Senior Home Lending Underwriter

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:

The HELOC Underwriting team is responsible for evaluating loan applications and making sound policy-aligned credit decisions. This team ensures consistent application of underwriting guidelines across approvals and declines validates borrower income and assets and identifies potential fraud risks. The team partners with Processing Closing and Quality to ensure accurate and efficient loan decisioning and funding.

As a Senior Home Lending Underwriter youll partner closely with our Licensed Loan Advisors to ensure loan decisions are accurate and timely. It is your responsibility to ensure that we are originating quality sellable loans that adhere to our underwriting policy and procedures. You will also need a keen eye for process improvements and a track record of exceptional recommendations to enable Upstart to originate high quality loans.

How youll make an impact

• Approval & decline accuracy: Ensure all approval and decline decisions are well-supported clearly documented and consistent with credit policy and regulatory expectations.
• Income & asset validation: Accurately calculate and validate borrower income (W-2 self-employed variable income rental etc.) and assess assets to determine repayment ability.
• Fraud risk identification: Review applications for potential fraud indicators (income misrepresentation occupancy concerns document inconsistencies identity risk) and take appropriate action in alignment with fraud protocols.
• Documentation & compliance: Maintain complete audit-ready loan files with clear rationale supporting documentation and decision notes.
• Operational consistency: Apply underwriting guidelines consistently and contribute to maintaining quality and reducing defects across the underwriting process.

Minimum Qualifications

• 5 years of residential mortgage underwriting experience with independent decisioning authority
• Demonstrated experience making both approval and decline decisions
• Strong experience calculating income across multiple borrower profiles (W-2 self-employed variable income rental income etc.)
• Experience reviewing loan files for fraud risk and escalating concerns appropriately
• Experience working within an LOS and reviewing full loan documentation packages
• Strong documentation skills supporting credit decisions for QA/audit review

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with HELOC-specific underwriting guidelines and second lien products
• Familiarity with fraud detection tools red flag identification and investigation workflows
• Experience in high-volume underwriting environments with SLA expectations
• Proficiency with Excel/Sheets for income calculation and loan analysis
• Familiarity with compliance and regulatory requirements related to mortgage underwriting

Position location This role is available in the following locations: Columbus OH

Time zone requirements The team operates on the East coast time zones.

In-Office requirements. You will be required to work from the Easton OH office 2 days per week

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-Associate

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:

Senior IC