Data Scientist Lead - Data & Automation - Evaluation & Certification (Validation)

Own AI validation and oversight while helping teams make risk-based certification and go/no-go decisions. PNC’s Data & Automation organization is hiring a Data Scientist Lead (onsite) to strengthen enterprise assurance practices, drive consistent validation standards, and provide executive-level visibility into AI performance, risk, and safety.

You will serve as an accountable owner for AI solution validation and assurance across the enterprise portfolio. The role includes pre-release evaluation to support certification and go/no-go decisions based on risk-aligned requirements and controls, plus post-deployment monitoring with escalations and remediation when metrics cross defined thresholds.

Responsibilities

• Accountable owner for the enterprise portfolio of AI solution validation and assurance activities.
• Evaluate AI solutions prior to release and make certification and go/no-go decisions based on risk-aligned validation requirements and controls.
• Oversee post-deployment monitoring of AI performance, risk, and safety metrics; lead escalation, remediation, and issue resolution for threshold breaches.
• Partner with solution owners and delivery teams to ensure validation and governance compliance throughout the AI lifecycle while supporting timely delivery.
• Act as a trusted authority on AI validation standards, driving consistent adherence to enterprise policies and risk management expectations.
• Operate as a senior individual contributor with enterprise-wide program leadership and executive visibility.
• Direct analytical projects using structured and unstructured data to extract actionable business insights.
• Direct data gathering, data processing, and data mining of large and complex datasets.
• Provide deep technical expertise to advance analytics and data science capabilities.
• Represent PNC by understanding enterprise needs and providing thought leadership around data science activities internally and externally.
• Supervise advanced analytics project implementation and help present analytical processes and outcomes to management.
• Partner with Data Architects, Data Analysts, Data Engineers, and Visualization Experts to develop data-driven business solutions.

Requirements

• Analytical Thinking
• Competitive Advantages
• Data Analytics
• Data Mining
• Data Science
• Machine Learning (ML)
• Data Architecture
• Disruptive Innovation
• Information Capture
• Modeling: Data, Process, Events, Objects
• Prototyping
• Query and Database Access Tools
• Typical education: university or college degree; a Masters is required per this posting.
• Typically 8+ years of industry relevant experience.
• Higher level education such as Masters, PhD, or certifications is desirable.
• Specific certifications are often required, but required certifications are not listed for this role.
• In lieu of a degree, a comparable combination of education, job specific certification(s), and experience (including military service) may be considered.

Benefits

• Medical/prescription drug coverage with a Health Savings Account feature
• Dental and vision options
• Employee and spouse/child life insurance
• Short and long-term disability protection
• 401(k) with PNC match
• Pension and stock purchase plans
• Dependent care reimbursement account
• Back-up child/elder care
• Adoption, surrogacy, and doula reimbursement
• Educational assistance, including select programs fully paid
• Robust wellness program with financial incentives
• Maternity and/or parental leave
• Up to 11 paid holidays each year
• 9 occasional absence days each year, unless otherwise required by law
• Between 15 to 25 vacation days each year, depending on career level

Location and Work Details

• Onsite location: Pittsburgh, PA
• Position overview notes: you will be based in Pittsburgh, PA, Strongsville, OH, Dallas, TX or Birmingham, AL
• PNC is an in-office company
• PNC will not provide sponsorship for employment visas or participate in STEM OPT for this position

Salary range: $112,000.00 to $228,800.00 per year. Salaries may vary based on geographic location, market data, and individual skills, experience, and education. This role is incentive eligible with payment based on company, business and/or individual performance.

Application window: Generally expected to be posted for two business days from 09/25/2026, though it may be longer with business discretion.