Senior Manager, Machine Learning - Small Dollar Loans & Cash Line

Upstart

8h•Remote

About The Position

At Upstart, we’re united by a mission that matters: to radically reduce the cost and complexity of borrowing for all Americans. Every day, we bring creativity, experimentation, and advanced AI to reshape access to credit, helping millions move forward financially with clarity and confidence. As the leading AI lending marketplace, we partner with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit through technology that’s both radically intelligent and deeply human. Our platform runs over one million predictions per borrower using more than 1,800 signals, powering smarter, fairer decisions for millions of customers. But the numbers only hint at the impact. Every idea, every voice, and every contribution moves us closer to a world where credit never stands between people and their financial progress. We’re proudly digital-first, giving most Upstarters the flexibility to do their best work from wherever they thrive, alongside teammates across 80+ cities in the US and Canada. Digital-first doesn’t mean distant. We’re intentional about in-person connection through team onsites, planning sessions, and moments that spark creativity and trust. And whether you choose to work primarily from home or collaborate in-person from one of our offices in Columbus, Austin, the Bay Area, or New York City (opening Summer 2026), you’ll have the support to work in the way that works best for you. If you’re energized by tackling meaningful problems, excited to innovate with purpose, and motivated by work that truly matters, we’d love to hear from you. Upstart’s Small Dollar Loans (SDL) and Cash Line ML teams sits at the center of our mission to expand access to credit for those who need it most. SDL provides short-term personal loans; Cash Line, our soon-to-launch subscription-based line of credit, offers ongoing flexibility for customers often left out of traditional lending. Both products aim to ease financial strain and improve long-term outcomes for underserved borrowers. This high-performing team of scientists and engineers, soon to be led by you, builds and refines the core underwriting and pricing models behind these products. These are Upstart’s most innovative and experimental systems - applying ML not only to predict credit risk but also to optimize the costs of lending so we can expand approvals while keeping borrowing affordable. You’ll advance these systems end-to-end: improving risk separation, refining cost models, and designing the decision logic that translates model outputs into customer-facing decisions. You’ll also lead 0→1 efforts that establish new ML capabilities, particularly for Cash Line. You’ll collaborate closely with GMs, Product, and Engineering to drive these products from experimentation to scale.

Requirements

6+ years of experience developing and deploying machine learning models in production with direct customer and financial impact.
Proven track record of leading high-impact ML initiatives from research through productionization.
Advanced degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Economics or a related field.
Strong technical judgment and ability to dive deep into model design, data analysis, and evaluation.
Keen statistical, economic and business intuition, and comfort with reasoning under uncertainty and data limitations.
Knowledge of production ML, ability to adapt to new tech stacks and get in the weeds of work output from the team.
Excited and able to make direct technical contributions when needed.
Exceptional leadership skills with experience developing teams of highly technical ML scientists.
Attract, mentor, and grow a top-tier team of ML scientists passionate about expanding access to credit.
Proven ability to influence and collaborate cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, Capital Markets and other teams.
Strong project management skills with experience scaling processes and operational workflows.

Nice To Haves

PhD in Computer Science, Statistics, Economics or a related field.
Proven success building and scaling new ML products from inception.
Familiarity with small-dollar lending, lines of credit, or other consumer finance products. But experience only in competitors and traditional financial institutions is a minus.
Hands-on familiarity with end-to-end ML infrastructure, including experimentation pipelines, feature stores, and model monitoring. Ability to uplevel team’s engineering practices and drive cross-functional engineering design.

Responsibilities

Drive early ML innovation for Cash Line, developing and refining our first suite of models for customer behavior (churn, draw, graduate, default)
Improve and evolve SDL underwriting models and efficiency, and explore convergence opportunities with personal loan models to ensure a unified, scalable approach to small-dollar credit
Design or refine decision engines that translate model predictions into accurate, transparent, and customer-friendly lending outcomes
Develop and validate robust model performance metrics that build confidence in our systems and unlock resilient, low-cost capital from investors
Foster a culture of technical rigor, fast learning, and pragmatic execution within a small, high-talent team operating at the frontier of Upstart’s lending innovation
Collaborate closely with Product, Engineering, Capital Markets, and Data Analytics to align ML solutions with product strategy, business goals, and financial performance.
Attract, mentor, and grow a top-tier team of ML scientists passionate about expanding access to credit.

Benefits

Competitive compensation, including base pay, bonus opportunities, and annual equity grants that vest quarterly
Generous 401(k) plan with Upstart matching $2 for every $1 contributed, up to $15,000 per year
Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) with discounted stock purchase options for eligible employees
Affordable medical, dental, and vision coverage, with multiple plan options - Upstart covers 90% to 100% of the cost depending on the plans you choose
Health Savings Account contributions from Upstart for eligible plans
Income protection benefits, including company-paid Basic Life, AD&D, and Short- and Long-Term Disability coverage, with options to purchase supplemental coverage
Paid time off, sick and safe time, and company holidays
Paid family and parental leave to support caregiving and major life moments
Family-centered benefits through Carrot and Cleo, supporting fertility, parenthood, and caregiving
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering mental health support and life-centered resources
Financial wellness resources, including access to financial planning tools and a financial concierge service
Annual wellness allowance to support your physical and emotional well-being and personal development, based on what matters most to you
Annual productivity allowance to invest in relevant tools and resources you need to do your best work, no matter where you work from
Connection and community through team events and onsites, all-company updates, and employee resource groups (ERGs)
Onsite perks, including catered lunches and fully stocked micro-kitchens when working from one of our four offices, located in the Bay Area, Austin, Columbus, and New York City (opening Summer 2026!).