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Sallie Mae · 11 hours ago

Principal Data Scientist

Newark, DE

Full-time

Hybrid

Lead/Staff

8+ years exp

Sallie Mae is a champion for students, aiming to revolutionize education services. They are seeking a strategic and visionary Principal Data Scientist to lead data science initiatives, drive advanced analytics, and foster a culture of data as a product.

Financial ServicesHigher Education

Comp. & Benefits

H1B Sponsor Likely

Responsibilities

Define and execute the data science strategy that enables SallieSM’s mission to help students and families access education resources

Serve as the data science thought leader—partnering with senior leadership to identify, prioritize, and deliver high-impact analytical solutions

Mentor and coach data scientists and analysts, fostering a culture of curiosity, rigor, and innovation

Build, evaluate, and deploy advanced ML models and generative AI systems (including LLM applications) to drive customer engagement and personalization

Develop frameworks for experimentation, causal inference, and optimization that inform product and marketing decisions

Ensure responsible AI practices and interpretability across all modeling efforts

Partner with engineering and product teams to design scalable data pipelines, feature stores, and analytical platforms

Lead the evolution of data into managed products—complete with ownership, lifecycle, and measurable value delivery

Define the architecture for model deployment, monitoring, and continuous improvement

Translate complex analytical outputs into actionable recommendations that shape marketing strategy, customer acquisition, and retention efforts

Partner with finance and business operations to develop forecasting and performance models

Identify opportunities to monetize data responsibly and ethically through new data products and partnerships

Stay ahead of trends in AI, MLOps, and data monetization; drive adoption of emerging techniques across teams

Champion data ethics, governance, and compliance standards that align with Sallie Mae’s trusted brand

Contribute to building the data-driven foundation that powers SallieSM’s growth and competitive edge

Qualification

Machine LearningStatistical ModelingPythonData Science StrategySQLAdTech ExperienceLLM ApplicationsData EthicsCollaborationMentoring

Required

Master's or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Economics, or related field

8+ years of experience in applied data science, machine learning, or quantitative research roles

Proven expertise in statistical modeling, machine learning, and experimental design

Strong programming proficiency in Python and SQL, with experience in tools such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, or Scikit-learn

Hands-on experience with modern data stacks (Snowflake, Databricks, AWS, or GCP)

Demonstrated ability to translate data insights into strategic business outcomes

Preferred

Experience in AdTech, MarTech, or media analytics environments

Experience deploying and scaling LLM or AI-powered applications

Familiarity with financial modeling, forecasting, or marketing attribution

Strong publication record or contributions to open-source projects

Passion for responsible AI, fairness, and data ethics

Benefits

Competitive base salaries

Bonus incentives

Generous PTO, Floating Holidays and 12 Federal Holidays observed

Support for financial-well-being and retirement 401k with employer match

Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, hospital indemnity, critical illness, pet insurance and more

Employer paid short-term/long-term disability and basic life insurance

Flexible hybrid working arrangements.

Paid parental leave and adoption reimbursement programs

Free access to on-site staffed fitness centers (in Delaware) and gym subsidy (for locations outside Delaware)

Confidential counseling support (EAP), Health Advocacy services and Wellness program with financial incentives

Tuition Reimbursement and Family Scholarship Programs

Career development and training opportunities

Company

Sallie Mae

Glassdoor4.0

Sallie Mae is an American corporation that originates, services, and collects student loans.

Founded in 1972

Newark, Delaware, USA

1001-5000 employees

https://www.salliemae.com

H1B Sponsorship

Sallie Mae has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)

Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship

Represents job field similar to this job

Trends of Total Sponsorships

2025 (11)

2024 (4)

2023 (3)