Staff Machine Learning Model Risk Specialist

Responsibilities

• Partner with Machine Learning teams, GenAI application developers, business sponsors, and other stakeholders to maintain accurate inventories, risk assessments, documentation, monitoring reports, and governance materials for models and GenAI applications affecting Upstart Bank.
• Review methodologies, assumptions, data inputs, system designs, performance measures, controls, and limitations to provide effective challenge and identify areas requiring further analysis or remediation.
• Apply a risk-based approach to evaluate quantitative methods and technologies, including traditional statistical and financial models, machine learning models, and GenAI applications.
• Conduct and document model risk assessments, monitoring reviews, and targeted quantitative analyses supporting internal policies and regulatory expectations.
• Help develop governance approaches for machine learning and GenAI applications.
• Respond to model- and GenAI-related questions from regulators, lending partners, and external stakeholders in collaboration with Machine Learning, business, Legal, Compliance, and partner-facing teams.
• Track model risk issues, remediation plans, program goals, and emerging risks; escalate material findings and recommend practical improvements.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in a quantitative field such as finance, mathematics, economics, statistics, or a related discipline.
• 4+ years of experience in model risk management, model validation, model governance, machine learning, data science, quantitative risk, AI governance, or a related technical risk function.
• Internship or project experience related to model risk management, model validation, machine learning, or data science.
• Basic understanding of AI/ML methodologies such as tree-based models and neural networks.
• General familiarity with GenAI applications.
• Experience coding in R, Python, or similar languages such as Matlab.

Nice-to-haves

• PhD in a quantitative field such as statistics, econometrics, finance, or mathematics.
• 5+ years of experience in model risk management, model governance, ML, data science, risk, trust and safety, or technical writing.
• Familiarity with GenAI evaluation approaches, prompt and system design, retrieval-augmented generation, tool use, guardrails, and ongoing monitoring.
• Experience assessing models used in fraud, compliance, finance, capital and liquidity, servicing, operational risk, or financial reporting.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to adapt technical information to different audiences while managing modeling detail and intellectual property considerations.
• Proactive mindset and ability to take initiative.
• Understanding of model monitoring, fairness, and explainability.
• Advanced coding skills in R, Python, and SQL, with experience using Git.
• Interest in or knowledge of consumer lending, credit risk, model fairness, explainability, or machine learning and GenAI in regulated environments.