Senior Data Scientist, Risk

About the role

You will analyze complex financial data and transaction streams to uncover patterns indicative of fraud, credit risk, and compliance concerns within the Found ecosystem. In this position, you will architect and implement scalable risk models that adapt to evolving threats while maintaining a frictionless experience for small business owners. You will serve as the primary data strategist for the Risk team, translating ambiguous business problems into robust analytical frameworks. Your work will directly inform critical decisions that protect the platform and enable responsible growth. You will partner with cross-functional stakeholders to ensure risk strategies are aligned with product objectives and operational realities. Ultimately, you will not only solve immediate risk challenges but also pioneer the methodologies that define Found's risk posture.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Lead the analysis of transaction data, user behavior metrics, and external signals to identify emerging risk vectors and quantify their potential impact on the business.
• Design and develop advanced statistical and machine learning models that power automated decisioning systems for fraud detection, credit assessment, and anomaly identification.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to translate risk requirements into scalable data pipelines and production-ready model deployments that meet stringent latency and accuracy targets.
• Partner with product managers to define risk policies and guardrails that optimize the balance between security and user experience for small business customers.
• Conduct deep dives into suspicious activity patterns, working with operations and compliance to validate findings and recommend actionable remediation steps.
• Create clear visualizations and narrative reports that communicate complex risk metrics and trends to non-technical stakeholders, including leadership and operations teams.
• Establish and monitor key risk indicators (KRIs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of controls and guide iterative improvements.
• Champion data-driven decision making by documenting methodologies, validating results through experimentation, and sharing insights across the data science and risk organizations.
• Evaluate new technologies, data sources, and modeling approaches to enhance the risk management framework and maintain a competitive edge in fintech security.
• Act as a subject matter expert, mentoring junior analysts and data scientists on best practices for risk analysis, data validation, and regulatory considerations.
• Partner with compliance and legal teams to ensure that risk models and policies adhere to relevant financial regulations and industry standards.
• Continuously refine existing risk frameworks by incorporating feedback from stakeholders and lessons learned from real-world incidents.

Requirements

• 7+ years in Analytics or Data Science
• A strong analytical mindset and are comfortable working with large datasets to derive actionable insights. You have experience with SQL, Python, and other analytical software.
• Strong communication skills, the ability to clearly and concisely articulate complex risk issues and recommendations to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Experience effectively influencing and partnering with cross-functional teams to achieve shared goals.

Nice to have

• Previous experience working at a fintech.
• Previous startup experience.
• Prior experience in risk with a fintech or financial services risk role.

Practical notes

• Compensation range is $163,000- $225,000. The salary range listed represents the low and high end of the anticipated salary range for this position across all US locations. Within the range, individual pay is determined by several factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Our competitive base salary is just a piece of Found's total compensation package. Found offers a generous benefits package to all employees see our list below or check out found.com/careers http://found.com/careers to learn more!
• #LI-DNI
• Found is built by a team that comes from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, and we firmly believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are crucial to our success. As we grow, we're searching for passionate and motivated team members who are excited to bring their skill set to the team and are ready to learn from others.
• If you are looking for a role where you will have the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution and great impact, we would love to hear from you!
• 401K, FSA, and Commuter Benefits: We offer all employees access to tax-efficient benefit options alongside competitive base compensation.
• Paid parental leave: Found supports employees through all stages of life, which is why new parents employed by Found qualify for 16 weeks of flexible parental leave.
• Health benefits: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits and are always 100% covered for employees, 90% covered for dependents.
• Work anywhere: We have Found offices in SF and NYC. For team members who work outside those cities, Found also supports fully remote working.
• Meaningful equity: Everyone on our team should feel and act like an owner, which is why Found offers industry-competitive equity to all of our employees.
• Generous vacation policy: Vacations, appointments, mental health days- take the time you need.
• To learn more about our benefits or the team please visit found.com/careers