Data Scientist

About Abound

We’re redefining consumer lending in the UK, and beyond. Using advanced AI and Open Banking data, we make fair, affordable personal finance available to more people. While traditional lenders rely almost entirely on credit scores, we look at the full financial picture - how much you spend, and what you can afford to repay to build a deeper, more accurate understanding of each customer's unique financial situation.

And we've shown it works at scale. We’ve issued over £1.3bn in loans directly to customers while delivering market-leading credit performance - for every 10 defaults the industry expects, we see only 3. We also reached profitability just 2.5 years after launch.

Backed by £2bn+ of funding from top-tier investors including Citi, GSR Ventures, and Deutsche Bank, we’re recognised as one of Europe’s fastest-growing fintechs (Sifted, CNBC). Now, we’re expanding into new markets and product lines - and we’re looking for ambitious people who want to learn fast, take ownership, and grow with us.

About the role:

The data science team, currently 11 members, focuses on pricing, classification of open banking data and credit decisioning. All data scientists actively contribute to building Render and adapting it to different use cases and products, by being directly embedded in the tech team.

What you'll be doing:

• Develop, implement and maintain advanced AI and machine learning models to improve credit decisioning, risk and affordability assessments

• Analyse large datasets of Open Banking data to extract insights on customer financial behaviour and affordability

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (e.g. product, finance, collections, underwriting) to transform data insights into pioneering solutions, addressing complex technical challenges that set new industry standards and drive product strategy and growth

• Design and implement scalable data analytics infrastructure to support Abound's rapid growth

• Stay abreast of industry trends in AI, machine learning, and fintech to drive innovation

Who you are:

• You have an advanced degree (Master's or Ph.D.) in Data Science, Machine Learning, Statistics, or a related field

• You possess 1-2 years of experience in a data science role, preferably related to credit risk or finance

• You're proficient in SQL and Python

• You have a strong background in statistical modelling, machine learning algorithms, and data mining techniques

• You're passionate about leveraging AI and data to improve financial inclusion and access to fair credit

• You have excellent communication skills and can translate complex data insights for both technical and non-technical stakeholders

• You're adaptable, innovative, and thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth environment

• Experience with AWS is a plus

What we offer

• Everyone owns a piece of the company - equity

• Hybrid with 3 days a week in the office

• 25 days’ holiday a year, plus 8 bank holidays

• 2 paid volunteering days per year

• One month paid sabbatical after 4 years

• Employee loan

• Free gym membership

• Team wellness budget to be active together - set up a yoga class, a tennis lesson or go bouldering