Senior Scientist, Decision Sciences

Senior Scientist, Decision Sciences – Santa Ana, Costa Rica

Are you energized by analyzing data? Are you ready to join an advanced team in a global company that customers depend on to prevent fraudulent transactions? Are you interested in joining a globally diverse organization where our unique contributions are recognized and celebrated, allowing each of us to thrive Then, it’s time to join Western Union as a Senior Scientist for Decision Sciences.

Western Union powers your pursuit.
We're looking for a Senior Data Scientist to join our Risk Management team and lead the development and optimization of fraud prevention strategies across North America, our most critical and high-impact market. This role is essential to balancing financial loss reduction with customer growth, using advanced analytics and strategic thinking to drive smarter, data-driven decisions. You’ll own the design of risk models, guide high-impact initiatives, and mentor junior team members, helping us stay ahead of emerging threats while enabling scalable growth. 

Role Responsibilities

• Lead the development, monitoring, and continuous improvement of fraud prevention strategies.                 
• Design, implement, and optimize classification models to support risk-based decisions.              
• Analyze fraud patterns and performance metrics to deliver actionable insights.      
• Translate complex data outputs into clear, strategic business recommendations.     
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (e.g., Payments, Product, Engineering) to improve processes and outcomes.             
• Support infrastructure improvements for risk systems and data integration.        

Role Requirements

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in engineering, Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field.    
• Minimum 5 years of experience in data science, preferably in fraud, risk, or payments.    
• Advanced proficiency in SQL for data extraction and manipulation.    
  Strong experience with Python and relevant data science/machine learning libraries (e.g., scikit-learn, pandas, NumPy).    
  Deep understanding of classification algorithms, model evaluation, and performance monitoring.
• Familiarity with Excel for quick analysis and reporting.
• Ability to create, maintain Power BI Visualizations and dashboards
• Proven ability to lead strategic initiatives and influence cross-functional stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a business-oriented mindset.

We make financial services accessible to humans everywhere. Join us for what’s next.

Western Union is positioned to become the world’s most accessible financial services company —transforming lives and communities. We’re a diverse and passionate customer-centric team of over 8,000 employees serving 200 countries and territories, reaching customers and receivers around the globe. More than moving money, we design easy-to-use products and services for our digital and physical financial ecosystem that help our customers move forward.

Just as we help our global customers prosper, we support our employees in achieving their professional aspirations. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to learn new skills and build a career, as well as receive a great compensation package. If you’re ready to help drive the future of financial services, it’s time for Western Union. Learn more about our purpose and people at https://careers.westernunion.com/.

Benefits

You will also have access to short-term incentives, multiple health insurance options, accident and life insurance, and access to best-in-class development platforms, to name a few(https://careers.westernunion.com/global-benefits/). Please see the location-specific benefits below and note that your Recruiter may share additional role-specific benefits during your interview process or in an offer of employment.

Your Costa Rica- specific benefits include:

• Asociación Solidarista
• In-house company doctor services
• Transportation services options
• Referral Program award
• Employee Resource Groups (ERG) and committees to volunteer with
• Pan American Medical and Life insurance
• Cafeteria Discounts

Western Union values in-person collaboration, learning, and ideation whenever possible. We believe this creates value through common ways of working and supports the execution of enterprise objectives which will ultimately help us achieve our strategic goals. By connecting face-to-face, we are better able to learn from our peers, problem-solve together, and innovate.  

Our Hybrid Work Model categorizes each role into one of three categories. Western Union has determined the category of this role to be Hybrid. This is defined as a flexible working arrangement that enables employees to divide their time between working from home and working from an office location. The expectation is to work from the office a minimum of three days a week. 

We are passionate about diversity. Our commitment is to provide an inclusive culture that celebrates the unique backgrounds and perspectives of our global teams while reflecting the communities we serve. We do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, political affiliation, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, or veteran status. The company will provide accommodation for applicants, including those with disabilities, during the recruitment process, following applicable laws.

#LI-GV1 #LI-Hybrid

Estimated Job Posting End Date:

11-30-2025

This application window is a good-faith estimate of the time that this posting will remain open. This posting will be promptly updated if the deadline is extended or the role is filled.