Data Scientist I

Dealership:L0238 Driveway Finance Corporation

Driveway Finance Corporation |Data Scientist I

Driveway Finance Corporation (DFC) is a modern automotive lender and part of the Lithia & Driveway (LAD) family, one of the largest automotive retailers in North America and where we exemplify "Auto Done Easy". DFC provides flexible, customer-focused financing solutions that support both retail and commercial clients. Our innovative approach combines technology with personalized service to simplify the vehicle financing experience. At DFC, we're driving the future of auto finance!

Lithia Motors, Inc. is a nationwide automotive retailer headquartered in Medford, Oregon, and the largest automotive retailer in the United States. The Data Scientist/Senior Data Scientist supports Lithia's long-term strategy to use data, statistical modeling, machine learning, and AI to predict market trends, improve decision-making, optimize operations, and better serve customers. The role helps ensure that organizational data is accurate, consistent, and fit for effective predictive modeling, while addressing data-source and collection issues and helping reduce systematic bias. The position also supports U.S. vehicle lending and leasing through credit risk analytics and modeling, pricing strategy, and practical analytical solutions for businesses and functions including Driveway.com, sales, marketing, finance, operations, product, and technology.

The Data Scientist/Senior Data Scientist reports to the Manager, Data Science

This role is hybrid in Tigard,OR. 3 days in office, 2 days from home

Target Hiring Range:

At Lithia & Driveway, we believe in pay transparency. The full compensation range for this position is $60,000 - $85,000 reflecting the earning potential and growth opportunities available within the role. Actual compensation will be $73,000 - $82,000 determined based on factors such as experience, skills, job-related knowledge, and geographic location. Final pay decisions are made through the interview process and in accordance with applicable pay equity and transparency laws.

*Potential higher for a Data Scientist II will be reviewed by hiring manager for qualififications, pay range $103,000 - $117,000

What You'll Do

• Analyze U.S. vehicle lending and leasing portfolio performance, identify risk trends, and provide actionable recommendations.
• Develop and maintain credit risk models, decision rules, risk tiers, and related analytical strategies.
• Test and validate models and credit policies using historical analysis, back-testing, simulations, and appropriate performance measures.
• Build reliable analytical datasets and reporting using Python, SQL, and relevant cloud or business intelligence platforms.
• Monitor model, policy, and portfolio performance and recommend adjustments when business conditions, customer behavior, or data quality change
• Develop and evaluate pricing strategies, including risk-based pricing, profitability analysis, pricing optimization, and measurement of customer and portfolio outcomes.
• Support Lithia businesses and functions, including Driveway.com, sales, and marketing, by identifying analytical opportunities, building models and insights, and translating results into practical business recommendations
• Partner with credit, finance, operations, product, technology, data engineering, and governance teams to implement analytical solutions
• Clearly communicate methods, assumptions, limitations, findings, and business impact to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• For the Senior Data Scientist level, lead complex workstreams, review analytical work, coach team members, and help establish modeling standards

Additional Qualifications

The following knowledge, skills and abilities are needed to be successful in this position:

• Master's degree in data science, statistics, mathematics, computer science, engineering, economics, finance, actuarial science, or a closely related quantitative field; an advanced degree is an asset.
• Data Scientist: typically 3 or more years of relevant experience in data science, credit risk analytics, statistical modeling, or a related quantitative field. Senior Data Scientist: typically 5 or more years of relevant experience, including ownership of complex analytical or modeling work.
• Hands-on experience developing, testing, or validating statistical or machine-learning models using Python, R, or similar tools.
• Strong SQL skills and experience working with large, complex datasets, including data preparation, reconciliation, and quality assessment.
• Knowledge of model development and validation concepts including sampling, feature engineering, performance measurement, calibration, stability testing, back-testing, and monitoring.
• Ability to convert analytical results into practical risk strategies and explain technical concepts to business stakeholders.
• Strong written documentation, problem-solving, attention to detail, and time-management skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across credit risk, finance, product, operations, compliance, technology, and data teams.

Preferred Qualifications

The following knowledge, skills and abilities are preferred to be successful in this position:

• Experience in automotive finance, vehicle leasing, consumer lending, banking, fintech, or another regulated credit environment.
• Experience with credit decisioning strategies, scorecards, risk-tier assignment, policy rules, expected loss, delinquency, collections, prepayment, or residual value analytics.
• Experience with model risk management, independent model validation, governance documentation, production monitoring, or audit support.
• Experience with cloud data and analytics platforms such as Microsoft Azure, Databricks, Spark, or equivalent technologies.
• Experience with visualization or business intelligence tools such as Power BI or Tableau.
• Knowledge of U.S. consumer credit markets and applicable privacy, fair lending, consumer protection, and responsible-use expectations for data and models is an asset.
• Experience working with U.S. credit bureau data, fair lending analysis, or regulated consumer lending requirements is an asset.

Total Rewards

We offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support you and your family, including:

• Competitive pay
• Medical, Dental and Vision Plans
• Paid Holidays
• PTO: 80 hours front-loaded on day 1
• Short and Long-Term Disability
• Paid Life Insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Lithia Learning Center
• Vehicle Purchase Discounts
• Wellness Programs

Additional information about our Total Rewards benefits can be reviewed on our careers site at totalrewards.lithiadriveway.com

High School graduate or equivalent, 18 years or older required. We are a drug-free workplace. We are committed to equal employment opportunity (regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status). We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions.