Senior Data Scientist - Data Foundations & AI

Plaid2 days ago

Location

San Francisco

Type

Full Time

Salary

USD 180,000 – 250,000

Level

Senior

Role

Senior Data Scientist

Posted

Mar 16, 2026

Full TimeSenior

The role

Summary

A Senior Data Scientist role at Plaid's Data Foundation & AI team, focused on developing and improving AI quality measurement systems. The ideal candidate will drive quality metrics, investigate customer issues, and build scalable evaluation frameworks to enhance AI-powered financial services experiences.

What you'll do

Quality Metrics Development: Define and establish comprehensive quality metrics that guide product strategy and AI system effectiveness

Customer Issue Investigation: Transform ambiguous customer feedback into structured, actionable investigations to improve AI systems

Evaluation System Architecture: Design and implement scalable evaluation frameworks for AI and machine learning systems

Workflow Automation: Leverage modern AI tools to automate and streamline data science workflows

Strategic Insights: Influence product roadmap and decision-making through data-driven insights and comprehensive analysis

What we look for

Technical

Programming SkillsAdvanced proficiency in Python and SQL for data analysis and system development

AI/ML EvaluationExperience in designing evaluation metrics and frameworks for AI and machine learning systems

Data AnalysisStrong capability to conduct end-to-end investigations of complex, ambiguous problems

Education

Advanced DegreeMaster's or PhD in Computer Science, Statistics, Machine Learning, or related quantitative field preferred

Experience

Professional Experience5+ years of experience in data science, analytics, or related AI/ML roles

Skills

Required skills

SQLAdvanced querying and data manipulation skills

PythonProficient in data science and machine learning libraries

Problem SolvingAbility to investigate and resolve complex, ambiguous technical challenges

Nice to have

AI System EvaluationPrior experience in measuring and improving AI/ML system performance

Financial TechnologyBackground or interest in fintech and financial data analysis

Compensation & benefits

Salary

USD 180,000 – 250,000 (annual)

Stock options

Available

Benefits

Competitive Compensation

Comprehensive salary package with potential performance bonuses

Health Insurance

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage

Professional Development

Opportunities for continuous learning and career growth

Equity Options

Stock options in a rapidly growing fintech company

Interview process

1
Initial Screening — Phone or video call with recruiting team to assess background and fit
2
Technical Assessment — Take-home data science challenge or live coding interview focusing on AI/ML problem-solving
3
Stakeholder Interviews — Multiple interviews with team members, including technical and behavioral assessments
4
Final Interview — Discussion with senior leadership to evaluate strategic thinking and cultural alignment