Data Science Intern

San Mateo, CA - USA

Monthly Salary: Not Disclosed

Posted on: Yesterday

Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

About Upstart

At Upstart were 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 thats both radically intelligent and deeply human. Our platform runs over one million predictions per borrower using more than 1800 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.

Were 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 doesnt mean distant. Were 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) youll have the support to work in the way that works best for you.

If youre energized by tackling meaningful problems excited to innovate with purpose and motivated by work that truly matters wed love to hear from you.

The Team

Machine Learning is at the heart of Upstarts business model our models are the product. Our team includes research scientists data scientists and machine learning engineers who build and improve production models and the systems around them across the funnel: underwriting and pricing fraud detection performance marketing loan servicing and fair lending/explainability. We tackle highimpact problems from underwriting and pricing to monitoring and fairness where creativity rigor and strong engineering directly move the business.

The Role

As a Data Scientist Intern you will leverage your technical and business acumen to become a specialist in our models products business and how the models interact with the business. You will identify potential problems or opportunities for improvement communicate these issues to the team and suggest solutions. This involves self-directed investigation into Upstarts data and product offline analyses using creative thinking as well as presentation to the ML team. You will receive mentorship from experienced DS/ML practitioners and collaborate closely with ML scientists to improve our products and models via data-driven insights.

How youll make an impact

Understand the underpinnings of ML models and how they create value for the business
Identify data sources use statistical methods and write clean code to conduct offline analyses about ML models and/or Upstart products
Communicate findings clearly to get buy-in for recommended next steps.
Work with your mentor to align stakeholders and drive next steps.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor (or above) degree in Statistics Mathematics Economics Finance or a related quantitative field. We require that you are on track to graduate by the summer of 2027.
Strong fundamentals in statistical probability and machine learning theory.
Ability to perform data analysis in Python as well as basic SQL foundations.
Ability to communicate data insights to non-technical audiences
Strong sense of intellectual curiosity humility drive and teamwork as well as communication skills.
Ability to use modern agentic tooling (Claude Code Codex ) efficiently.

Preferred Qualifications

Phd in Statistics Mathematics Economics Finance or a related quantitative field. We require that you are on track to graduate by the summer of 2027.
Expert-level statistical (frequentist bayesian causal) theory/econometrics knowledge.
Strong coding skills in Python.

Position location This role is available in the following locations: Remote

Travel requirements As a digital first company the majority of your work can be accomplished remotely. The majority of our employees can live and work anywhere in the U.S but are encouraged to to still spend high quality time in-person collaborating via regular onsites. The in-person sessions cadence varies depending on the team and role; most teams meet once or twice per quarter for 2-4 consecutive days at a time.

#LI-REMOTE

#LI-Internship

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 locationwith 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

$141000$150000 USD

What youll love

At Upstart our benefits are designed to support your health financial well-being family and personal growth. Heres 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 $15000 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

Experience:

Intern

About UpstartAt Upstart were 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.A...