Staff Machine Learning Model Risk Specialist

About this role

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. 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. We’re 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 doesn’t mean distant. We’re 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), you’ll have the support to work in the way that works best for you. If you’re energized by tackling meaningful problems, excited to innovate with purpose, and motivated by work that truly matters, we’d love to hear from you.

The Team: Upstart’s Model Risk team is responsible for ensuring that the risk of models — including all models impacting the new Upstart Bank — is well-understood, monitored, and mitigated. For years, machine learning (ML) models have been the key, differentiating technology at Upstart and an exciting area of focus for the team, but we are also expanding our scope to include all modeling methodologies and Generative AI applications across the Bank.

This work is essential for Upstart’s internal risk management, ensuring that our models help us make better decisions and maintain credibility with external stakeholders such as our regulators and capital providers. The team’s focus is on articulating sound model risk management principles and implementing them in collaboration with our peers on Upstart’s Risk and Machine Learning teams. This work also includes explaining our models to stakeholders, supporting external validations, and conducting analyses to reinforce our goals.