Purpose of Job

About USAA
USAA knows what it means to serve. We facilitate the financial security of millions of U.S. military members and their families. This singular mission requires a dedication to innovative thinking at every level.

Data Scientist Lead uses sophisticated techniques that integrate traditional and non-traditional datasets to enable analytical solutions. Applies predictive analytics, machine learning, simulation, and optimization techniques to generate management insights and enable customer-facing applications; Builds analytical solutions improving internal and external applications to deliver value and build competitive advantage; Leads initiatives and influences system architecture to enable automated intelligent solutions. Translates sophisticated analytical and technical concepts to senior management to enable business decisions; Maintains relationships with academic and industry leaders with vision to ensure enterprise has access to groundbreaking thinking and technologies.

USAA values a culture that is highly collaborative, and we have found that a hybrid work type helps employees gain the best of both worlds – collaborating in-person in the office and working from home. The actual onsite days are settled between each employee and the employee’s manager. Candidates are encouraged to live a commutable distance from one of our offices in San Antonio, TX, Phoenix, AZ, Tampa, FL, Charlotte, NC. Remote Opportunity is available for this role.

Job Requirements

• Identifies and leads existing and emerging risks that stem from business activities and the job role.
• Ensures risks associated with business activities are effectively identified, measured, supervised, and controlled.
• Follows written risk and compliance policies, standards, and procedures for business activities.
• Partners with business leaders across the organization to assess business needs, define business problems and develop a research agenda; leads cross functional, matrixed teams to solve highly sophisticated work critical to the organization.
• Designs and builds large and sophisticated information sets; Integrates and extracts relevant information from large amounts of both structured and unstructured data (internal and external) to enable analytical solutions.
• Leads and conducts sophisticated analytics demonstrating predictive modeling, machine learning, simulation, optimization, and other techniques to deliver insights or develop analytical solutions to achieve business objectives.
• Leads efforts to develop scalable, efficient, automated solutions for large scale data analyses, model development, model validation and model implementation.
• Works with IT to translate prototypes into new products, services, and features and provide guidelines for large-scale implementation.
• Builds and maintains a robust library of reusable algorithms and supporting code, such that research efforts are based on the highest quality data, are transparently conducted, and can be productionized and are reproducible.
• Provides mentorship regarding analytical approach and iteration of algorithms to team members.
• Translates sophisticated analytical and technical concepts to senior management and non-technical employees to enable understanding and drive informed business decisions.
• Develops and maintains academic and industry relationships for the purposes of research; interacts with internal and external peers and management to maintain expertise and awareness of groundbreaking techniques, technologies, and potential business solutions.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Quantitative Economics, Statistics, or related field; OR 6 years of related experience (in addition to the minimum years of experience required) may be substituted in lieu of degree.
• 8 years in predictive modeling, large data analysis and computer science.
• Experience in stochastic modeling, machine learning, and other sophisticated mathematical techniques (e.g., neural nets, simulation, graph analysis).
• Expert in at least one compiled language (e.g., Java, C or more) and one dynamic scripting language (Python, PERL, Ruby).
• A strong track record of communicating results, insights, and technical solutions to Senior Executive Management (or equivalent).
• Extensive background in data mining and statistical analysis.
• Excellent pattern recognition and predictive modeling skills.
• Knowledge and application of Data Science principals and experience with data science methodologies.
• Experience with the following statistical and predictive modeling approaches: Gaussian Process; Markov Models; Hierarchical Clustering; K-Means; Linear Regression; Logistic Regression; Monte Carlo Simulation; Neural Networks.
• Extensive technical skills, consulting experience, and business savvy to collaborate with all levels and fields within our customers’ organization.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate ideas with team members and/or business leaders to convey and present very technical information to an audience that may have little or no understanding of technical concepts in data science.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Excellent technical skills, including proficiency in tools such as Gitlab/Github/csv/svn as a version control tool, proficiency in packages such as pip/pipenv/poetry/conda for environment management, and proficiency in packages such as airflow/luigi for workflow management
• 4+ years of experience applying key concepts in computer science, software engineering, algorithms, computing, and statistics to problem solving
• 4+ years of proven experience or background in financial markets, consumer financial behavior, macroeconomics, or deposits products
• 4+ years in demonstrating ability, flexibility, and creativity in solving open questions and unsolved problems in analytics and data science

The above description reflects the details considered necessary to describe the principal functions of the job and should not be construed as a detailed description of all the work requirements that may be performed in the job.

Compensation:

USAA has an effective process for assessing market data and establishing ranges to ensure we remain competitive. You are paid within the salary range based on your experience and market position. The salary range for this position is: $135,200 – $243,500.

Employees may be eligible for pay incentives based on overall corporate and individual performance or at the discretion of the USAA Board of Directors.

*Geographical Differential: Geographic pay differential is additional pay provided to eligible employees working in locations where market pay levels are above the national average.

Shift premium will be addressed on an individual basis for applicable roles that are consistently scheduled for non-core hours.

Benefits:

At USAA our employees enjoy best-in-class benefits to support their physical, financial, and emotional wellness. These benefits include comprehensive medical, dental and vision plans, 401(k), pension, life insurance, parental benefits, adoption assistance, paid time off program with paid holidays plus 16 paid volunteer hours, and various wellness programs. Additionally, our career path planning, and continuing education assists employees with their professional goals.

To see details on our outstanding benefits, visit USAA Total Rewards.

Relocation assistance is not available for this position.