Machine Learning Research Intern Jobs in Champaign, IL

ABOUT Synchrony
The Synchrony Emerging Technology Center, located at UIUC's Research Park, focuses on advancing our internal capabilities in artificial intelligence, data science, and other emerging technology domains to create long-term value for our customers. The interns in the program will work closely with our Innovation Station and SMEs to deliver projects for our business stakeholders. Projects can range across multiple disciplines such as basic market and technology research, big data analytics, proof-of-concept creation, data visualization, and software development. When you're here, you're part of the team and we'll expect you to help us raise the bar.
About The Role
DESIRED CHARACTERISTICS:

• The ability to understand the constraints of a problem and identify the tradeoffs
• Exposure to consumer lending or credit risk concepts (credit cards preferred), through coursework or project work.
• Familiarity with big data or distributed computing tools (Hive/Hadoop/Spark/PySpark).
• Interest in predictive modeling / machine learning methods (e.g. linear and logistic regression, tree-based models, clustering, regularization, imputation techniques).
• Experience with data visualization tools (Tableau, Power BI) and/or strong Excel skills (pivot tables, formulas).
• Detail-oriented with good documentation habits and an interest in model governance and controls.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and deliver within timelines in a fast-paced, matrixed environment.
• Understanding Spark and distributed data management systems is highly preferred.
• AWS experience is a plus.
• Libraries: PySpark, pandas, statsmodels, NumPy, Matplotlib.

Requirements

• Must be registered as a full-time student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
• Currently pursuing a Bachelor's, master's or a PhD Degree in Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Economics, Finance, Data Science, or a related quantitative discipline.
• Excellent academic record - Minimum overall 3.0 GPA or higher (must submit transcript with application).
• Must be willing to commit to interning with us for at least 2 consecutive terms (Fall and Spring semester).
• Must be willing to commit to working a minimum of 10 hours and a maximum of 40 hours per week during normal business hours from the office at Research Park, Champaign, IL. during the fall and spring semesters.
• You must be authorized to work in the US on a permanent basis without requiring sponsorship.
• Based on performance, interest, and availability, interns would have the opportunity to continue their internship with us during the school year in a part time capacity.
• Demonstrated experience with Python (preferred) or similar language through coursework, projects, or prior internships.
• Familiarity with basic statistics and analytical methods (i.e. regression, hypothesis testing, sampling, time series basics).
• Comfort working with data (cleaning, joining, aggregating) and large files / datasets.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with ability to explain analyses logically.
• Ability to work independently on defined tasks while collaborating effectively within a team environment.

ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY QUALIFICATIONS:

• You must be 18 years or older.
• Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a background investigation and drug screen.
• You must be able to satisfy the requirements of Section 19 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act.
• Legal authorization to work in the U.S. on a permanent basis without sponsorship is required. We will not sponsor individuals for employment visas, now or in the future, for this job opening.
• All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Responsibilities
We are looking to hire for multiple intern roles with our Credit Model Development team and the Credit Model Operations team. Our assignments offer an array of opportunities to gain valuable hands-on experience. You'll have opportunities across different areas of our team, giving you unique perspectives on how Credit Model Development and Operations fit into the broader business landscape - for example:

• Support the build and maintenance of components of loss forecasting and capital modeling processes (baseline and stress scenarios) using Python/PySpark/SAS and large datasets.
• Assist in data extraction, cleansing, validation, and feature preparation using structured and/or semi-structured data from internal data environments.
• Perform exploratory data analysis to identify patterns and trends in sales, payment, delinquency, and loss behavior.
• Help develop reporting/monitoring dashboards or recurring model health checks (performance trends, stability metrics, data drift indicators).
• Support balance and revenue forecasting analytics through data pulls, summary statistics, and documentation of findings.
• Contribute to automation efforts (e.g. pipeline enhancements, reusable code modules, efficiency improvements).
• Assist with model documentation, including development artifacts, assumptions, limitations, and process notes to support governance reviews.
• Prepare clear summaries, visualizations, and presentation materials for internal discussions with modeling and leadership teams.
• Participate in special projects as assigned (i.e. benchmarking, segmentation studies, attribution analysis, or methodology research).

The internship will be spent working side by side with credit experts where you will apply your theoretical knowledge to complete challenging projects. Exposure to these real-life technical projects will accelerate your career and develop your skills in a cutting-edge global environment.
Reasonable Accommodation Notice:
Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment.
If you need special accommodations, please call our Career Support Line so that we can discuss your specific situation. We can be reached at 1-866-301-5627. Representatives are available from 8am - 5pm Monday to Friday, Central Time.
To apply, send a resume, cover letter, and transcripts to etc@syf.com