Sr. Risk Associate (Contract)
About Upstart
At Upstart, we’re united by a mission that matters: to radically reduce the cost and complexity of borrowing for all Americans. Every day, we bring creativity, experimentation, and advanced AI to reshape access to credit, helping millions move forward financially with clarity and confidence.
As the leading AI lending marketplace, we partner with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit through technology that’s both radically intelligent and deeply human. Our platform runs over one million predictions per borrower using more than 1,800 signals, powering smarter, fairer decisions for millions of customers. But the numbers only hint at the impact. Every idea, every voice, and every contribution moves us closer to a world where credit never stands between people and their financial progress.
We’re proudly digital-first, giving most Upstarters the flexibility to do their best work from wherever they thrive, alongside teammates across 80+ cities in the US and Canada. Digital-first doesn’t mean distant. We’re intentional about in-person connection through team onsites, planning sessions, and moments that spark creativity and trust. And whether you choose to work primarily from home or collaborate in-person from one of our offices in Columbus, Austin, the Bay Area, or New York City (opening Summer 2026), you’ll have the support to work in the way that works best for you.
If you’re energized by tackling meaningful problems, excited to innovate with purpose, and motivated by work that truly matters, we’d love to hear from you.
The Team:
Upstart’s Third Party Risk Management (TPRM) team ensures that third-party relationships are identified, assessed, monitored, and governed in alignment with regulatory expectations, interagency guidance, and company risk appetite. The team partners cross-functionally to enable safe, scalable supplier usage while strengthening operational resilience.
As a Contractor on the TPRM team, you will execute third-party supplier due diligence, risk assessments, control effectiveness, and support ongoing monitoring activities. You will operate with moderate independence, use AI-driven tooling, apply risk based judgment, and collaborate with business and other risk stakeholders to ensure supplier risks are appropriately managed.
This is a 6-week assignment with the chance to extend.
How you’ll make an impact
- Conduct third-party supplier risk assessments across due diligence, onboarding, and ongoing monitoring
- Analyze supplier controls, security posture, and business continuity capabilities to identify risk gaps
- Partner with internal stakeholders to communicate risk findings and recommend mitigation strategies
- Support issue tracking, remediation validation, and escalation of third-party risks
- Maintain accurate documentation and reporting to support audits, exams, and regulatory requirements
Minimum Qualifications
- 3+ years of experience in risk management, third-party risk, audit, or compliance
- Experience performing supplier risk assessments or control evaluations
- Familiarity with regulatory expectations (e.g., OCC, FDIC, CFPB,Interagency Guidance on Third-Party Relationships: Risk Management ) or industry frameworks (e.g., NIST, other relevant frameworks)
- Experience working with risk management tools or vendor management systems (e.g., Zip, Kobalt, ProcessUnity, Archer, ServiceNow)
- Experience managing supplier risk and performance in collaboration with internal business stakeholders and suppliers
Preferred Qualifications
- Knowledge of third-party risk lifecycle including due diligence, contracting, contingency planning, ongoing monitoring, termination
- Ability to analyze technical and operational controls across compliance areas (e.g., fair lending, consumer protection, marketing) security, privacy, and business continuity domains with strong attention to detail
- Experience working in financial services or fintech environments including responding to audit requests
- Proven record of using AI and/or automation to support risk management activities
- Solution driven approach when working with internal and external stakeholders while managing multiple priorities
- Familiarity with data analysis and reporting for risk insights
This opportunity is a contractor role and is not eligible for Upstart’s employee compensation, equity, bonus, or benefits offerings.
Position location This role is available in the following locations: Remote
Time zone requirements The team operates on the East/West coast time zones.
Travel requirements As a digital first company, the majority of your work can be accomplished remotely. The majority of our employees can live and work anywhere in the U.S but are encouraged to to still spend high quality time in-person collaborating via regular onsites. The in-person sessions’ cadence varies depending on the team and role; most teams meet once or twice per quarter for 2-4 consecutive days at a time.
#LI-REMOTE
#LI-Associate
This is a Non-Exempt position. Employees in this position are paid an hourly pay rate, on a bi-weekly basis, and are eligible to receive overtime pay for any hours worked over 40 in a work week, or over 8 in a work day if required by state law.
At Upstart, your base pay is one part of your total compensation package. The anticipated annualized base salary for this position is expected to be within the below range. Your actual base pay will depend on your geographic location–with our “digital first” philosophy, Upstart uses compensation regions that vary depending on location. Individual pay is also determined by job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.
In addition, Upstart provides employees with target bonuses, equity compensation, and generous benefits packages (including medical, dental, vision, and 401k).
United States | Remote - Anticipated Hourly Rate Range
$44—$60 USD
What you'll love
At Upstart, our benefits are designed to support your health, financial well-being, family, and personal growth. Here’s what you can expect:
- Competitive compensation, including base pay, bonus opportunities, and annual equity grants that vest quarterly
- Generous 401(k) plan with Upstart matching $2 for every $1 contributed, up to $15,000 per year
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) with discounted stock purchase options for eligible employees
- Affordable medical, dental, and vision coverage, with multiple plan options - Upstart covers 90% to 100% of the cost depending on the plans you choose
- Health Savings Account contributions from Upstart for eligible plans
- Income protection benefits, including company-paid Basic Life, AD&D, and Short- and Long-Term Disability coverage, with options to purchase supplemental coverage
- Paid time off, sick and safe time, and company holidays
- Paid family and parental leave to support caregiving and major life moments
- Family-centered benefits through Carrot and Cleo, supporting fertility, parenthood, and caregiving
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering mental health support and life-centered resources
- Financial wellness resources, including access to financial planning tools and a financial concierge service
- Annual wellness allowance to support your physical and emotional well-being and personal development, based on what matters most to you
- Annual productivity allowance to invest in relevant tools and resources you need to do your best work, no matter where you work from
- Connection and community through team events and onsites, all-company updates, and employee resource groups (ERGs)
- Onsite perks, including catered lunches and fully stocked micro-kitchens when working from one of our four offices, located in the Bay Area, Austin, Columbus, and New York City (opening Summer 2026!).
Upstart is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer. Just as we are dedicated to improving access to affordable credit for all, we are committed to inclusive and fair hiring practices.
If you require reasonable accommodation in completing an application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please email candidate_accommodations@upstart.com