Lead Data Scientist - Director Level (IC)

Visa is a world leader in payments and technology, with over 259 billion payments transactions flowing safely between consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and government entities in more than 200 countries and territories each year. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable, and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses, and economies to thrive while driven by a common purpose – to uplift everyone, everywhere by being the best way to pay and be paid.

Make an impact with a purpose-driven industry leader. Join us today and experience Life at Visa.

The Lead Data Scientist, you will play a crucial role in building our data capabilities, collecting, analyzing, driving insights, and delivering machine learning and AI solutions that enhance our offerings. Your will play a pivotal role in building the organization’s “data muscle”, empowering teams to leverage data for smarter decisions, operational excellence and innovation. This is a unique opportunity to work in a fast-paced and startup environment where your contributions will have a direct impact.

This role represents an exciting opportunity to make key contributions to Visa's strategic vision as a world-leading data-driven company. The role requires a seasoned professional with deep expertise in data strategy, analytics, governance paired with a hands-on and scrappy mindset to deliver impactful results. The successful candidate must have strong academic track record and demonstrate excellent software engineering skills. The successful candidate will be a self-starter comfortable with ambiguity, with strong attention to detail, and excellent collaboration skills. 

To be successful in this position, you must be highly effective working both independently and in cross-functional capacities.

Essential Functions

• Formulate business problems as technical data problems while ensuring key business drivers are collected in collaboration product stakeholders.

• Work with product and engineering to ensure effective solutions. Deliver prototypes and production code based on need.

• Experiment with in-house and third-party data sets to test hypotheses on relevance and value of data to business problems.

• Build needed data transformations on structured and un-structured data.

• Build and experiment with modeling and scoring algorithms. This includes development of custom algorithms as well as use of packaged tools based on machine learning, analytics, and statistical techniques.

• Devise and implement methods for efficiently monitoring model efficiency and performance in production.

• Devise and implement methods for automation of all parts of the predictive pipeline to minimize labor in development and production.

• Contribute to development and adoption of shared predictive analytics infrastructure.

• Data mining, processing and analyzing large datasets to generate insightful reports.

• Develop data modeling processes and algorithms to derive meaningful actionable insights from structured and unstructured big data

• Utilize statistical analysis, data visualization, and machine learning techniques to extract meaningful insights from datasets. Identify and interpret patterns, trends, and correlations within payment data.

• Generate comprehensive dashboards and reports for organizational leadership to use in a business setting.

This is a hybrid position. Expectation of days in office will be confirmed by your hiring manager.

Basic Qualifications
•10 or more years of work experience with a Bachelor’s Degree or at least 8 years of work experience with an Advanced Degree (e.g. Masters/ MBA/JD/MD) or at least 3 years of work experience with a PhD

Preferred Qualifications
•12 or more years of work experience with a Bachelor’s Degree or 8-10 years of experience with an Advanced Degree (e.g. Masters, MBA, JD, MD) or 6+ years of work experience with a PhD
•With a track record of successfully delivering complex software systems or services as Senior Data Scientist
•Relevant coursework in modeling techniques such as logistic regression, Naïve Bayes, SVM, decision trees, or neural networks.
•Ability to program in one or more scripting languages such as Perl or Python and one or more programming languages such as Java, C++, or C#.
•Experience with one or more common statistical tools such SAS, R, KNIME, MATLAB.
•Deep learning experience with TensorFlow is a plus.
•Experience with Natural Language Processing is a plus.
•Experience working with large datasets using tools like Hadoop, Spark, MapReduce, Pig, or Hive is a must.
•Publications or presentation in recognized Machine Learning and Data Mining journals/conferences is a plus.
•Proficiency working with agile methodologies, ceremonies.
•Exceptional collaboration and partnership skills with the ability to work in a global environment, drive consensus in cross-functional teams and comfortable operating in a matrix setup
•Demonstrated communications and interpersonal skills to interface well with diverse customer audience executives, product, and technology stakeholders.
•Solid business acumen, Strong customer centric mindset and Strategic thinker who can balance big picture strategy with tactical needs of day-day execution.
•Experience demonstrating strong leadership, self-motivation and accountability
•Fast learner on both technical and business side.
•Proactive, demonstrate sense of urgency and can do attitude
•Detail and results oriented, able to analyze data to justify product decisions and apply key learnings.
•Ability to stay organized while managing competing priorities.
•Shown leadership capabilities including significant thought leadership, effective decision making, and ability to work towards results.
•Excellent social skills with a strong emphasis on emotional intelligence to establish relationships with internal Visa teams and clients
•Excellent written and oral communication skills with a flair for getting people excited.

Work Hours: Varies upon the needs of the department.

Travel Requirements: This position requires travel 5-10% of the time.

Mental/Physical Requirements: This position will be performed in an office setting.  The position will require the incumbent to sit and stand at a desk, communicate in person and by telephone, frequently operate standard office equipment, such as telephones and computers.

Visa is an EEO Employer.  Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status.  Visa will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with EEOC guidelines and applicable local law.

Visa will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable local law, including the requirements of Article 49 of the San Francisco Police Code.

U.S. APPLICANTS ONLY: The estimated salary range for a new hire into this position is 175,100.00 to 253,950.00 USD per year, which may include potential sales incentive payments (if applicable). Salary may vary depending on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location. In addition, this position may be eligible for bonus and equity. Visa has a comprehensive benefits package for which this position may be eligible that includes Medical, Dental, Vision, 401 (k), FSA/HSA, Life Insurance, Paid Time Off, and Wellness Program.