Data Scientist Senior

About the role

USAA is a company dedicated to empowering its members for financial security. We are looking for a Senior Data Scientist who can leverage advanced analytics and AI to drive strategic business decisions.

Responsibilities

• Gathers, interprets, and manipulates structured and unstructured data to enable advanced analytical solutions for the business.
• Selects the appropriate modeling technique and/or technology with consideration to data limitations, application, and business needs.
• Develops scalable, automated solutions using machine learning, simulation, and optimization to deliver business insights and business value.
• Develops and deploys models within the Model Development Control (MDC) and Model Risk Management (MRM) framework.
• Composes, and assists peers with composing, technical documents for knowledge persistence, risk management, and technical review audiences.
• Serves as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, translating complex model insights, forecast results, and risk implications into clear, actionable recommendations.
• Builds and maintains a robust library of reusable, production-quality algorithms and supporting code, to ensure model development and research efforts are transparent and based on the highest quality data.
• Manages project milestones, risks, and impediments.
• Escalates potential issues that could limit project success or implementation.
• Maintains expertise and awareness of cutting-edge techniques.
• Actively seeks opportunities and materials to learn new techniques, technologies, and methodologies.
• Serves as a mentor to junior data scientists in modeling, analytics, and computer science tasks.
• Participates in internal communities that drive the maintenance and transformation of data science technologies and culture.
• Ensures risks associated with business activities are effectively identified, measured, monitored, and controlled in accordance with risk and compliance policies and procedures.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mathematics, Computer Science, Statistics, Economics, Finance, Actuarial Science, Science, Engineering, or quantitative field; OR 4 years of relevant education and/or experience.
• Advanced Degree (e.g., Master's, PhD) in mathematics, computer science, statistics, economics, finance, actuarial sciences, science and engineering, or other similar quantitative discipline and 4 years of experience in predictive analytics or data analysis.
• 4 years of experience in training and validating statistical, physical, machine learning, and other advanced analytics models.
• 4 years of experience in one or more dynamic scripted language (such as Python, R, etc.) for performing statistical analyses and/or building and scoring AI/ML models.
• Proven experience writing code that is easy to follow, well documented, and commented where necessary to explain logic (high code transparency).
• Strong experience in querying and preprocessing data from structured and/or unstructured databases using query languages such as SQL, HQL, NoSQL, etc.
• Demonstrated skill in performing ad-hoc analytics using descriptive, diagnostic, and inferential statistics.
• Ability to assess and articulate regulatory implications and expectations of distinct modeling efforts.
• Advanced experience with the concepts and technologies associated with classical supervised modeling for prediction such as linear/logistic regression, discriminant analysis, support vector machines, decision trees, forest models, etc.
• Experience guiding and mentoring junior technical staff in business interactions and model building.
• Experience communicating analytical and modeling results to non-technical business partners with emphasis on business recommendations and actionable applications of results.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or Ph.D. in Mathematics, Economics, Statistics, Finance, Data Science, Actuarial Science, or a related quantitative discipline.
• Strong quantitative foundation with demonstrated experience in economic forecasting, statistical analysis, predictive modeling, and advanced analytical techniques.
• Advanced programming and data engineering skills, including proficiency in Python, R, and Snowflake, with experience developing, automating, and maintaining analytical and forecasting solutions.
• Experience within a large financial services, banking, insurance, or consulting organization, supporting complex financial, risk management, forecasting, or regulatory initiatives.
• Proven ability to analyze large and complex datasets, develop actionable insights, and apply quantitative methodologies to solve strategic business challenges.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to translate complex technical concepts and analytical findings into clear, concise, and actionable recommendations for executive, business, and regulatory audiences.
• Familiarity with regulatory expectations, model governance frameworks, and risk management practices within highly regulated financial institutions.

Skills

• Advanced programming and data engineering skills, including proficiency in Python, R, and Snowflake.
• Experience within a large financial services, banking, insurance, or consulting organization.
• Strong quantitative foundation with experience in economic forecasting, statistical analysis, predictive modeling, and advanced analytical techniques.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Familiarity with regulatory expectations and risk management practices.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans.
• 401(k) plan.
• Pension plan.
• Life insurance.
• Parental benefits.
• Adoption assistance.
• Paid time off program with paid holidays plus 16 paid volunteer hours.
• Variety of wellness programs.
• Career path planning and continuing education.

Pay

The salary range for this position is: $150,960 - $288,530.

Schedule

This position can be based in one of the following locations: San Antonio, TX, Plano, TX, Phoenix, AZ, Colorado Springs, CO, Charlotte, NC, or Tampa, FL.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans.
• 401(k) plan.
• Pension plan.
• Life insurance.
• Parental benefits.
• Adoption assistance.
• Paid time off program with paid holidays plus 16 paid volunteer hours.
• Variety of wellness programs.
• Career path planning and continuing education.