Data Scientist Associate - Payments

Plano, TX, US Entry Level Data Scientist

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Skills & Technologies

AwsPythonRagRustTableau

About This Role

AI job market dashboard showing open roles by category

JOB DESCRIPTION

Join the JPM Payments Data \& Analytics' Merchant Services Cost Insights team at JPMorganChase, where we leverage data science, research, and business acumen to promote client\-focused innovation. Apply your technical skills to projects involving cost\-based analytics and cutting\-edge GenAI and agentic AI applications, creating impactful solutions for Chase Merchant Services clients.

As a Data Science Associate in our Merchant Services Cost Insights team, you will play a pivotal role in developing AI\-driven models and GenAI/agentic AI solutions that automate repeatable tasks, creating efficiencies in business processes to drive value and growth. You’ll engage in projects that integrate data science, research, and business domain expertise, focusing on cost\-based analytics, business intelligence, data engineering, and visualization.

Your work will involve leveraging your technical skills and business acumen to collaboratively design and implement end\-to\-end solutions with tangible commercial impact for our clients and customers, including chat assistants and workflow automations powered by LLMs and multi\-agent patterns. Our team supports both internal Payment Insights and external Digital Merchant Insights applications, as well as custom client analytics requests on an ad hoc basis.

Utilizing tools such as Snowflake, Python, and Tableau, you will develop data pipelines and dashboards, prototype and iterate on new generative AI capabilities and features, and ensure the quality, integrity, and reliability of our intelligent solutions through testing, evaluation, and monitoring. Your contributions will help streamline operations, enhance decision\-making, and foster growth through innovative AI applications.

Job Responsibilities :

  • Creation of chat assistants using multi\-agent AI workflows.
  • Conceptualize solutions that automate and optimize business processes.
  • Design and refine prompts to improve AI model performance. Work with subject matter experts to align prompts with business goals and user needs.
  • Provide merchants with actionable recommendations to enhance their cost strategies.
  • Iterate designs to enhance functionality and user experience. Conduct rigorous testing for reliability and effectiveness.
  • Use tools like Snowflake, Python, and Tableau to create data pipelines and dashboards. Support AI\-driven insights and decision\-making.
  • Monitor AI model performance. Identify areas for enhancement. Implement updates to maintain quality and relevance.
  • Partner with data owners, department managers, data engineers and other stakeholders to aid in the development of data models and algorithms, including requirements and success metrics for GenAI/agentic workflows.
  • Support internal Payment Insights and external Digital Merchant Insights applications, as well as custom client analytics requests on an ad hoc basis.

Required Qualifications, Capabilities, and Skills :

  • Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) or a related field.
  • Proficiency in Python and SQL for data processing and analysis.
  • Minimum 1 year relevant work experience.
  • Expertise in quantitative research techniques and analytics using Python.
  • Proven critical thinking and creative problem\-solving skills with ability to translate strategy into deliverables.
  • Knowledge of machine learning/data science theory, techniques, and tools.
  • Experience in leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs) and agent AI techniques.
  • Ability to collaborate effectively and cultivate strong partnerships.

Preferred Qualifications, Capabilities, and Skills :

  • Experience in data analysis, data science, or a related field.
  • Ability to perform rapid prototyping in Tableau and streamlit.
  • Familiarity with AWS, Snowflake for data management and analysis.
  • Attention to detail with a proven ability to learn new concepts and skills quickly.
  • Understanding of quality assurance practices and the importance of data integrity.
  • Ability to clearly develop and document analytic requirements with stakeholders.
  • Familiarity with evaluation/monitoring concepts for GenAI solutions (e.g., test cases, human\-in\-the\-loop feedback, basic quality metrics) to support reliable deployments.

ABOUT US

JPMorganChase, one of the oldest financial institutions, offers innovative financial solutions to millions of consumers, small businesses and many of the world’s most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients under the J.P. Morgan and Chase brands. Our history spans over 200 years and today we are a leader in investment banking, consumer and small business banking, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management.

We offer a competitive total rewards package including base salary determined based on the role, experience, skill set and location. Those in eligible roles may receive commission\-based pay and/or discretionary incentive compensation, paid in the form of cash and/or forfeitable equity, awarded in recognition of individual achievements and contributions. We also offer a range of benefits and programs to meet employee needs, based on eligibility. These benefits include comprehensive health care coverage, on\-site health and wellness centers, a retirement savings plan, backup childcare, tuition reimbursement, mental health support, financial coaching and more. Additional details about total compensation and benefits will be provided during the hiring process.

We recognize that our people are our strength and the diverse talents they bring to our global workforce are directly linked to our success. We are an equal opportunity employer and place a high value on diversity and inclusion at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of any protected attribute, including race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital or veteran status, pregnancy or disability, or any other basis protected under applicable law. We also make reasonable accommodations for applicants’ and employees’ religious practices and beliefs, as well as mental health or physical disability needs. Visit our FAQs for more information about requesting an accommodation.

JPMorgan Chase \& Co. is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including Disability/Veterans

ABOUT THE TEAM

J.P. Morgan’s Commercial \& Investment Bank is a global leader across banking, markets, securities services and payments. Corporations, governments and institutions throughout the world entrust us with their business in more than 100 countries. The Commercial \& Investment Bank provides strategic advice, raises capital, manages risk and extends liquidity in markets around the world.

Role Details

Company JPMorganChase
Title Data Scientist Associate - Payments
Location Plano, TX, US
Category Data Scientist
Experience Entry Level
Salary Not disclosed
Remote No

About This Role

Data Scientists extract insights and build predictive models from data. In the AI era, many roles now include LLM-powered analytics, automated reporting, and integration with generative AI tools. The role has evolved from 'the person who runs SQL queries' to 'the person who builds AI-powered data products.'

Modern data science roles fall into two camps: analytics-focused (insights, dashboards, experimentation) and ML-focused (building predictive models, recommendation systems, NLP features). The best data scientists can operate in both modes. The AI shift means that even analytics-focused roles now involve building automated insight pipelines using LLMs, going well beyond one-off reports.

Across the 26,159 AI roles we're tracking, Data Scientist positions make up 2% of the market. At JPMorganChase, this role fits into their broader AI and engineering organization.

Data Scientist roles remain in high demand, though the definition keeps shifting. Companies increasingly want candidates who can bridge traditional statistics with modern ML and LLM capabilities. The 'pure insights' data scientist role is consolidating into analytics engineering, while the 'build models' data scientist role is merging with ML engineering.

What the Work Looks Like

A typical week includes: analyzing experiment results for a product feature launch, building a predictive model for customer churn, creating an automated reporting pipeline using LLM-powered summarization, presenting insights to stakeholders, and cleaning data (always cleaning data). The ratio of analysis to engineering varies by company, but expect both.

Data Scientist roles remain in high demand, though the definition keeps shifting. Companies increasingly want candidates who can bridge traditional statistics with modern ML and LLM capabilities. The 'pure insights' data scientist role is consolidating into analytics engineering, while the 'build models' data scientist role is merging with ML engineering.

Skills Required

Aws (34% of roles) Python (15% of roles) Rag (64% of roles) Rust (29% of roles) Tableau (2% of roles)

Python, SQL, and statistical modeling are the foundation. Increasingly, roles want experience with LLMs for data analysis, automated insight generation, and building AI-powered data products. Familiarity with cloud data platforms (Snowflake, BigQuery, Databricks) and ML frameworks (scikit-learn, PyTorch) covers most job requirements.

Experimentation design and causal inference are underrated skills that separate strong candidates. Companies care about whether their product changes cause improvements, and can distinguish causation from correlation. A/B testing methodology, Bayesian statistics, and the ability to communicate uncertainty to non-technical stakeholders are high-value skills.

Good postings specify the data stack, the types of problems you'll work on, and the team structure. Look for companies that differentiate between analytics and ML data science. Vague 'data scientist' postings that list every skill under the sun usually mean the company doesn't know what they need.

Compensation Benchmarks

Data Scientist roles pay a median of $204,700 based on 441 positions with disclosed compensation. Entry-level AI roles across all categories have a median of $76,880.

Across all AI roles, the market median is $184,000. Top-quartile compensation starts at $244,000. The 90th percentile reaches $309,400. For comparison, the highest-paying categories include AI Engineering Manager ($293,500) and AI Architect ($292,900). By seniority level: Entry: $76,880; Mid: $131,300; Senior: $227,400; Director: $244,288; VP: $234,620.

JPMorganChase AI Hiring

JPMorganChase has 192 open AI roles right now. They're hiring across AI/ML Engineer, AI Software Engineer, Data Scientist, AI Agent Developer. Positions span Columbus, OH, US, New York, NY, US, San Francisco, CA, US. Compensation range: $62K - $500K.

Location Context

Across all AI roles, 7% (1,863 positions) offer remote work, while 24,200 require on-site attendance. Top AI hiring metros: Los Angeles (1,695 roles, $178,000 median); New York (1,670 roles, $200,000 median); San Francisco (1,059 roles, $244,000 median).

Career Path

Common paths into Data Scientist roles include Data Analyst, Statistician, Quantitative Researcher.

From here, career progression typically leads toward Senior Data Scientist, ML Engineer, AI Product Manager.

Start with statistics and SQL. Build a real analysis project on public data that demonstrates insight generation alongside model building. The market values data scientists who can communicate findings clearly to business stakeholders. If you want to move toward ML engineering, invest in software engineering fundamentals and production deployment skills.

What to Expect in Interviews

Interviews combine statistics, coding, and business acumen. SQL is almost always tested, often with complex joins and window functions. Expect a case study round where you're given a business problem and asked to design an analysis plan. Coding rounds focus on pandas, statistical modeling, and visualization. The strongest differentiator is how well you communicate insights to non-technical stakeholders during presentation rounds.

When evaluating opportunities: Good postings specify the data stack, the types of problems you'll work on, and the team structure. Look for companies that differentiate between analytics and ML data science. Vague 'data scientist' postings that list every skill under the sun usually mean the company doesn't know what they need.

AI Hiring Overview

The AI job market has 26,159 open positions tracked in our dataset. By seniority: 2,416 entry-level, 16,247 mid-level, 5,153 senior, and 2,343 leadership roles (Director, VP, C-Level). Remote roles make up 7% of the market (1,863 positions). The remaining 24,200 roles require on-site or hybrid attendance.

The market median for AI roles is $184,000. Top-quartile compensation starts at $244,000. The 90th percentile reaches $309,400. Highest-paying categories: AI Engineering Manager ($293,500 median, 28 roles); AI Architect ($292,900 median, 108 roles); AI Safety ($274,200 median, 19 roles).

Data Scientist roles remain in high demand, though the definition keeps shifting. Companies increasingly want candidates who can bridge traditional statistics with modern ML and LLM capabilities. The 'pure insights' data scientist role is consolidating into analytics engineering, while the 'build models' data scientist role is merging with ML engineering.

The AI Job Market Today

The AI job market spans 26,159 open positions across 15 role categories. The largest categories by volume: AI/ML Engineer (23,752), AI Software Engineer (598), AI Product Manager (594). These three account for the majority of open positions, though smaller categories often have higher per-role compensation because of specialized skill requirements.

The seniority mix tells a story about where AI teams are in their maturity. Entry-level roles (2,416) are outnumbered by mid-level (16,247) and senior (5,153) positions, reflecting that most companies are past the 'build a team from scratch' phase and need experienced engineers who can ship production systems. Leadership roles (Director, VP, C-Level) total 2,343 positions, representing the bottleneck between technical execution and organizational strategy.

Remote work availability sits at 7% of all AI roles (1,863 positions), with 24,200 requiring on-site or hybrid attendance. The remote share has stabilized after the post-pandemic correction. Senior and specialized roles (Research Scientist, ML Architect) are more likely to be remote-eligible than entry-level positions, partly because experienced hires have more negotiating power and partly because these roles require less hands-on mentorship.

AI compensation is structured in clear tiers. The market median sits at $184,000. Top-quartile roles start at $244,000, and the 90th percentile reaches $309,400. These figures include base salary with disclosed compensation. Total compensation (including equity, bonuses, and sign-on) runs 20-40% higher at companies that offer those components.

Category matters for compensation. AI Engineering Manager roles lead at $293,500 median, while Prompt Engineer roles sit at $122,200. The spread between highest and lowest-paying categories reflects the premium on specialized technical skills versus broader analytical roles.

The most in-demand skills across all AI postings: Rag (16,749 postings), Aws (8,932 postings), Rust (7,660 postings), Python (3,815 postings), Azure (2,678 postings), Gcp (2,247 postings), Prompt Engineering (1,469 postings), Openai (1,269 postings). Python dominates, appearing in the vast majority of role descriptions regardless of category. Cloud platform experience (AWS, GCP, Azure) is the second most common requirement. The newer entrants to the top skills list (RAG, vector databases, LLM APIs) reflect the shift from traditional ML toward generative AI applications.

Frequently Asked Questions

Based on 441 roles with disclosed compensation, the median salary for Data Scientist positions is $204,700. Actual compensation varies by seniority, location, and company stage.
Python, SQL, and statistical modeling are the foundation. Increasingly, roles want experience with LLMs for data analysis, automated insight generation, and building AI-powered data products. Familiarity with cloud data platforms (Snowflake, BigQuery, Databricks) and ML frameworks (scikit-learn, PyTorch) covers most job requirements.
About 7% of the 26,159 AI roles we track offer remote work. Remote availability varies by company and seniority level, with senior and leadership roles more likely to offer location flexibility.
JPMorganChase is among the companies actively hiring for AI and ML talent. Check our company profiles for detailed breakdowns of open roles, salary ranges, and hiring trends.
Common next steps from Data Scientist positions include Senior Data Scientist, ML Engineer, AI Product Manager. Progression depends on whether you lean toward technical depth, people management, or product strategy.

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