Overview

Overview

First Access Inc. is a New York based data analytics company that sells an instant risk assessment tool to financial institutions worldwide. First Access is hiring a Senior Data Scientist to join its Data Science Team. The right individual will be part of a world-class staff that is passionate, energetic, dynamic, and hardworking. The Senior Data Scientist is responsible for developing innovative and systematic methods to predict creditworthiness using unconventional data sources, such as data from mobile phones and utility companies, for First Access.  In addition, the Senior Data Scientist will play a leadership role, contributing to the strategic planning of First Access.

 Responsibilities

• Develop predictive algorithms for assessing the risk of borrowers on the basis of data from financial institutions, mobile phones, and utility companies
• Tailor models to the data collection process, accounting for missing data and sampling biases
• Implement inferential algorithms that can be scaled and adapted to a growing set of data assets as new information about borrowers becomes available
• Develop software pipeline to systematically produce recommended lending strategy including loan disbursal amount, interest rate, and maturity of loan, tailored to risk tolerance of our clients with the goal of increasing both profitability for financial institutions and access to capital for borrowers
• Create data visualizations for client presentations and model validation
• Participate in high-level meetings with clients to walk through model methodology, discuss scoring results, and exchange ideas for improvements
• Lead and drive to conclusion short-term analytical projects such as identifying new expansion markets

Education 

Graduate degree from accredited university in statistics, mathematics, econometrics, computer science, finance, or a related field; PhD preferred. 

Experience 

A minimum of four to six (4-6) years of successful experience in working with large datasets and/or quantitative analysis.

Requirements

• Passion, motivation, and a genuine interest in First Access, our mission, objectives, methodology and product
• Ability to clearly communicate complex statistical and financial ideas to non-specialist audience
• Knowledge of the following languages/applications:
  • Required: At least one SQL dialect (e.g. MySQL, MSSQL, etc.), Excel, Python, R
  • Preferred: Pages, Keynote, D3
• Understanding, influencing and working well with others are important attributes
• The ability to resolve problems quickly and effectively
• Must have speaking, writing and reading fluency in English
• Must be able to work full-time in our office in New York, NY
• Must be a citizen of the United States

Salary and Benefits Package

The Senior Data Scientist will be considered a full-time employee and will be paid a competitive salary for a growing startup. Benefits include:

• Generous cash remuneration based on experience
• Health and dental insurance
• Transportation reimbursement and paid vacation time off 

About First Access

First Access is a data analytics company that helps institutions save time and money. Our instant risk assessment service accurately predicts risk for people who have never had a bank account or credit score, dramatically reducing the cost of lending in developing countries.

Founded in 2011 in New York City, First Access is a revolutionary international collaboration of experts in microfinance, mobile technology, risk analytics, banking, investment, poverty reduction policy, and entrepreneurship. We work with businesses, non-profits, and governments around the world.

We have offices at the Center for Social Innovation in New York City and in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and are currently expanding our footprint in Africa and Asia.

First Access is pioneering the world’s first system of instant personal profiles to facilitate access to financial services and other products designed for consumers at the bottom of the economic pyramid.

Our patent-pending technology allows us to process and understand new types of consumer data from a wide range of sources, including mobile phones. We apply this knowledge to increase and streamline flows of capital into the global informal sector.

People living “off the information grid” with no proof of what they own or earn, and especially those in remote areas, have historically been expensive and difficult to reach. Until now: we are the new information grid.

To Apply

To apply for this position, please email your resume/CV and a thoughtful cover letter to info@firstaccessmarket.com no later than 5:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on Friday, September 26, 2014. Interviews will begin on a rolling basis.