Research Scientist - Growth

About Upstart

Upstart is a leading AI lending marketplace partnering with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit. By leveraging Upstart's AI marketplace, Upstart-powered banks and credit unions can have higher approval rates and lower loss rates across races, ages, and genders, while simultaneously delivering the exceptional digital-first lending experience their customers demand. More than two-thirds of Upstart loans are approved instantly and are fully automated.

Upstart is a digital-first company, which means that most Upstarters live and work anywhere in the United States. However, we also have offices in San Mateo, California; Columbus, Ohio; and Austin, Texas.

Most Upstarters join us because they connect with our mission of enabling access to effortless credit based on true risk. If you are energized by the impact you can make at Upstart, we’d love to hear from you!

The Team: 

Upstart aims to expand access to credit based on true risk. As part of this mission, Upstart actively engages in marketing and borrower acquisition efforts to attract new customers. One key strategy involves direct mail (DM), an outbound marketing channel aimed at educating consumers about Upstart via physical mail and encouraging them to take out a loan. 

Upstart’s Machine Learning, Growth Direct Mail team develops advanced DM models that predict conversion probabilities and effectively prioritize prospects. This team significantly contributes to Upstart's revenue and is integral to its overall success.

As a Research Scientist on this team, you will play a crucial role in advancing direct mail campaign effectiveness through cutting-edge machine learning techniques. Your responsibilities will include participating in research and development initiatives to innovate and fine-tune predictive models that accurately forecast conversion probabilities and prioritize prospects. Coordinate and run prospects selection for direct mail campaigns. Collaborating closely with cross-functional teams, you will design and implement experiments to optimize campaign outcomes and enhance ROI. Your role will encompass exploring novel algorithms and methodologies, assessing their impact on revenue metrics, and propose innovative strategies for leveraging machine learning to enhance Upstart’s marketing strategies.

How you’ll make an impact:

• Participate in research and development efforts to innovate and refine predictive models for direct mail campaigns, implementing state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms to enhance conversion probability accuracy.
•  Coordinate and run prospects selection as part of direct mail campaigns.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including engineers and marketing specialists to design …