifying new opportunities and building end-to-end solutions from AI models and unique data sources. Every Pagaya team member is solving new and exciting challenges every day in a culture based on partnership, collaboration, and community.

Join a team of builders who are working every day to enable better outcomes for our partners and their customers.

Our Values

Our values are at the heart of everything we do. We believe great solutions are built through a great community.

• Advance Inclusion - We create a world where everyone can win, designing systems that better represent people and generate sustainable value for our employees, partners and investors.
• Be Accountable Together - We proudly own our actions and our results, taking initiative to ensure our work gets over the finish line as a team.
• Continuously Learn - We challenge ourselves for the sake of getting better as individuals, as teams, and as an organization to deliver for our partners.
• Debate and Commit - We respectfully and openly debate to strengthen our ideas and build shared conviction - once we decide, we go all in, together.
• Dream Big and Act - We boldly tackle complex problems, pressure-test solutions in real-time, and adapt with speed and energy.

More than just a job

We believe health, happiness, and productivity go hand-in-hand. That's why we're continually looking to enhance the ways we support you with benefits programs and perks that allow every Pagayan to do the best work of their life.

Pagaya is an equal opportunity employer. Pagaya is encouraging diversity and actively seeking applicants from all backgrounds, as are committed to creating a diverse workforce together with an inclusive environment for all. Employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, skills, and business needs.

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