Data Scientist, Risk & Fraud

About The Company

Join the Future of Commerce with Whatnot! Whatnot is the largest live shopping platform in North America and Europe, revolutionizing the way people buy, sell, and discover their favorite items. We blend community, shopping, and entertainment into a unique marketplace experience that fosters connection and excitement. Our innovative approach to e-commerce has made us a leader in live auctions, offering a diverse range of products including fashion, beauty, electronics, collectibles such as trading cards and comic books, and even live plants. With hubs across the US, UK, Germany, Ireland, and Poland, we are building the future of online marketplaces through a remote co-located team driven by innovation and core values. As one of the fastest-growing marketplaces, we are committed to enabling passionate individuals to turn their interests into thriving businesses and to bringing people together through engaging commerce experiences.

About The Role

To sustain our rapid growth and ensure a safe, trustworthy environment for our community, Whatnot is seeking a skilled Data Scientist specializing in fraud detection and risk management. The ideal candidate will leverage data analytics and scientific methods to identify, prevent, and mitigate fraudulent activities on our platform. You will play a critical role in generating insights that shape anti-fraud strategies, developing and owning KPIs related to fraud costs and impact, and partnering with product, engineering, and operations teams to implement effective solutions. Your expertise will help us design experiments, evaluate new features, and develop frameworks for impact measurement, especially in complex scenarios where traditional A/B testing may not suffice. Additionally, you will build data products, dashboards, and tools that empower teams across the organization, advocate for data-driven decision-making, and serve as a thought leader for trust and risk initiatives. Your work will directly contribute to maintaining Whatnot’s reputation as a secure and reliable platform, supporting long-term growth and community trust.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in the Data field, with at least 3+ years supporting anti-fraud, risk, trust & safety, or integrity-related projects
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Economics, Statistics, Cybersecurity, or a related field, or equivalent work experience
• Proven ability to apply scientific methods to large-scale data problems in a real-world industry setting
• Advanced SQL skills and experience with modern data warehouses such as Snowflake, BigQuery, or Redshift
• Proficiency with Python or R for data analysis, modeling, and experimentation
• Experience designing and analyzing A/B tests, with a solid understanding of causal inference techniques
• Strong data visualization skills and familiarity with BI tools for building interactive dashboards
• Excellent communication skills, capable of conveying complex ideas clearly to technical and non-technical audiences
• Experience leading cross-functional projects and influencing strategic decisions with data
• Ability to work effectively in fast-paced, ambiguous environments with a high degree of ownership
  
  

Responsibilities

• Translate complex data into actionable insights to support the Fraud engineering and operations teams
• Define and own KPIs that measure fraud-related costs, effectiveness of prevention strategies, and impact on users and marketplace performance
• Analyze the effectiveness of existing anti-fraud methods and collaborate with product and machine learning engineers to develop improved practices
• Partner with product managers, engineers, and operations teams to design, implement, and evaluate features aimed at combating bad actors
• Develop and maintain the experimentation playbook for fraud prevention efforts
• Create frameworks for causal inference and impact measurement beyond traditional A/B testing scenarios
• Build dashboards, data pipelines, and self-serve tools to enhance data accessibility and support platform enhancements
• Collaborate with engineers to improve data quality, instrumentation, and data pipeline robustness
• Advocate for a data-driven culture within the trust & risk organization, influencing strategic initiatives
• Communicate insights effectively to diverse stakeholders, influencing product roadmaps and security strategies
• Support investigations into fraud tactics, quantify threats, and help develop long-term protections against evolving fraud vectors
• Serve as a thought leader in shaping fraud and risk strategies across the platform
  
  

Benefits

• Flexible time-off policy and company-wide holidays, including seasonal breaks
• Comprehensive health insurance options, including Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage
• Support for remote work, including home office setup allowances
• Monthly allowances for cellphone and internet expenses
• Care benefits, including wellness allowances and annual childcare support
• Lifetime benefits for family planning, such as adoption or fertility expenses
• Retirement plans including 401(k) with employer matching up to 4% in the US, and pension plans internationally
• Monthly app usage allowance to encourage engagement and familiarity
• Paid parental leave of 16 weeks, with a gradual return to work, plus company leave allowances
  
  

Equal Opportunity

Whatnot is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, parental status, disability, or any other protected status. We believe that a diverse workforce enhances our innovation, culture, and success, and we welcome applicants from all backgrounds to join us in shaping the future of commerce.