Senior Data Scientist, Risk

Block is one company built from many blocks, all united by the same purpose of economic empowerment. The blocks that form our foundational teams - People, Finance, Counsel, Hardware, Information Security, Platform Infrastructure Engineering, and more - provide support and guidance at the corporate level. They work across business groups and around the globe, spanning time zones and disciplines to develop inclusive People policies, forecast finances, give legal counsel, safeguard systems, nurture new initiatives, and more. Every challenge creates possibilities, and we need different perspectives to see them all. Bring yours to Block.
The Role
This role will be part of the Risk Product Data Science team, focusing on improving risk outcomes while maintaining a strong seller experience across the Payments Risk domain. The Data Scientist will explore new classes of risk controls, size opportunities, assess impact, and evaluate trade-offs. They will also optimize risk decisioning for payments products, drive product improvements, and enhance the end-to-end seller experience. The role partners closely with Product, Engineering, and Risk teams to deliver data-informed insights, guide strategy, and ensure consistent execution of risk initiatives.
*Work from anywhere: This role can be performed from any location in the US with the flexibility to work from home
You Will

• Analyze risk actions and quantify impact on losses and seller experience
• Evaluate effectiveness and trade-offs of risk controls
• Design, execute, and analyze A/B tests to validate features and optimize risk decisions
• Apply statistical and modeling techniques to understand customer behavior and inform strategy
• Collaborate with engineers to log and curate data for analysis
• Build metrics, dashboards, and visualizations to monitor performance and guide decisions
• Partner cross-functionally to translate insights into actionable product and risk improvements
• Communicate findings and recommendations clearly to team leads and stakeholders

You Have

• 8+ years of post-graduate industry experience in product data science; experience in risk is a plus
• Deep experience in product A/B testing, including experiment design, analysis, interpretation, and guiding decisions under imperfect data
• Track record of influencing product and risk strategy through data-driven insights and strong cross-functional partnerships
• Proven ability to build and own metrics, dashboards, and monitoring systems in fast-paced, evolving environments
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to non-technical audiences and influence without authority
• Strong stakeholder management skills, including navigating trade-offs across Product, Engineering, and Risk
• Strategic thinker who balances analytical rigor with business pragmatism and long-term impact
• Proactive mindset with the ability to identify emerging risks and opportunities through data patterns
• Self-directed operator who can independently drive projects end-to-end after collaborative scoping
• Bachelor's degree required in Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, or a related quantitative field; Master's or PhD preferred, or equivalent advanced industry experience

Technologies We Use and Teach

• Proficiency in Python (e.g., Pandas, NumPy) and SQL (e.g., Snowflake, BigQuery, MySQL)
• Experience with analytics and BI tools (e.g., Looker, Mode)
• Familiarity with Git and version control workflows
• Strong foundation in probability and statistics, including A/B experiment design and evaluation, statistical inference, and anomaly detection
• Experience leveraging LLMs and prompt engineering to accelerate development or analyze non-quantitative data

We're working to build a more inclusive economy where our customers have equal access to opportunity, and we strive to live by these same values in building our workplace. Block is an equal opportunity employer evaluating all employees and job applicants without regard to identity or any legally protected class. We will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment in accordance with state and local laws and "fair chance" ordinances.
We believe in being fair, and are committed to an inclusive interview experience, including providing reasonable accommodations to disabled applicants throughout the recruitment process. We encourage applicants to share any needed accommodations with their recruiter, who will treat these requests as confidentially as possible. Want to learn more about what we're doing to build a workplace that is fair and square? Check out our I+D page .
While there is no specific deadline to apply for this role, U.S. roles are typically open for an average of 55 days before being filled by a successful candidate. Please refer to the date listed at the top of this job page for when this role was first posted.
Block takes a market-based approach to pay, and pay may vary depending on your location. U.S. locations are categorized into one of four zones based on a cost of labor index for that geographic area. The successful candidate's starting pay will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future.
To find a location's zone designation, please refer to this resource . If a location of interest is not listed, please speak with a recruiter for additional information.
Zone A:
$198,000 - $297,000 USD
Zone B:
$188,100 - $282,100 USD
Zone C:
$178,200 - $267,400 USD
Zone D:
$168,300 - $252,500 USD
Application Guidelines
Candidates may submit up to 9 active applications within a 60-day period. Reapplications to the same role are accepted 90 days after a previous application has been reviewed.
Use of AI in Our Hiring Process
We may use automated AI tools to evaluate job applications for efficiency and consistency. These tools comply with local regulations, including bias audits, and we handle all personal data in accordance with state and local privacy laws.
Contact us here with hiring practice or data usage questions.
Every benefit we offer is designed with one goal: empowering you to do the best work of your career while building the life you want. Remote work, medical insurance, flexible time off, retirement savings plans, and modern family planning are just some of our offering. Check out our other benefits at Block.
Block, Inc. (NYSE: XYZ) builds technology to increase access to the global economy. Each of our brands unlocks different aspects of the economy for more people. Square makes commerce and financial services accessible to sellers. Cash App is the easy way to spend, send, and store money. Afterpay is transforming the way customers manage their spending over time. TIDAL is a music platform that empowers artists to thrive as entrepreneurs. Bitkey is a simple self-custody wallet built for bitcoin. Proto is a suite of bitcoin mining products and services. Together, we're helping build a financial system that is open to everyone.