Director, Data Scientist - Fraud Identity Analytics

Why USAA?

Maximise your chances of a successful application to this job by ensuring your CV and skills are a good match.

Let’s do something that really matters.

At USAA, we have an important mission : facilitating the financial security of millions of U.S. military members and their families.

Not all our employees served in our nation’s military, but we all share in the mission to give back to those who did. We’re working as one to build a great experience and make a real impact for our members.

We believe in our core values of honesty, integrity, loyalty, and service. They’re what guides everything we do from how we treat our members to how we treat each other.

Come be a part of what makes us so special!

As a dedicated Director of Data Science, you will lead a team of Data Scientists responsible for identifying, scoping, and translating business problems into applied statistical, machine learning, simulation, and optimization solutions to inform actionable business insights and drive business value through automation, revenue generation, and expense and risk reduction.

Works with business leaders to ideate, valuate, and scope projects to meet business needs. Manages the team’s projects and communicates progress updates to senior leadership and other business stakeholders.

Responsible for the team’s model inventory and ensures compliance with USAA model risk policies and regulatory expectations.

Influences the future of data science at USAA by conducting research on the latest technologies and driving adoption of those technologies.

We offer a flexible work environment that requires an individual to be in the office 4 days per week. This position can be based in one of the following locations : San Antonio, TX, Plano, TX, Phoenix, AZ, Colorado Springs, CO, Charlotte, NC, Chesapeake, VA or Tampa, FL.

Relocation assistance is not available for this position. This position can work remotely in the continental U.S. with occasional business travel.

The OpportunityResponsibilities

The Director of Data Science - Fraud Identity Analytics is responsible for leading the development and implementation of quantitative solutions that improve USAA’s ability to detect and prevent identity theft, account takeover, and first party / synthetic fraud.

These solutions will range from the development of machine learning models to broad implementation of solutions such as graph analytics to protect USAA and our Members from risks emanating from these threats.

Strong candidates will be able to deploy the following work products and processes :

• Develop and continuously update internal identity theft and authentication models to mitigate fraud losses and negative member experience from fraud application, synthetic fraud and account takeover attempts.
• Closely partner with Strategies team, and Director of Fraud Model Management and Model Users on model builds and priorities.
• Partner with Technology and other key collaborators to deploy a Financial Crimes graph database strategy, including vendor selection, business requirements, data needs, and clear use cases spanning financial crimes.
• Deploy graph databases and graph techniques to identify criminal networks engaging in fraud, scams, disputes / claims and AML and deliver highly significant benefits.
• Generate and prioritize fraud-dense rings to mitigate losses and improve Member experience.
• In partnership with the Director of Model Management, quantify the value of models and analytics produced.
• Identify and work with technology to integrate new data sources for models and graphs to augment predictive power and improve business performance.
• Exports insights to decision systems to enable better fraud targeting and model development efforts.
• Drives continuous innovation in modeling efforts including advanced techniques like graph neural networks.
• Develops and mentors team, establishing a culture of R&D to augment the day-to-day aspects of the job.

What You'll Do

• Acts as sophisticated analytics leader with vision and advisor to the business to craft strategies that drive competitiveness and differentiation.
• Influences business, data, and technology leaders to invest, sustain and expand advanced analytical capabilities by actively participating in strategy, planning, and budgeting exercises.
• Leads and develops team to build and deploy various sophisticated analytical solutions in an agile and collaborative environment across business, data, and technology organizations.
• Enables team’s success by simplifying processes across the model development lifecycle and driving automation.
• Identifies, scopes, and manages sophisticated analytical projects in collaboration with business partners, often translating results to non-technical business executives.
• Champions and manages efforts to deliver business insights via scalable, automated solutions using machine learning, simulation, and optimization.
• Responsible for ensuring all modeling and machine learning solutions adhere to industry standards, model risk policy, and regulatory expectations.
• Partners with enterprise analytical and IT teams to build USAA core capabilities and processes.
• Identifies additional resource needs ranging from IT investments, 3rd party support or additional analysts.
• Builds and is responsible for a team of Data Scientists through ongoing execution of recruiting, development, retention, coaching and support, performance management, and managerial activities.
• Ensures risks associated with business activities are effectively identified, measured, supervised, and controlled in accordance with risk and compliance policies and procedures.

What You Have

Bachelor’s degree in mathematics, computer science, statistics, economics, finance, actuarial sciences, science and engineering, or other similar quantitative field;

OR 4 years of experience in statistics, mathematics, quantitative analytics, or related experience (in addition to the minimum years of experience required) may be substituted in lieu of degree.

• 8 years in predictive modeling, model governance, machine learning and large data analysis.
• 3 years of direct management experience.
• Strong communication skills : demonstrated ability to interpret and translate complex technical information to diverse audiences.
• Experience with various languages, applications, and technologies (such as SQL, Python, R, Spark, Hadoop etc.) commonly associated with delivery of Data Science solutions.
• Experience in developing and reviewing modeling solutions based on broad range of techniques e.g., linear, and logistic regressions, time series methods, survival analysis, support vector machines, neural networks, decision trees, random forests, gradient-boosting methods, deep learning, k-means and other clustering methods, simulation methods, or other advanced techniques.
• Demonstrated ability to apply standard methodologies in modeling and machine learning techniques to solve business problems.
• Demonstrated ability to write and review complex technical documentation, communicate modeling insights and technical details to business leaders, technical and non-technical audiences.
• A strong track record of communicating results, insights, and technical solutions to Senior Executive Management (or equivalent).
• Deep technical skills, consulting experience, and business savvy to collaborate with all levels and fields within the organization.

What Sets You Apart

• US military experience through military service or a military spouse / domestic partner.
• Graduate degree in a quantitative subject area.
• Over 7 years of experience with model development.
• Over 5 years of experience with graph databases and graph solutions.
• Experience in fraud / financial crimes model development.

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.

What We Offer

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 data of the position. The actual salary for this role may vary by location.

The salary range for this position is : $182,680 - $328,820.

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

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.

For more details on our outstanding benefits, please visit our benefits page on USAAjobs.com.

Applications for this position are accepted on an ongoing basis; this posting will remain open until the position is filled.

Thus, interested candidates are encouraged to apply the same day they view this posting.

USAA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

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