## About the Role
Harnham is seeking a **Lead Data Scientist** to work on financial risk modeling within a highly regulated environment. This is a hands-on, Lead-level individual contributor role focused on quantitative modeling, financial and credit datasets, and delivering measurable business outcomes.
The successful candidate will independently own complex Data Science initiatives from problem definition through development, validation, implementation, and measurement of business impact. The role also involves presenting technical work to senior stakeholders and supporting external model audits.
## Key Responsibilities
* Build, evaluate, and validate quantitative models supporting financial and risk decisions.
* Develop models using Python, SQL, statistical techniques, and gradient boosting approaches.
* Work with large-scale financial, credit, payment, and behavioral datasets.
* Own complex Data Science initiatives from problem definition through implementation.
* Translate model performance into measurable financial and dollar impact.
* Develop and validate credit risk, loss probability, behavioral, or comparable financial models.
* Present technical methodology, model results, and recommendations to senior and executive stakeholders.
* Support external model audits and defend methodology, assumptions, validation, and results.
* Evaluate model performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
* Partner with stakeholders to translate business problems into quantitative solutions.
* Provide technical leadership and support to other Data Scientists.
* Identify and quantify high-value opportunities with significant potential financial impact.
## Required Qualifications
* **8+ years** of Data Science, quantitative modeling, or closely related experience.
* Significant finance and risk modeling experience within a regulated industry.
* Advanced Python and SQL skills.
* Strong statistical and mathematical foundation.
* Deep data modeling and quantitative modeling experience.
* Experience developing and evaluating gradient boosting models.
* Experience with credit risk, financial risk, loss modeling, or comparable regulated modeling problems.
* Experience working through external audits and defending models.
* Ability to independently own modeling projects end-to-end.
* Strong communication and presentation skills.
* Experience presenting technical work and model results to senior or executive stakeholders.
* Ability to connect model outputs to measurable financial impact.
* Undergraduate degree in Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Computer Science, Quantitative Engineering, or another strongly quantitative discipline.
## Preferred Qualifications
* Master's degree in Data Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, Computer Science, or another quantitative discipline.
* Credit risk or credit loss modeling experience.
* Probability of Default (PD) modeling.
* Scorecard development.
* Payment behavior or credit attribute modeling.
* Mortgage, home lending, credit card, banking, or credit bureau data experience.
* Experience quantifying large-scale financial opportunities.
* Previous technical leadership or mentoring experience.
## Skills & Competencies
* Data Science
* Financial Risk Modeling
* Quantitative Modeling
* Credit Risk Modeling
* Statistical Modeling
* Mathematical Modeling
* Python
* SQL
* Gradient Boosting
* Data Modeling
* Financial Data Analysis
* Credit & Payment Data
* Model Validation
* Model Performance Evaluation
* Probability of Default (PD)
* Loss Modeling
* Scorecard Development
* Model Audit & Defensibility
* Executive Presentation
* Stakeholder Management
* Technical Leadership
* Mentoring
## Education & Experience
* **Experience:** 8+ years in Data Science, quantitative modeling, or closely related fields.
* **Education:** Undergraduate degree in Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Computer Science, Quantitative Engineering, or another strongly quantitative discipline.
* Master's degree in a quantitative discipline is preferred.
## Work Arrangement & Schedule
* **Work Model:** Hybrid
* **Preferred Location:** Tempe, AZ
* **Additional Locations:** Dallas, TX or Atlanta, GA considered
* **Onsite Requirement:** 4 days onsite, Monday–Thursday.
* **Work Authorization:** U.S. Citizens and Green Card holders only.
## Compensation & Benefits
* **Base Salary:** $140,000–$150,000 per year.
* **Bonus:** 10%.
* Additional benefits are not specified in the provided listing.
## Compliance / Additional Information
* The position operates in a highly regulated environment.
* Model methodology, assumptions, validation, and performance must be defensible and suitable for external audit review.
* This is a Lead-level individual contributor position; direct people management is not required.
* Technical leadership and support for other Data Scientists are expected.
**Apply Now**