Decision Scientist

The Company

PayPal has been revolutionizing commerce globally for more than 25 years. Creating innovative experiences that make moving money, selling, and shopping simple, personalized, and secure, PayPal empowers consumers and businesses in approximately 200 markets to join and thrive in the global economy.

We operate a global, two-sided network at scale that connects hundreds of millions of merchants and consumers. We help merchants and consumers connect, transact, and complete payments, whether they are online or in person. PayPal is more than a connection to third-party payment networks. We provide proprietary payment solutions accepted by merchants that enable the completion of payments on our platform on behalf of our customers.

We offer our customers the flexibility to use their accounts to purchase and receive payments for goods and services, as well as the ability to transfer and withdraw funds. We enable consumers to exchange funds more safely with merchants using a variety of funding sources, which may include a bank account, a PayPal or Venmo account balance, PayPal and Venmo branded credit products, a credit card, a debit card, certain cryptocurrencies, or other stored value products such as gift cards, and eligible credit card rewards. Our PayPal, Venmo, and Xoom products also make it safer and simpler for friends and family to transfer funds to each other. We offer merchants an end-to-end payments solution that provides authorization and settlement capabilities, as well as instant access to funds and payouts. We also help merchants connect with their customers, process exchanges and returns, and manage risk. We enable consumers to engage in cross-border shopping and merchants to extend their global reach while reducing the complexity and friction involved in enabling cross-border trade.

Our beliefs are the foundation for how we conduct business every day. We live each day guided by our core values of Inclusion, Innovation, Collaboration, and Wellness. Together, our values ensure that we work together as one global team with our customers at the center of everything we do – and they push us to ensure we take care of ourselves, each other, and our communities.

Job Description Summary: What you need to know about the role- As a Decision Scientist in our Compliance Risk organization, you’ll play a pivotal role in safeguarding PayPal’s platform against financial crimes while delivering seamless experiences to hundreds of millions of customers. You’ll ensure compliance with evolving regulations, all while driving PayPal’s growth and innovation. Meet our team Our Compliance Risk team consists of analytical thinkers and team players with a deep curiosity for solving complex challenges in big-data environments. As a decision scientist, you will collaborate with a diverse range of partners—including product managers, data scientists, engineers, and regulators—to turn your insights into real-world solutions.

Job Description:

About You

We are seeking an exceptional decision scientist with a passion for data insights and a relentless focus on execution in the field of compliance and risk:

You are curious and inquisitive: You love exploring data to uncover insights that identify and mitigate compliance risks.
You are hyper-analytical and intellectually honest: You believe in data-driven decision-making and excel at communicating complex ideas through clear, impactful storytelling.
You are highly motivated and result-oriented: A self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced environment and consistently delivers results with minimal guidance.
You are a Team player: You are a collaborative team player who is not afraid to roll up your sleeves and dive into the details alongside your colleagues.

Your Day-to-Day

Challenge the status quo by leveraging data to drive decision-making and improve compliance strategies.
Partner closely with compliance, legal, and operational teams to understand emerging regulatory requirements and recommend metrics to measure risk mitigation effectiveness.
Identify key metrics, conduct rigorous exploratory data analysis, and build dashboards and reports to inform strategic decisions and business prioritization.
Analyze patterns in financial crime risks, monitor system health, and provide actionable recommendations for resolving issues and optimizing detection and prevention systems.
Synthesize large volumes of data, paying close attention to granular details, and present insights and recommendations to senior-level stakeholders.
Collaborate with engineering and data teams to address complex data and tracking issues, ensuring the availability of accurate and actionable data pipelines.
Define and promote best practices in data analysis, instrumentation, and experimentation to enhance risk management processes.
Support multiple high-priority projects simultaneously in a fast-paced, results-oriented environment

Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree or above in one of the following: economics, finance, engineering, exact sciences, etc. 2+ years of work experience in relevant positions (e.g. Decision scientist, data analyst, statistician, data scientist, FP&A, product/process manager, risk management, army intelligence units)
Proven analytical skills
Technical orientation; Experience in SQL / R / Python / other programming language – a must
Excellent English verbal and written communication skills
Experience in the Payment Risk domain – an advantage
Quick-thinker, fast learner, wide general knowledge, problem solver and an excellent team player.

**We know the confidence gap and imposter syndrome can get in the way of meeting spectacular candidates. Please don't hesitate to apply.

For the majority of employees, PayPal's balanced hybrid work model offers 3 days in the office for effective in-person collaboration and 2 days at your choice of either the PayPal office or your home workspace, ensuring that you equally have the benefits and conveniences of both locations.

Our Benefits:

At PayPal, we’re committed to building an equitable and inclusive global economy. And we can’t do this without our most important asset—you. That’s why we offer benefits to help you thrive in every stage of life. We champion your financial, physical, and mental health by offering valuable benefits and resources to help you care for the whole you.

We have great benefits including a flexible work environment, employee shares options, health and life insurance and more. To learn more about our benefits please visit https://www.paypalbenefits.com

Who We Are:

To learn more about our culture and community visit https://about.pypl.com/who-we-are/default.aspx

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

PayPal provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. In addition, PayPal will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at [email protected].

Belonging at PayPal:

Our employees are central to advancing our mission, and we strive to create an environment where everyone can do their best work with a sense of purpose and belonging. Belonging at PayPal means creating a workplace with a sense of acceptance and security where all employees feel included and valued. We are proud to have a diverse workforce reflective of the merchants, consumers, and communities that we serve, and we continue to take tangible actions to cultivate inclusivity and belonging at PayPal.

Any general requests for consideration of your skills, please Join our Talent Community.

We know the confidence gap and imposter syndrome can get in the way of meeting spectacular candidates. Please don’t hesitate to apply.