Data Scientist III

at  TD Bank

JOB DESCRIPTION & KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Do you want to dive into the intersection of fairness and modeling? Do you want to tackle how we can leverage explainability approaches to understand models? Are you passionate about technology and ethics? If so, then this is a job for you.
As the backbone of our financial system, banks have rich large-scale datasets and are rapidly adopting modeling solutions to improve customer experience and drive business performance, including AI and machine learning. While models are increasingly pervasive across society, there are many outstanding questions and challenges to ensure that model outcomes are fair and transparent. In this position, you will play a key role in ensuring the appropriate application of models.

This position reports to the Senior Manager, Compliance Oversight of Models Office. Detailed accountabilities include:

• Conduct research on how to identify, assess, and address modeling risks and associated concerns
• Support the development of technical standards and guidelines covering model risk matters, and draft key compliance documents in appropriate coordination with stakeholders
• Represent Compliance in major projects, initiatives, and engagements
• Evaluate model development procedures and practices
• Develop training materials and guidelines to help businesses address regulatory compliance throughout the model lifecycle
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of techniques and developments in the field of advanced modeling and share knowledge with business partners and senior management
• Review use cases across TD, and build a close working relationship with business units across the Enterprise. Objectives include:
• Supporting compliance risk management associated with models used by TD, and
• Supporting the business in monitoring regulatory compliance and risk mitigation throughout the model lifecycles.

TEAM DESCRIPTION

The successful candidate will join the Compliance Oversight of Models Office (COMO), an interdisciplinary team that sits at the intersection of data science, regulatory understanding, and ethics. COMO is responsible for the global compliance oversight of models from a regulatory compliance perspective. COMO’s oversight spans the model lifecycle and engagement with disparate model stakeholders. The COMO mandate includes but is not limited to:

• Assessing models for regulatory compliance;
• Providing oversight and independent challenge to approaches used to identify, assess, and address regulatory compliance risk; and
• Supporting the business in monitoring regulatory compliance and removing or mitigating risk throughout the model lifecycle.

COMO embraces a multidisciplinary approach, celebrating the alternative, multi-faceted perspectives needed to ensure that AI is developed and deployed ethically. COMO is committed to helping team members develop professionally and expand their horizons because the best way to address the challenges of tomorrow is to have a team that can see those challenges today.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Hands-on data science expertise including, but not limited to, machine learning, statistics, and data visualization
• Experience with/knowledge of methods, techniques and tools to support model explainability and bias/fairness assessments
• The ability to stay abreast of developments in advanced modeling
• The ability to effectively collaborate with technical and non-technical stakeholders (e.g., business partners and control partners) across the model development lifecycle and as part of enterprise initiatives
• Ability to influence people and deal with conflicting points of view and to effect creative and responsive solutions
• Comfort representing Compliance in executive-level initiatives and meetings, and working with all levels of staff within the Enterprise
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Work effectively as a team to peer review other team member model reviews and share knowledge
• Establish strong relationships with Business Units, Control Partners, Compliance Units, acting as a primary Compliance contact for model compliance risks
• Assist with response to regulatory inquiries, examinations and investigations as applicable.
• Quick learner who constantly works on improving skills and expertise.
• Good time management and multitasking skills with minimal supervision.

EXPERIENCE & EDUCATION:

• Postgraduate degree (preferably in computer science, math, statistics, engineering, or related quantitative field)
• Relevant experience with the model development lifecycle (model validation expertise would be especially advantageous)
• Demonstrable engagement with the issues of explainability and/or fairness in the context of advanced analytics and modeling

WHO WE ARE:

TD is one of the world’s leading global financial institutions and is the fifth largest bank in North America by branches/stores. Every day, we deliver legendary customer experiences to over 27 million households and businesses in Canada, the United States and around the world. More than 95,000 TD colleagues bring their skills, talent, and creativity to the Bank, those we serve, and the economies we support. We are guided by our vision to Be the Better Bank and our purpose to enrich the lives of our customers, communities and colleagues.
TD is deeply committed to being a leader in customer experience, that is why we believe that all colleagues, no matter where they work, are customer facing. As we build our business and deliver on our strategy, we are innovating to enhance the customer experience and build capabilities to shape the future of banking. Whether you’ve got years of banking experience or are just starting your career in financial services, we can help you realize your potential. Through regular leadership and development conversations to mentorship and training programs, we’re here to support you towards your goals. As an organization, we keep growing – and so will you.

• Assessing models for regulatory compliance;
• Providing oversight and independent challenge to approaches used to identify, assess, and address regulatory compliance risk; and
• Supporting the business in monitoring regulatory compliance and removing or mitigating risk throughout the model lifecycle