Manager, Data Scientist - Optimization

Manager, Data Scientist - Optimization

Data is at the center of everything we do. As a startup, we disrupted the credit card industry by individually personalizing every credit card offer using statistical modeling and the relational database, cutting edge technology in 1988! Fast-forward a few years, and this little innovation and our passion for data has skyrocketed us to a Fortune 200 company and a leader in the world of data-driven decision-making.

As a Data Scientist at Capital One, you’ll be part of a team that’s leading the next wave of disruption at a whole new scale, using the latest in computing and machine learning technologies and operating across billions of customer records to unlock the big opportunities that help everyday people save money, time and agony in their financial lives.

Team Description:

Retail Bank is a high performing modeling and analytics team that is on a mission to define the next generation of banking. The Bank team has a relentless focus on the craft of statistical modeling and innovation with a target towards continually improving decision making and delivering value to the business. Using the latest in machine learning and distributed computing technologies, you will be building the next generation of data products to enable automation and aim for the right decision at the right time for in-moment decisioning.

Role Description

In this role, you will:

• Work with Product Managers and Business Analysts to design in-market experiments, validating assumptions before full-scale development.
• Formulate & Solve Complex Problems: Translate ambiguous business challenges into structured mathematical problems. Design and implement optimization models (linear, mixed-integer, non-linear, and heuristic) to improve decision-making.
• Build & Deploy Scalable Models: Develop, test, and deploy production-grade optimization algorithms and simulation models using Python and commercial/open-source solvers.
• Collaborate Cross-Functionally: Partner closely with Product, Engineering, and Business teams to integrate optimization engines into existing software systems and workflows.
• Build machine learning models through all phases of development, from design through training, evaluation, validation, and implementation

The Ideal Candidate is:

• Strategic Impact & Experimental Rigor. Proven track record of driving strategic business value by optimizing customer experience funnels and risk policies, effectively evaluating external data, and institutionalizing closed-loop experimental frameworks to align predictive backtesting with live operational outcomes.
• Customer first. You love the process of analyzing and creating, but also share our passion to do the right thing. You know at the end of the day it’s about making the right decision for our customers.
• Innovative. You continually research and evaluate emerging technologies. You stay current on published state-of-the-art methods, technologies, and applications and seek out opportunities to apply them.
• Technical. You’re comfortable with open-source languages and are passionate about developing further. You have hands-on experience developing data science solutions using open-source tools and cloud computing platforms.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree plus 6 years of experience in data analytics, or Master’s Degree plus 4 years of experience in data analytics, or PhD plus 1 year of experience in data analytics
• At least 2 years’ experience in open source programming languages for large scale data analysis
• At least 2 years’ experience with machine learning
• At least 2 years’ experience with relational databases

Preferred Qualifications:

• PhD in “STEM” field (Science, Engineering, Operations Research or Mathematics) plus 2 years of experience in data analytics
• At least 1 year of experience working with AWS
• At least 4 years’ experience in Python, Scala, or R for large scale data analysis
• At least 4 years’ experience with machine learning
• Experience in using numerical optimization to solve business problems
• Experience with linear, non-linear, integer programming techniques and software packages
• Has a track record of optimizing business outcomes and decision systems
• Experience in formulating business problems that involves complex data, models, policy rules
• Working experience with time-series models

Capital One will consider sponsoring a new qualified applicant for employment authorization for this position.

The minimum and maximum full-time annual salaries for this role are listed below, by location. Please note that this salary information is solely for candidates hired to perform work within one of these locations, and refers to the amount Capital One is willing to pay at the time of this posting. Salaries for part-time roles will be prorated based upon the agreed upon number of hours to be regularly worked.

McLean, VA: $197,300 - $225,100 for Mgr, Data Science New York, NY: $215,200 - $245,600 for Mgr, Data Science

Candidates hired to work in other locations will be subject to the pay range associated with that location, and the actual annualized salary amount offered to any candidate at the time of hire will be reflected solely in the candidate’s offer letter.

This role is also eligible to earn performance based incentive compensation, which may include cash bonus(es) and/or long term incentives (LTI). Incentives could be discretionary or non discretionary depending on the plan.

Capital One offers a comprehensive, competitive, and inclusive set of health, financial and other benefits that support your total well-being. Learn more at the Capital One Careers website. Eligibility varies based on full or part-time status, exempt or non-exempt status, and management level.

This role is expected to accept applications for a minimum of 5 business days. No agencies please. Capital One is an equal opportunity employer (EOE, including disability/vet) committed to non-discrimination in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Capital One promotes a drug-free workplace. Capital One will consider for employment qualified applicants with a criminal history in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable laws regarding criminal background inquiries, including, to the extent applicable, Article 23-A of the New York Correction Law; San Francisco, California Police Code Article 49, Sections 4901-4920; New York City’s Fair Chance Act; Philadelphia’s Fair Criminal Records Screening Act; and other applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations regarding criminal background inquiries.

Capital One does not provide, endorse nor guarantee and is not liable for third-party products, services, educational tools or other information available through this site.

Capital One Financial is made up of several different entities. Please note that any position posted in Canada is for Capital One Canada, any position posted in the United Kingdom is for Capital One Europe and any position posted in the Philippines is for Capital One Philippines Service Corp. (COPSSC).