Upstart: Applied Scientist Intern
Headquarters: United States | Remote
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 3,000 signals, powering smarter, fairer decisions for millions of customers.
We’re proudly digital-first, giving most Upstarters the flexibility to do their best work from wherever they thrive. We’re intentional about in-person connection through team onsites, planning sessions, and moments that spark creativity and trust. 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, you’ll have the support to work in the way that works best for you.
The Role
As an Applied Scientist Intern, you will become a specialist in our models, products, business and/or codebase. You will identify potential problems or opportunities for improvement, communicate these to the team and suggest solutions. This involves self-directed investigation, offline analyses using creative thinking as well as presentation to the ML team. You will receive mentorship from experienced ML practitioners and collaborate closely with the team to improve our products and models.
How You’ll Make an Impact
- Research machine learning and statistical approaches to discover improvements to the predictive performance and/or business value of a model.
- Design, implement, and evaluate model, product, or technical enhancements using rigorous experimentation and validation methods.
- Translate research findings into clear recommendations, documented methodologies, and production-ready solutions.
- Work with your mentor to align stakeholders, and drive next steps.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor, Masters, or PhD degree in mathematics, statistics, physics, econometrics, computer science, or a related quantitative field. On track to graduate by 2028.
- Strong fundamentals in statistical, probability, and machine learning theory.
- Ability to perform data analysis and evaluate machine learning or statistical models using Python, as well as basic SQL foundations.
- Intellectual curiosity, humility, drive and teamwork.
- Strong communication skills.
- Ability to use modern agentic tooling (Claude Code, Codex, etc.) efficiently.
Preferred Qualifications
- PhD in mathematics, statistics, physics, econometrics, computer science, or a related quantitative field. On track to graduate by the summer of 2028.
- Experience in supervised learning, model evaluation, and feature engineering techniques.
- Advanced statistical (frequentist, bayesian, causal) theory/econometrics knowledge.
- Strong coding skills in Python.
Logistics
- Position Location: Fully Remote
- Travel Requirements: As a digital-first company, the majority of your work can be accomplished remotely. You will be expected to meet to collaborate once or twice, for 2-4 consecutive days at a time.
Compensation
Anticipated Base Salary Range: $141,000 – $150,000 USD
Note: Your actual base pay will depend on your geographic location. Upstart uses compensation regions that vary depending on location. Individual pay is also determined by job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.
Benefits
At Upstart, our benefits are designed to support your health, financial well-being, family, and personal growth.
- Competitive compensation, including base pay, bonus opportunities, and annual equity grants.
- Retirement benefits, including a 401(k) or Group Retirement Savings Plan with a company match of $2 for every $1 contributed, up to $15,000 annually.
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) with discounted stock purchase options (US only).
- Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision) and wellness resources.
- Health Savings Account (HSA) contributions from Upstart for eligible plans (US only).
- Income protection benefits, including life insurance and disability coverage.
- Paid time off, sick leave, and company holidays.
- Paid family and parental leave.
- Family-centered benefits to support fertility, parenthood, and caregiving needs.
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering mental health support.
- Financial wellness resources and financial concierge service (US Only).
- Annual wellness allowance and annual productivity allowance.
- Connection and community through team events and employee resource groups (ERGs).
- Onsite perks (catered lunches, micro-kitchens) when working from our offices.
Equal Opportunity
Upstart is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing an application, interviewing, or participating in the selection process, please email candidate_accommodations@upstart.com.
To apply: Click here to apply via We Work Remotely