About Ryewalk
At Ryewalk, we go beyond solving problems - we engineer smart, scalable solutions that drive business success.
- Salesforce Experts – We don't just implement CRM solutions; we tailor Salesforce to fit your business, ensuring seamless adoption and maximum impact.
- Cloud Strategists – We design and build cloud architectures in AWS that are robust, scalable, and ready for the future.
- Tech Trailblazers – When technology challenges stall progress, we step in, streamline, and deliver. No jargon, no fluff—just outcomes that matter.
If it's a complex tech challenge, we're the team that makes it work.
About the Role
We're looking for a Lead Data Scientist to own the delivery of data science and business analytics solutions for our fintech clients.
This is a player-coach role. You'll lead a small, talented team while staying hands-on with the data yourself, and you'll be the person the client relies on to turn complex analysis into clear, confident recommendations. In practice, you'll wear three hats:
- Delivery manager — accountable for scope, timelines, quality, and the health of the client relationship.
- Technical lead — hands-on in the data, setting the standard for the team, and stepping in on the hardest problems.
- Trusted communicator — the primary point of contact who translates ambiguity into a plan and data into a story stakeholders can act on.
If you love being close to the work but also get energy from leading people, managing delivery, and presenting to clients, we'd love to talk.
Key Responsibilities
Delivery & Client Engagement
- Own end-to-end delivery of data science and analytics engagements — scoping, planning, prioritization, execution, and on-time delivery.
- Act as the primary day-to-day point of contact for client stakeholders, building trusted relationships and staying close to their evolving business needs.
- Translate ambiguous, open-ended business problems into well-scoped workstreams with clear deliverables, owners, and timelines.
- Manage expectations proactively — communicate progress, surface risks early, and keep delivery on track.
- Present findings, recommendations, and roadmaps to both technical teams and executive audiences with clarity and confidence.
Team Leadership and Quality
- Lead, mentor, and grow a small team of data scientists and analysts.
- Plan and allocate work, set technical standards, and remove blockers so the team can do its best work.
- Own quality assurance — review code, models, dashboards, and analysis for accuracy and rigor before anything reaches the client.
- Coach team members on both technical craft and stakeholder communication.
- Foster a culture of curiosity, ownership, and continuous improvement.
Hands-on Data Science & Analytics
- Stay hands-on — write SQL and Python, build models, and create dashboards alongside the team, especially on the most complex or high-stakes work.
- Design, build, and deploy end-to-end ML models for lending use cases such as credit scoring, risk assessment, default and early-warning prediction, fraud detection, and customer segmentation.
- Lead exploratory analysis, feature engineering, model selection, validation, and performance monitoring.
- Design intuitive Tableau dashboards and automated reporting that drive decisions across product, risk, and operations.
- Establish and uphold best practices for reproducible, scalable, production-ready work.
What we are looking for
Must-Have:
- 5+ years of hands-on experience in data science / business analytics, including experience leading projects and/or mentoring others.
- A passion for owning delivery — managing scope, timelines, and stakeholders on data or analytics engagements.
- Expert SQL for querying and shaping large-scale datasets.
- Strong Python for data analysis and ML modeling.
- Hands-on expertise with Tableau (or a similar BI tool) for dashboarding and reporting.
- Deep understanding of statistics, experimental design, hypothesis testing, and data visualization best practices.
- Strong experience with ML libraries/frameworks (e.g., scikit-learn, XGBoost, TensorFlow, PyTorch).
- Experience taking ML models from prototype to production.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills — able to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical and executive audiences, and confident leading client-facing meetings.
- A quality-first mindset: strong attention to detail and the ability to QC and elevate the team's work.
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Statistics, or a related quantitative field.
Nice-to-Have:
- Background in fintech, credit risk or lending — a strong plus that will help you ramp quickly with the client.
- Experience with cloud data platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure).
- Familiarity with MLOps and model deployment pipelines.
- Experience in a consulting environment.
- Comfort working with US-based / distributed clients across time zones.
- Knowledge of Git, CI/CD, and modern data workflows.
What Success looks like
- First 30 days: You've built strong relationships with the client team, developed a clear picture of their data and priorities, and taken ownership of the delivery roadmap.
- Within 3 months: The team is shipping high-quality, high-impact work on a predictable cadence — and you've become the technical and delivery partner the client turns to first.
What Makes You a Great Fit
Problem-Solver Mindset - You enjoy tackling challenges and finding innovative solutions
Excellent Troubleshooting Abilities - You can quickly diagnose and resolve technical issues under pressure
Curiosity & Continuous Learning - You stay updated with the latest Data Engineering trends and technologies
Ownership & Accountability - You take responsibility and drive projects to completion
Collaboration & Communication - You work well across teams and can explain technical concepts clearly
Adaptability - You thrive in a dynamic environment and embrace change
Proactive Approach - You anticipate challenges, take initiative, and suggest improvements before issues arise
Why Ryewalk
Impact from Day One - As a startup, we move fast, make bold decisions, and your work truly matters. No red tape - just pure problem-solving and execution.
Wear Multiple Hats (If You Want To!) - Love coding but also want to dabble in architecture Curious about Consulting At Ryewalk, you'll have the freedom to explore beyond your job title.
Work With the Best - Join a team of smart, passionate, and hands-on tech pros who thrive on collaboration, innovation, and challenging the status quo.
Grow at Startup Speed - Unlike rigid corporate hierarchies, here you get to learn, lead, and level up - fast.
Hybrid-Friendly & Flexible - We trust you to deliver without micromanagement. (Yes, really!)
Solve Real Problems - We work with clients who come to us with big, complex tech challenges - and we love cracking them. If you enjoy making a real impact, you'll fit right in.
Culture That Feels Like Home - Expect collaborative brainstorming, inside jokes, and an environment where everyone has a voice.
