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

About Upstart 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. The Team 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. How you'll make an impact: 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. What we're looking for: Minimum Qualifications Experience 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. Technical abilities and aptitude 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. Leadership 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. Preferred Qualifications 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. Position Location - This role is available in the following locations: US Remote Time Zone Requirements - This team operates on the East/West Coast time zones. Travel Requirements - This team has regular on-site collaboration sessions. These occur 3-4 days per quarter at one of our offices. If you need to travel to make these meetups, Upstart will cover all travel related expenses. #LI-REMOTE #LI-MidSenior At Upstart, your base pay is one part of your total compensation package. The anticipated base salary for this position is expected to be within the below range. Your actual base pay will depend on your geographic location–with our “digital first” philosophy, Upstart uses compensation regions that vary depending on location. Individual pay is also determined by job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process. In addition, Upstart provides employees with target bonuses, equity compensation, and generous benefits packages (including medical, dental, vision, and 401k). United States | Remote - Anticipated Base Salary Range $238,400—$330,200 USD What you'll love At Upstart, our benefits are designed to support your health, financial well-being, family, and personal growth. Here’s what you can expect: 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!). Upstart is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer. Just as we are dedicated to improving access to affordable credit for all, we are committed to inclusive and fair hiring practices. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing an application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please email candidate_accommodations@upstart.com https://www.upstart.com/candidate_privacy_policy