Principal Data Scientist - Data Asset Evaluation & Strategic Partnership

Experian is seeking an experienced Principal Data Scientist to evaluate new data assets, including M&A targets, strategic partners, and third-party data providers across the credit lifecycle. This fully remote role involves sitting at the intersection of data science, product strategy, and corporate development, rigorously assessing the predictive power, stability, scalability, and regulatory viability of external datasets. The successful candidate will partner with Product, Corporate Development, Legal, and Risk teams, reporting to the VP of Analytics Product Build, Innovation, and Scores.

Must Have

• Evaluate traditional, alternative, transactional, and raw datasets for use in underwriting, portfolio management, collections, and fraud.
• Lead quantitative due diligence for M&A targets and data partnerships.
• Design and implement validation frameworks to measure predictive lift and incremental performance.
• Conduct benchmarking and champion/challenger analyses.
• Engineer consumer, account, or business-level features from raw or event-level data.
• Develop and test feature construction methods (recency, frequency, velocity, volatility, trend, and stability).
• Assess data assets across the full credit lifecycle.
• Translate analytical findings into investment theses, valuation inputs, and go/no-go recommendations.
• Evaluate regulatory and compliance considerations.
• Partner with Legal and Privacy teams to assess consent, permissible use, data rights, and regulatory risks.
• Build repeatable toolkits, scorecards, and dashboards to standardize data asset evaluation.
• Lead technical deep dives and data reviews with external data providers.
• Present findings to senior partners through executive-ready materials.
• Support post‑acquisition or post‑partnership integration.
• 5+ years of experience in data science, credit risk analytics, or advanced analytics.
• Hands-on experience transforming raw data into model-ready features.
• Proficiency in Python (Pandas, NumPy, SciPy, scikit‑learn, SQLAlchemy).
• Advanced SQL experience with large, multi-source datasets.
• Experience with credit risk metrics and model evaluation (AUC, KS, lift, PSI, stability, and back‑testing).
• Experience designing incremental value tests, challenger analyses, and controlled experiments.
• Ability to summarize complex analytical outcomes into clear, defensible business recommendations.
• Comfortable presenting in high‑visibility, decision-oriented environments.
• Experience collaborating across Product, Risk, Legal, Compliance, and Strategy teams.
• Experience supporting M&A due diligence, data acquisitions, or strategic partnership evaluations.

Good to Have

• Familiarity with fair lending expectations, model explainability, and regulatory compliance for new data usage.
• Experience evaluating early-stage fintechs or data-as-a-service providers with developing data products.
• Exposure to ML models used for underwriting, fraud, or early-warning systems.
• Experience building standardized evaluation frameworks or internal analytics guides.
• Understanding of data commercialization and productization considerations.

Perks & Benefits

• Flexible Time Off: 20 Days
• DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives
• Work/life balance
• Development opportunities
• Authenticity and collaboration
• Wellness programs
• Reward & recognition
• Volunteering opportunities
• Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer
• Accommodation for disabilities or special needs

Company Description

Experian is a global data and technology company, powering opportunities for people and businesses around the world. We help to redefine lending practices, uncover and prevent fraud, simplify healthcare, create marketing solutions, and gain deeper insights into the automotive market, all using our unique combination of data, analytics and software. We also assist millions of people to realize their financial goals and help them save time and money.

We operate across a range of markets, from financial services to healthcare, automotive, agribusiness, insurance, and many more industry segments.

We invest in people and new advanced technologies to unlock the power of data. As a FTSE 100 Index company listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN), we have a team of 22,500 people across 32 countries. Our corporate headquarters are in Dublin, Ireland. Learn more at experianplc.com.

Job Description

We are looking for an experienced Principal Data Scientist to evaluate new data assets, including M&A targets, strategic partners, and third‑party data providers across the credit lifecycle. You will sit at the intersection of data science, product strategy, and corporate development, rigorously assessing the predictive power, stability, scalability, and regulatory viability of external datasets. You'll partner with Product, Corporate Development, Legal, Risk, and external counterparties. You will report to the VP of Analytics Product Build, Innovation, and Scores. This role is fully remote.

You'll have opportunity to:

• Evaluate traditional, alternative, transactional, and raw datasets for use in underwriting, portfolio management, collections, and fraud.
• Lead quantitative due diligence for M&A targets and data partnerships, assessing data quality, depth, coverage, stability, and scalability.
• Design and implement validation frameworks to measure predictive lift, segmentation value, and incremental performance versus incumbent data.
• Conduct benchmarking and champion/challenger analyses comparing external data assets with internal attributes, scores, and models.
• Engineer consumer, account, or business-level features from raw or event-level data, especially for early-stage data providers.
• Develop and test feature construction methods (recency, frequency, velocity, volatility, trend, and stability) to evaluate modeling potential.
• Assess data assets across the full credit lifecycle—acquisition, underwriting, account management, early warning, and loss mitigation.
• Translate analytical findings into investment theses, valuation inputs, and go/no-go recommendations for Product and Corporate Development.
• Evaluate regulatory and compliance considerations: explainability, permissible purpose, adverse action suitability, data provenance, and governance.
• Partner with Legal and Privacy teams to assess consent, permissible use, data rights, and regulatory risks.
• Build repeatable toolkits, scorecards, and dashboards to standardize how data assets are evaluated.
• Lead technical deep dives and data reviews with external data providers, fintechs, and potential acquisition targets.
• Present findings to senior partners through executive-ready materials that communicates risk, value, integration effort, and strategic fit.
• Support post‑acquisition or post‑partnership integration through guidance on feature pipelines, monitoring strategies, and performance tracking.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in data science, credit risk analytics, or advanced analytics within financial services, FinTech, or data-driven platforms.
• Hands-on experience transforming raw transactional, event-level, or unstructured data into model-ready features.
• Proficiency in Python (Pandas, NumPy, SciPy, scikit‑learn, SQLAlchemy) for feature engineering, validation, and analysis.
• Advanced SQL experience with large, multi-source datasets.
• Experience with credit risk metrics and model evaluation (AUC, KS, lift, PSI, stability, and back‑testing).
• Experience designing incremental value tests, challenger analyses, and controlled experiments.
• Summarize complex analytical outcomes into clear, defensible business recommendations.
• Comfortable presenting in high‑visibility, decision-oriented environments.
• Experience collaborating across Product, Risk, Legal, Compliance, and Strategy teams.
• Experience supporting M&A due diligence, data acquisitions, or strategic partnership evaluations.
• Familiarity with fair lending expectations, model explainability, and regulatory compliance for new data usage.
• Experience evaluating early-stage fintechs or data-as-a-service providers with developing data products.
• Exposure to ML models used for underwriting, fraud, or early-warning systems.
• Experience building standardized evaluation frameworks or internal analytics guides.
• Understanding of data commercialization and productization considerations.

Additional Information

Our uniqueness is that we celebrate yours. Experian's culture and people are important differentiators. We take our people agenda very seriously and focus on what matters; DEI, work/life balance, development, authenticity, collaboration, wellness, reward & recognition, volunteering... the list goes on. Experian's people first approach is award-winning; World's Best Workplaces™ 2024 (Fortune Top 25), Great Place To Work™ in 24 countries, and Glassdoor Best Places to Work 2024 to name a few. Check out Experian Life on social or our Careers Site to understand why.

Experian is proud to be an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. Innovation is an important part of Experian's DNA and practices, and our diverse workforce drives our success. Everyone can succeed at Experian and bring their whole self to work, irrespective of their gender, ethnicity, religion, colour, sexuality, physical ability or age. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know at the earliest opportunity.