Freelance Data Scientist Risk Jobs in Mount Prospect, IL

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:
Job Description:
Bill Me Later, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of PayPal, Inc., seeks Sr Data Scientist in Chicago, IL
Job Duties: Analyze large, complex datasets to extract actionable insights that inform the project roadmap using advanced proficiency in Python, SQL, and other data science/analytical tools. Translate complex analytical, statistical, and modeling results into actionable, concise insights tailored for a range of stakeholders, including technical and non-technical audiences, using experience handling large, complex data sets and building end-toend data pipelines. Design, develop, and implement robust Machine Learning and/or AI models to support Net Credit Loss (NCL) forecasting, reserve setting, and ongoing model monitoring. Ensure models comply with internal standards and regulatory requirements, including CECL/IFRS9 where applicable. Design and analyze experiments (A/B, holdouts, quasi-experimentation methods) to validate hypotheses and quantify impact on key outcomes with statistical rigor. Enhance and automate existing NCL forecasting processes, driving continuous improvements in accuracy, scalability, and efficiency. Maintain clear documentation and version control of all modeling procedures and code. Partner with Finance, Strategy, Collections, Risk, and Business teams to ensure accurate forecasting, effective stress testing, and appropriate reserve setting. Monitor and validate model performance, manage model risk, and support regular compliance reviews and audits in line with relevant regulatory standards and best practices. Utilize experience with cloud-based solutions and version control (e.g., Git). Link analytical findings to business context, influencing key business decisions, and designing forward-looking strategies for risk mitigation and profit optimization. Partial telecommuting permitted from a commutable distance.
Minimum Requirements: Master's degree, or foreign equivalent, in Computer Science, Data Science, Statistics, Engineering, or a closely related field plus five years of experience in the job offered or a related occupation. Employer will accept a Bachelor's degree, or foreign equivalent, in Computer Science, Data Science, Statistics, Engineering or a closely related field plus seven years of experience in the job offered or a related occupation.
Special Skill Requirements:
1. Experience in developing credit risk models and collection strategies using statistical techniques (5 years)
2. Experience in Python programming for data analysis and machine learning (2 years)
3. Experience in SQL querying and relational database analysis, including complex joins, CTEs, and window functions (5 years)
4. Experience in Machine Learning algorithms including multivariate linear regressions, logistic regression, gradient boosting, decision trees, and XGBoost, and relevant techniques like data cleaning, exploratory data analysis, feature engineering, model evaluation, and hyperparameter tuning to optimize model performance (2 years)
5. Experience in profitability analysis, vintage monitoring and financial performance modeling for consumer credit products (5 years)
6. Experience in developing performance reporting and exceptions monitoring dashboards using data visualization tools including Tableau and Microsoft Excel (5 years)
7. Experience in A/B testing for enhancing collection strategies and portfolio performance (5 years)
8. Experience in Jira for model risk management, project management, and issue tracking (2 years)
9. Experience in cloud-based computing platforms like Snowflake, data pipeline management tools like Apache Airflow, and version control tools like Github (2 years)
10. Experience in end-to-end delivery of machine learning models and collection strategies including requirements, development, deployment, validation, and monitoring (2 years).
Additional Responsibilities & Preferred Qualifications:
EOE, including disability/vets.
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, IL | Salary: $142,210.00-221,500.00 per annum. 40 hours per week; M-F, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Additional compensation for this role may include an annual performance bonus, equity, or other incentive compensation, as applicable. For benefits summary please visit: https://www.paypalbenefits.com.
Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship.
Subsidiary:
PayPal
Travel Percent:
0
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.