Staff Applied Scientist
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Nov 11, 2026. First seen by Alion on Nov 11, 2026. Upstart scores A on the Alion truth index.
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.
- Partner with scientific, engineering, and business leaders to influence technical priorities and guide decisions involving complex modeling tradeoffs.
- Establish scientific best practices, provide technical mentorship, and raise the quality and consistency of machine learning work across the organization.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
- 4 years of experience developing machine learning models or applying advanced statistical methods to complex quantitative problems.
- Experience leading the technical design and implementation of machine learning solutions used in production environments.
- Experience applying advanced machine learning methods and statistical evaluation techniques to large-scale datasets.
- Experience defining technical approaches or architecture for machine learning initiatives involving multiple stakeholders or systems.
Preferred Qualifications
- Advanced degree, ideally a PhD, in mathematics, applied mathematics, statistics, physics, econometrics, operations research, computer science, or a related quantitative field.
- Knowledge of advanced machine learning techniques, including deep learning, ensemble methods, or probabilistic modeling.
- Ability to evaluate complex tradeoffs involving predictive performance, interpretability, scalability, and model reliability.
- Experience establishing modeling frameworks, evaluation standards, or reusable scientific tools adopted across teams.
- Skills in influencing technical direction, mentoring scientists, and communicating scientific recommendations to senior stakeholders.
Position location
This role is available in the following locations: Remote
Travel requirements
As a digital first company, the majority of your work can be accomplished remotely. The majority of our employees can live and work anywhere in the U.S or Canada (outside of Quebec) but are expected to spend high quality time in-person collaborating via regular onsites and in-person meetings. The onsite cadence varies depending on the team and role; most teams meet once or twice per quarter for 2-4 consecutive days at a time.
At Upstart, your base pay is one part of your total compensation package. The anticipated base salary for this position is expected to be within the below range. Your actual base pay will depend on your geographic location-with our “digital first” philosophy, Upstart uses compensation regions that vary depending on location. Individual pay is also determined by job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.
In addition, Upstart provides employees with target bonuses, equity compensation, and generous benefits packages (including medical, dental, vision, and 401k).
Canada | Remote - Anticipated Base Salary Range
$199,500—$276,000 USD
What you'll love
At Upstart, our benefits for full-time employees are designed to support your health, financial well-being, family, and personal growth. Here’s what you can expect:
- Competitive compensation, including base pay, bonus opportunities, and annual equity grants that vest quarterly
- Retirement benefits to help you plan for the future, including a 401(k) or Group Retirement Savings Plan with a company match of $2 for every $1 contributed, up to $15,000 annually (USD in the US, CAD in Canada)
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) with discounted stock purchase options for eligible employees (US only)
- Comprehensive health coverage designed to support you and your family, including medical, dental, vision, and wellness resources for US and supplemental health coverage for Canada.
- Health Savings Account contributions from Upstart for eligible plans (US only)
- Income protection benefits, including life insurance and disability coverage for added financial security
- Paid time off, sick leave, and company holidays, in line with local requirements
- Paid family and parental leave to support caregiving and major life moments (duration varies by country)
- Family-centered benefits to support fertility, parenthood, and caregiving needs
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering mental health support and life-centered resources
- Financial wellness resources, including access to financial planning tools and a financial concierge service (US Only)
- Annual wellness allowance to support your physical and emotional well-being and personal development, based on what matters most to you
- Annual productivity allowance to invest in relevant tools and resources you need to do your best work, no matter where you work from
- Connection and community through team events, all-company updates, and employee resource groups (ERGs)
- Onsite perks, including catered lunches and fully stocked micro-kitchens when working from one of our offices in the Bay Area, Austin, Columbus, and New York City
For roles based in Canada, please note that we are not currently able to hire in Quebec.
Upstart is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer. Just as we are dedicated to improving access to affordable credit for all, we are committed to inclusive and fair hiring practices.
If you require reasonable accommodation in completing an application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please email [email protected]