Applied Scientist Intern
The Role
As an Applied Scientist Intern, you will become a specialist in our models, products, business and/or codebase. You will identify potential problems or opportunities for improvement, communicate these to the team and suggest solutions. This involves self-directed investigation, offline analyses using creative thinking as well as presentation to the ML team. You will receive mentorship from experienced ML practitioners and collaborate closely with the team to improve our products and models.
How you’ll make an impact
Research machine learning and statistical approaches to discover improvements to the predictive performance and/or business value of a model.
Design, implement, and evaluate model, product, or technical enhancements using rigorous experimentation and validation methods.
Translate research findings into clear recommendations, documented methodologies, and production-ready solutions.
Work with your mentor to align stakeholders, and drive next steps.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor. Masters or PHD degree in mathematics, statistics, physics, econometrics, computer science, or a related quantitative field. On track to graduate by 2028.
Strong fundamentals in statistical, probability, and machine learning theory.
Ability to perform data analysis and evaluate machine learning or statistical models using Python, as well as basic SQL foundations.
Intellectual curiosity, humility, drive and teamwork.
Strong communication skills.
Ability to use modern agentic tooling (Claude Code, Codex, …) efficiently.
Preferred Qualifications
Phd in mathematics, statistics, physics, econometrics, computer science, or a related quantitative field. On track to graduate by the summer of 2028.
Experience in supervised learning, model evaluation, and feature engineering techniques.
Advanced statistical (frequentist, bayesian, causal) theory/econometrics knowledge.
Strong coding skills in Python.
Position location This role is Fully Remote
Travel requirements As a digital first company, the majority of your work can be accomplished remotely. The majority of our employees can live and work anywhere in the U.S but are encouraged to to still spend high quality time in-person collaborating via regular onsites. To this end, over the course of the internship, you will meet to collaborate once or twice, for 2-4 consecutive days at a time.
What you'll love:
UHC High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) for comprehensive medical coverage
Health Savings Account (HSA) with employer funding of $800 for employee-only coverage or $1,600 when covering dependents
Medical opt-out credit of $150 per month if the health plan is waived
Guardian Dental
Guardian Vision Base
Short-term and long-term disability coverage; auto-enrolled
Basic Life and Accident Insurance; auto-enrolled
Limited Purpose Flexible Spending Account (LFSA)
Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (DCFSA)
Pre-tax commuter benefits
#LI-REMOTE
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At Upstart, your base pay is one part of your total compensation package. The anticipated base salary for this position is expected to be within the below range. Your actual base pay will depend on your geographic location–with our “digital first” philosophy, Upstart uses compensation regions that vary depending on location. Individual pay is also determined by job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.
In addition, Upstart provides employees with target bonuses, equity compensation, and generous benefits packages (including medical, dental, vision, and 401k).
United States | Remote - Anticipated Base Salary Range
$141,000—$150,000 USD