Data Scientist- Risk

Kiavi is one of the nation’s largest private lenders to residential real estate investors (REIs). We harness the power of data & technology to offer our customers a simpler, more reliable, and faster way to access the capital they need to scale their businesses. Formerly known as LendingHome, we’re committed to helping REIs revitalize the approximately $25 trillion worth of aged U.S. housing stock to provide move-in ready homes and rental housing for millions of Americans across the country.Combining our technology and industry expertise, Kiavi has grown to a team of over 500 and has won many awards over the years including Forbes Fintech 50, Finovate Awards, Best Digital Mortgage Platform, Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, and many more. Loans Funded: $30 billion in loans fundedHomes financed: 100,000+ projects funded for our customers across the countryGeography: 49 states + D.C. where we lend to REIs so they can revitalize neighborhoodsEmployees: Over 500 employees with competitive benefits and perksThis position can be based remotely in any of our approved hiring regions. Our hybrid distributed workforce philosophy allows us to find the best talent in the country and build diverse teams, while allowing our colleagues to work from the location that works best for them. Identity Verification Notice:To ensure the security and integrity of our hiring process, all candidates are required to complete a secure identity verification. This process uses biometric and device validation to confirm identity and liveness. All data is handled securely in accordance with our privacy policy.THE TEAMOur Risk Analytics team is made up of 360-degree thinkers that analyze complex problems and come up with creative solutions. We love to combine advanced analytics and machine learning skills with deep domain knowledge about the business when creating solutions. You will work with some of the most fascinating data sets in the world, alongside a world-class group of product engineers, sales and marketing leaders, and business operators.PURPOSE OF THE ROLEKiavi’s Risk Analytics team is seeking a talented Data Scientist to join us in our effort to reinvent real estate investment lending. You will be working with the Director of Risk Analytics to tackle fun business problems related to credit risk management, asset valuation, process optimization, and more. An ideal candidate should be able to utilize advanced data manipulation and modeling techniques to work on structured and unstructured data to solve complex business problems. You’ll also have interaction with MLOps engineers, Product Managers, and Capital Markets subject matter experts to help drive select initiatives. If you are keen on joining a dynamic company and working on intellectually challenging problems in a fast paced environment, please reach out to us.KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:Develop and maintain innovative models for asset valuation. This requires thorough statistical analysis of the underlying data and understanding of the various macroeconomic factors and risk factors that impact prices and liquidity in the real estate market.Develop models for portfolio management purposes such as value forecasting or market risk segmentation.Closely provide regular ongoing model performance assessments and enhance existing models.Develop analytical tools to support other teamsWorking with the technology team, drive initiatives to enhance data capabilities and streamline infrastructure.Work closely with engineers/data infrastructure team in designing useful data attributes.Perform exploratory analysis and make recommendations on improving current data models, decisioning frameworks, etc.Refactor existing analytic solutions to improve scalability. EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor's degree in a quantitative discipline (e.g., statistics, economics, finance, physics, mathematics) and 2+ years of work experience in a modeling group at a commercial bank, investment bank, consulting firm, or fintech company ORAdvanced degree (PhD or MS) in a quantitative disciplineStatistical skills especially in model development at an account, customer, or asset level.Solid understanding of machine learning techniques and AI capabilitiesStrong programming skills in R, SQL, PythonTeam player with strong interpersonal skillsExcellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to explain technical concepts in practical termsPREFERRED REQUIREMENTS:Hands on experience with automated valuation models Exposure to time-to-event/survival analysis problems or financial econometric modelingExperience in handling unstructured dataExperience with SparkExperience with Monte Carlo simulation and/or Bayesian statistics Progress towards FRM or CFA certificationKiavi takes a market-based approach to pay, and pay may vary depending on your location. Work locations are categorized into one of three tiers based on cost of labor for that geographic area. These ranges may be modified in the future.Re