Data Scientist at Unison in San Francisco, CA

About the role: 

Unison is seeking a Data Scientist to power the next generation of our home equity sharing platform. This role sits at the intersection of product, engineering, and investments, driving the analytical insights and machine learning capabilities that enable us to scale efficiently and profitably.

You will translate complex data into actionable intelligence, build and deploy predictive models, and partner cross-functionally to shape product strategy and portfolio performance. This is a high-impact role for someone who thrives on ownership, intellectual curiosity, and delivering work they are proud to present.

This is a hybrid position with the requirement of 3 full days (Tues-Thurs) in our San Francisco, CA office. 

 

Responsibilities: 

Product Analytics and Insights

• Develop a deep understanding of Unison’s equity sharing products and customer journey
• Define, track, and forecast key product and funnel metrics across acquisition, conversion, and retention
• Partner closely with Product, Marketing, and Engineering to translate business questions into scalable data science solutions
• Deliver clear, actionable insights that inform product decisions and growth strategy
  
  

Machine Learning and Predictive Modeling

• Design, train, validate, and maintain machine learning models using data such as property attributes, customer characteristics, macroeconomic indicators, and conversion data
• Enhance model performance through feature engineering, model selection, hyperparameter tuning, and ongoing monitoring
• Productionize models to ensure scalability, reliability, and performance in live environments
  Establish best practices for model governance, documentation, and lifecycle management
  
  

Quantitative Research and Portfolio Analytics

• Build cash flow models that incorporate home price dynamics, turnover assumptions, and product terms
• Forecast prepayment behavior, default rates, home price appreciation, and portfolio returns
• Identify data-driven insights that improve the portfolio’s risk-return profile
• Support strategic initiatives through rigorous quantitative analysis
  
  

Data Engineering and Infrastructure

• Build and maintain scalable applications and workflows on AWS
• Design and support data pipelines and infrastructure to enable analytics and machine learning at scale
• Write clean, efficient, and well-documented code aligned with best practices

 

About you: 

• Master’s degree in Quantitative Finance, Financial Engineering, Data Science, Statistics, Operations Research, or a related quantitative discipline
• Two or more years of experience in data science, quantitative finance, data engineering, or software engineering
• Strong programming skills in Python and proficiency in SQL
• Experience with or willingness to learn distributed data tools such as Hadoop and Spark, as well as AWS cloud services
• Demonstrated experience developing and deploying machine learning models
• Passion for integrating AI-driven solutions into business workflows
• It’s a bonus if: 
• Familiarity with residential real estate, mortgage markets, or structured finance is a plus
• CFA Level I or comparable level of investment knowledge is a plus

 

We recognize that people come with experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job. If your experience is close to what you see listed here, please still consider applying. Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and excellence. Therefore, we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to our positions. Please let us know if you require accommodations during the interview process.

 

Why join us? 

The Unison team draws on a deep and wide range of talent across several disciplines. Visionaries in investment management, product development, and financial technology are joined by innovative real estate and consumer finance experts creating a unique culture.

Perks of the Unison employee include: competitive salaries, 100% paid medical and dental benefits, generous PTO policy, paid parental leave program, and fantastic downtown SF and Omaha locations, as well as being an integral part of a well-funded market leader with incredible momentum.

 

About us:
Unison is a San Francisco-based company that is pioneering a smarter, better way to own your home. Until now, the only way to finance a home was by taking on debt. Through the Unison Agreement, we help homeowners access their equity flexibly with no monthly payments or interest. We enhance home affordability, reduce debt, and deliver a less risky way for homeowners, investors, and society to think about their most important asset - the home. For additional information, visit www.unison.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.

The last few years have been record breaking for Unison. We expanded our offering to 30 states, surpassed the $5B mark in real estate investments and partnered with over 7K customers through our HomeBuyer and HomeOwner programs. This tremendous growth was recognized by the Deloitte Technology Fast500 awards two years in a row as well as being included in the most recent Forbes Fintech50.

Pursuant to California Labor Code § 432.3, the salary range for this position is $115,000 - $155,000. This range reflects the base salary that the Company reasonably expects to pay for the role. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as relevant experience, skills, qualifications, and geographic location. Additional compensation may include bonuses, commissions, equity, or other benefits.

Unison provides equal employment opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law.