Sr Machine Learning Engineer

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 Summary:

We are part of PayPal’s Global Fraud Prevention organization, focused on building automation, tools, and infrastructure that enhance risk decisioning at scale. We are seeking a senior-level Machine Learning Data Scientist & Engineer with deep analytical expertise and a passion for payments. In this role, you will transform complex data into actionable insights, design and deploy advanced models, and contribute to strategic decision-making across the business. You will lead end-to-end data science initiatives—from data mining and feature engineering to model development and operationalization—while partnering closely with product, engineering, and analytics stakeholders. This position is ideal for someone who thrives in a dynamic environment, enjoys solving complex problems, and is motivated by delivering meaningful business impact.

Job Description:

Essential Responsibilities:

• Develop and optimize machine learning models for various applications.
• Preprocess and analyze large datasets to extract meaningful insights.
• Deploy ML solutions into production environments using appropriate tools and frameworks.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate ML models into products and services.
• Monitor and evaluate the performance of deployed models.

Expected Qualifications:

• 3+ years relevant experience and a Bachelor’s degree OR Any equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience with ML frameworks like TensorFlow, PyTorch, or scikit-learn.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and tools for data processing and model deployment.
• Several years of experience in designing, implementing, and deploying machine learning models.

Additional Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and deployment of advanced data science models that improve fraud detection and risk decisioning.

• Partner with cross-functional stakeholders to translate business needs into analytical solutions and data products.

• Establish and drive best practices in data science, experimentation, and model governance.

• Ensure data quality, accuracy, and integrity across all analytical workflows and pipelines.

• Mentor and support junior team members in technical skill development and project execution.

• Stay current with emerging technologies, tools, and methodologies in machine learning, analytics, and data engineering.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Data Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.

• ​Minimum of 5 years of experience in machine learning, data science, engineering, or a related domain.

• Strong SQL expertise, with the ability to translate business requirements into analytical data assets. Experience in operational ETL workflows and data warehouse/mart development is a significant plus.

• Experience working with Teradata, Hadoop, or Google Cloud technologies.

• Solid foundation in statistical modeling, data modeling, and quantitative analysis; 2+ years of hands-on experience in data science or optimization preferred.

• Proficiency in business intelligence tools (e.g., Tableau) and the ability to quickly learn new programming languages or tools.

• High proficiency in Python or R; experience in machine learning techniques and feature engineering is a plus.

• Experience in product design or product management is highly desirable.

• Demonstrated ability to draw clear, relevant conclusions from complex analyses and communicate insights to influence business strategy.

• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively in collaborative, cross-functional environments.

• Resourceful, fast learner, critical thinker, and effective problem solver.

• Ownership-oriented team player with a commitment to delivering high-quality results.

Subsidiary:

PayPal

Travel Percent:

0

PayPal does not charge candidates any fees for courses, applications, resume reviews, interviews, background checks, or onboarding. When making an application directly, we will never ask you to share passwords, one-time passcodes (OTP), or verification codes.  Any such request is a red flag and likely part of a scam. All communication regarding your application will come from official PayPal email domains. If you suspect fraudulent activity, please report it immediately.  To learn more about how to identify and avoid recruitment fraud please visit https://careers.pypl.com/contact-us. 

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 comprehensive, choice-based programs, to support all aspects of personal wellbeing—physical, emotional, and financial—delivering meaningful value where it matters most. We strive to create a flexible, balanced work culture with a holistic approach to benefits, including generous paid time off, healthcare coverage for you and your family, and resources to create financial security and support your mental health.

Who We Are:

Click Here to learn more about our culture and community.

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.