Data Science Manager, Fraud

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San Diego, CA or Remote (US only, considered)*
PlayStation | Store Publishing Operations & Commerce (SPOC)

PlayStation operates one of the largest digital commerce platforms in the world. The Fraud & Payments Data Science team protects the PlayStation Network from abuse while enabling seamless, secure purchasing experiences for millions of players. We build and maintain machine learning systems that evaluate risk in real time, optimize authorization performance, detect emerging fraud patterns, and drive measurable business impact across the payments ecosystem.

We are hiring a Data Science Manager to lead the data scientists who develop fraud detection models, optimize payment outcomes, build standardized experimentation frameworks, and drive operational insights across the commerce lifecycle. You will partner closely with Fraud Operations, Payments Strategy, Finance, and Engineering to balance fraud prevention, revenue growth, and frictionless customer experience.

This role is hands-on. You will guide modeling and analysis work directly, while also developing the team's technical maturity, roadmap, and long-term capabilities.

• Lead, coach, and develop data scientists working on fraud detection, risk modeling, and payment optimization
• Hire and grow talent; set clear expectations and provide ongoing career development and performance feedback
• Design, evaluate, and productionize machine learning models for real-time decisioning and post-transaction review
• Build standardized processes for experimentation, including champion vs challenger model evaluations, holdouts, and policy impact testing
• Apply causal inference to measure the incremental impact of controls and payment routing strategies
• Develop automated monitoring, anomaly detection, and alerting for emerging fraud patterns and behavior shifts
• Establish predictable operating rhythms with Fraud Ops, Payments, and Engineering to align objectives and drive execution
• Drive adoption of shared metrics, dashboards, and measurement frameworks across stakeholder teams

Required

• 8+ years of experience building and deploying machine learning models in production, ideally in fraud, trust & safety, risk scoring, or payments
• 2+ years of demonstrated leadership of data scientists (formal management or senior technical leadership)
• Strong Python and SQL, and experience with ML toolkits (scikit-learn, XGBoost, etc.)
• Hands-on experience evaluating risk controls using experimentation, holdouts, or causal inference methods
• Ability to navigate tradeoffs between fraud loss, authorization success, revenue impact, and user friction
• Ability to simplify complex findings and influence product and operations decisions

Preferred

• Experience with real-time scoring systems or streaming data architectures
• Background in e-commerce, fintech, gaming, or digital marketplaces
• Experience with causal inference frameworks in applied / non-ideal conditions
• Familiarity with LLM classification or graph-based detection approaches

**PlayStation offers a global hybrid office/remote working model — Flex Modes — which aims to combine the flexibility of remote working with the magic of in-person collaboration. The model is built upon the principle of working together in-person as work requires, with the freedom to work remotely otherwise. 

Please refer to our Candidate Privacy Notice for more information about how we process your personal information, and your data protection rights.

At SIE, we consider several factors when setting each role's base pay range, including the competitive benchmarking data for the market and geographic location. 

Please note that the base pay range may vary in line with our hybrid working policy and individual base pay will be determined based on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location. 

In addition, this role is eligible for SIE's top-tier benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, matching 401(k), paid time off, wellness program and coveted employee discounts for Sony products. This role also may be eligible for a bonus package. Click here to learn more.

This is a flexible role that can be remote, with varying pay ranges based on geographic location. For example, if you are based out of Seattle, the estimated base pay range for this role is listed below.

$186,000 - $279,000 USD

Equal Opportunity Statement:

Sony is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All persons will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender (including gender identity, gender expression and gender reassignment), race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, disability, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, maternity or parental status, trade union membership or membership in any other legally protected category.

We strive to create an inclusive environment, empower employees and embrace diversity. We encourage everyone to respond. 

PlayStation is a Fair Chance employer and qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for employment.