Avant is looking for a Sr. Associate, Machine Learning Engineer, to play a crucial role in enhancing our fraud detection tools and identity verification platform. This position is exceptionally suited for someone who is not only deeply passionate about machine learning but also thrives on crafting technology solutions that directly affect our business's success and our customers' experience. You will be a key player in tackling the dynamic challenges of online fraud, ensuring the robust security of our operations and safeguarding our customers. This is an opportunity to make a meaningful and direct contribution to the field of online security and fraud prevention.

What you do

• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team comprising data scientists, software engineers, and product managers to create innovative machine learning and analytical solutions

• Craft and implement machine learning models aimed at reducing business risks and enhancing customer experiences across various stages, from account setup and transactions to ongoing management

• Oversee the entire spectrum of machine learning model development, including conceptualization, creation, training, evaluation, validation, and implementation

• Draft the business case to incorporate analytical tools into Avant’s fraud and identity verification strategies; in addition to refining the use case for existing models based on cost sensitivity analysis

• Employ a diverse array of technological tools such as Python, Conda, AWS, H2O, and Postgres SQL to derive actionable insights from large-scale data sets

• Document model development processes and collaborate with both internal and external stakeholders for initial and ongoing model validation

• Improve modeling frameworks, labeling, features, and algorithms to boost robustness, enable automation, and support generalization, effectively easing the load on risk management operations

• Generate and uphold reports and dashboards for continuous monitoring of the performance of analytical systems
  

Why you're a fit

• Strong Proficiency in python, or other open-source languages, with a keen interest in further development

• Hands-on experience in data science solutions using open-source tools and cloud platforms

• Strong understanding of statistical concepts, able to interpret confusion matrices and ROC curves

• Expertise in clustering, classification, sentiment analysis, time series, and deep learning

• Ability to retrieve, combine, and analyze data from various sources and structures.
  

Educational background

• Bachelor's Degree with 6+ years in data analytics, or Master's Degree with 4+ years in data analytics, or PhD with 1+ year in data analytics (or in the process of obtaining these)

• At least 2 years of experience in open-source programming for large-scale data analysis

• At least 2 years of experience in machine learning

• At least 2 years of experience with relational databases

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We believe that a diverse set of backgrounds and experiences helps us create the most innovative solutions for our customers. We invite you to apply to our positions even if you do not meet 100% of the qualifications listed in the description. If you’re passionate about our mission and aligned to our values, we hope you’ll come contribute to our awesome culture.

Why Avant is the place for you:

At Avant, we believe our values make a difference:

Authenticity. We show up to work as our whole selves and make sure others can too.

Collaboration. We can only succeed when we do so as a team.

Problem-Solving. The harder the problem, the more satisfying the solution.

Customer. We are all owners of the customer experience.

Initiative. Plan. Adapt. Get Sh!t Done.

We believe that great ideas come from anyone and anywhere, that everyone is an owner who drives change, and that we have more fun when we work together. We're problem solvers who love collaborating with intelligent and highly-motivated people to reshape the face of digital banking. Avant offers terrific perks and benefits, fun social events with employees who actually like hanging out together, and a flexible growth environment where trying your hand at new projects and being the active owner of your career path is encouraged and supported.

Some of our benefits include:

• Choice of great Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance Plan options

• 401(k) Match

• Unlimited Paid Time Off

• Flexible Work Environment

• Generous Paid Parental Leave

• Lunch Allowance (Fooda) and In-office Snacks

• WFH Stipends for our Remote Employees

• Access to LinkedIn Learning for Professional Development

• No Meeting Wednesdays - (a.k.a. planned time to Get Sh!t Done)

• Summer Fridays

• Fun In-Office and Virtual Social Events

• And who doesn’t love the swag

This position may require you to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If required, you'll be asked to provide proof that you’re fully vaccinated upon your start date or before working in or visiting our Chicago office. You’re considered fully vaccinated two weeks after you receive the second dose of a two-dose vaccine series (e.g., Pfizer or Moderna) or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine (e.g., Johnson & Johnson/Janssen). Failure to provide proof of vaccination may result in termination. Subject to applicable law and requests for accommodation.