Data Science Team lead

We are seeking a talented and experienced team manager to head our Data Science team within the critical Risk domain. This role uniquely combines hands-on development of vital risk prevention models, team mentoring, defining the technological strategy, and driving innovation in the field of AI Agents.

Key Responsibilities
As the Data Science Team Lead for Risk, you will be responsible for:

• Technological and Strategic Leadership: Defining and implementing the Data Science strategy for the Risk domain, while identifying critical business and technological opportunities.
• Hands-on Development: Actively working on the development, building, and deployment of critical Machine Learning and Gen-AI models for identifying, classifying, and preventing risks and fraud.
• Team Management and Mentoring: Managing and guiding a team of talented Data Scientists, including work planning, professional development, providing mentorship, and contributing to talent acquisition.
• AI Agents Innovation: Leading the team's efforts in the field of AI Agents within Risk, including architectural design, developing complex Agent Workflows, advanced Prompt Engineering, and developing rigorous Evaluation methodologies to ensure reliability and accuracy in production.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Managing strategic relationships and collaborations with Engineering, Product Managers, Analysts, and other stakeholders to ensure solutions meet critical business needs.
• Production Deployment: Ensuring Data Science solutions transition reliably, scalably, and efficiently from concept to production and making significant impact.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience as a Data Scientist, with at least 2 years of proven experience in managing or leading a team of data scientists.
• Strong background and practical experience developing and leading end-to-end Machine Learning projects.
• Experience working closely with development teams

• Proven hands-on experience working with Large Language Models (LLMs), including:

• Building Agent-Based Frameworks to solve complex problems.

• Advanced Prompt Engineering.
• Defining and building Agent Workflows that interact with data sources and APIs.

• Establishing and executing comprehensive validation frameworks of Gen-AI solutions.

• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills: ability to manage and develop people and build strong relationships with key internal partners.

• Ability to take full ownership of projects, from initial idea through to deployment in production.
• Experience working in a Big Data environment and at scale.
• B.Sc in Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, Statistics, or a related quantitative field

Bonus Points

• Experience developing models in the Risk domain (such as Fraud Detection, Anomaly Detection, Anti-Money Laundering).
• Deep knowledge of data pipelines, feature stores, and model serving systems
• M.Sc/PhD in Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, Statistics, or a related quantitative field.

A day in the life and how you'll make an impact:
Role
This role is critical to Melio's ability to continue scaling securely. In this position, you will lead the development of the next generation of cutting-edge methods that will:

• Help small businesses manage their finances in a better, safer way using Melio.
• Help Melio grow its customer base while maintaining a low-risk profile.
• Drive impact by leveraging LLMs and Agentic Workflows to enhance user experience and ensure higher efficiency and accuracy in data-driven products.

You will play a key role in the ability of Melio to keep scaling

About The Hiring Department
The Risk & Compliance department protects Melio's platform and reputation from bad actors. The department is in charge of implementing controls to protect Melio. We identify risks that may arise and advise on how to avoid or address them. We also ensure that all users on the platform, and their activities, are compliant. We're like that extra coat of armor for the company, making sure Melio is protected from fraudulent and abusive activity.

About Melio
Melio builds business-to-business (B2B) payment tools so small business owners can spend less time in the back office and more time on their craft. As the fastest-growing B2B payment platform in the US, Melio is working hard to find new and better ways to help small businesses succeed in the ways that work best for them. With offices in New York, Denver, and Tel Aviv and a vibrant work culture, Melio is expanding every day.

We are a diverse group of people who love what we do and do what we love. If you are a driven and passionate team player, you will fit right in. We are an equal opportunity employer and are always on the lookout for top-notch talent—please reach out if you would like to join us on this exciting journey