Data Scientist 1

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 PayPal is committed to combating Money Laundering, Terrorism Financing, and related financial crimes around the world. The Global Financial Crimes (GFC) organization is comprised of specialized teams dedicated to developing and implementing effective policies, advanced analytics and thorough investigative processes that consider the risks posed by PayPal’s products, customers, transaction volumes and jurisdictions in which PayPal operates. As a Data Scientist on the Sanctions Analytics team, you will lead efforts to provide data-driven solutions, optimize sanctions screening systems, and manage sanctions-related data. Your work will enhance the efficiency and accuracy of our scanning systems by optimizing filtering algorithms and implementing strategies to reduce false positives, ultimately minimizing friction for legitimate customers. Meet our team The Sanctions Analytics team plays a key role in designing and managing effective compliance detection programs to identify potential financial crimes and sanctioned activities, ensuring PayPal’s adherence to global regulations. Our programs deliver comprehensive risk coverage that meets the obligations of regulators, financial partners, and settlement networks.

Job Description:
Your way to impact

• Your work will enhance the efficiency and accuracy of our scanning systems by optimizing filtering algorithms and implementing strategies to reduce false positives, ultimately minimizing friction for legitimate customers.
  
  
  

Your day-to-day

• Perform comprehensive data analysis on potential matches across various regulatory sanctions lists and PayPal databases to ensure accuracy and efficiency in the sanctions screening system. Collaborate on the development, tuning, and optimization of sanctions transaction and profile screening by leveraging large alert and customer datasets and statistical analysis to derive business rules and Good Guys, aimed at reducing false positives.
• Conduct data driven analysis of alerts across regions, payment flows, and scenarios to seek optimization and tuning opportunities across diverse screening configurations and algorithms, with an eye for proposing new screening rules and algorithms to enhance screening quality and efficiency.
• Create and maintain dashboards and reports to provide real-time insights into sanctions program performance and key metrics.
• Foster collaborative partnerships across Sanctions Operations, Product, Engineering, Policy, and Internal Audit to address sanctions screening escalation, regulatory lists, scanning approaches, and feature enablement.
• Work on projects to modernize sanctions platforms, incorporating big data solutions to improve performance and scalability.
• Regularly review and validate screening processes to ensure data integrity and regulatory compliance.
• Leveraging data and statistical analysis techniques to derive thresholds, identify outliers and utilize statistical sampling techniques to facilitate above-the-line and below-the-line testing
• Analyze large, complex datasets and business requirements to draw meaningful conclusions.
  
  
  

What Do You Need To Bring

• Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of four years of experience in sanctions transaction Screening, profile screening, and AML, including at least two years in data analytics or data science.
• Thorough understanding of economic sanctions programs administered by regulators such as OFAC, EU, UN, CSSF, etc.
• Proficiency in SQL, BigQuery, Python, R, Tableau, and Power BI, with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Working knowledge of Hadoop, Hive, Jupyter Notebooks; data warehouse skills is highly desirable
• Experience with and advanced understanding of SQL queries, data structure and data profiling.
• Experience with Firco Continuity utilities, Decision Reapplication, including understanding of matching rules, mitigation rules and list management is preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively translate data insights into actionable business recommendations.
• Demonstrated ability to develop data-driven solutions for complex business challenges, fostering trust and collaboration across cross-functional teams.
• Strong intellectual curiosity, strategic thinking, and a passion for solving problems, with comfort navigating ambiguity.
• Capable of managing multiple projects in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with independence and initiative.
• Skilled in presenting complex quantitative analyses to business stakeholders in a clear, accessible manner.
• High energy and a results-oriented mindset, with a passion for understanding and serving PayPal’s unique community.
• 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 paypalglobaltalentacquisition@paypal.com.

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.

REQ ID R0125719