Job description

BUILD A SAFER WORLD. TRM Labs provides AI-powered intelligence solutions that help public and private sector agencies investigate and disrupt crime. TRM's platforms enable investigators to trace illicit activity, build cases, and construct operating pictures of threat networks. Leading agencies and businesses worldwide rely on TRM to make the world safer and more secure. TRM Labs is a blockchain intelligence company committed to fighting crime and creating a safer world. By leveraging blockchain data, threat intelligence, and advanced analytics, our products empower governments, financial institutions, and crypto businesses to combat illicit activity and global security threats. At TRM, you'll join a mission-driven, fast-paced team made up of experts in law enforcement, data science, engineering, and financial intelligence, tackling complex global challenges daily. As a Senior Data Scientist, Attribution, you will be embedded within a specific risk category (e.g., Sanctions, Cybercrime, Counter Terrorism) and own the attribution algorithms that drive direct customer outcomes — from seizing illicit funds to disrupting crypto-enabled crime networks. You'll operate as equal parts Subject Matter Expert and Data Scientist, translating deep domain knowledge into production-grade intelligence. The impact you'll have here: - Own end-to-end attribution for a risk category: identify high-impact targets, build algorithms (heuristics, ML models, AI agents), and ship to production. - Collaborate tightly with — and become — a Subject Matter Expert for your category, translating customer and GTM needs into actionable intelligence. - Navigate all intelligence layers (Network / On-chain / Protocol) to uncover patterns competitors can't replicate. - Ship production-quality code — heuristics, ML models, and data pipelines — with rigorous evaluation and scalable architecture. - Drive measurable outcomes: billions in illicit funds traced, seized, or prevented. What we’re looking for: - Quantitative background (Computer Science, Statistics, Engineering, Economics, Physics). - Strong problem-solving mindset: gets to the root cause, leverages creativity, and thrives in ambiguity with a hypothesis-driven, iterative approach. - Demonstrated domain curiosity — ability to absorb and apply expertise in blockchain, fraud, money laundering, or cybercrime. - 6+ years in an analytical role with strong SQL, Python, and AI-assisted coding tools (Cursor, Claude Code). - Experience with distributed data systems (Spark, BigQuery, Airflow) and shipping production code. - Strong async communication (Loom, Slack, Notion) and ability to own work independently in a remote environment. - Bonus: Deep ML experience, prior work in crypto, financial crime, or financial institutions. About the Team: - Data Scientists are embedded within risk categories teams (Sanctions, Cybercrime, Nation States, etc.), working closely with SMEs, engineers, and cross-functional partners. - Fully remote and globally distributed. Most overlap occurs 7am–12pm PST for meetings and collaboration. - All team members must have at least 4-hour overlap with PST business hours. - On-call responsibilities: Analytics on-call (< 1 hr/day monthly) and Data Science on-call (1-2 hrs/day every 3 months). Learn about TRM Speed in this position: - Rapid Customer Impact. Deliver last-minute, high-stakes projects for key customers — turning around attribution insights in days, not weeks. - MVP to Production. Build complex algorithms with tight timeframes (1-2 sprints for MVP) and iterate based on real customer feedback. - Parallel Execution. Juggle multiple priorities across categories and stakeholders while maintaining quality and speed. About TRM's Engineering Levels: Engineer: Responsible for helping to define project milestones and executing small decision decisions independently with the appropriate tradeoffs between simplicity, readability, and performance. Provides mentorship to junior engineers, and enhances operational excellence through tech debt reduction and knowledge sharing. Senior Engineer: Successfully designs and documents system improvements and features for an OKR/project from the ground up. Consistently delivers efficient and reusable systems, optimizes team throughput with appropriate tradeoffs, mentors team members, and enhances cross-team collaboration through documentation and knowledge sharing. Staff Engineer: Drives scoping and execution of one or more OKRs/projects that impact multiple teams. Partners with stakeholders to set the team vision and technical roadmaps for one or more products. Is a role model and mentor to the entire engineering organization. Ensures system health and quality with operational reviews, testing strategies, and monitoring rigor. The following represents the expected range of compensation for this role: - Individual pay is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. The compensation details listed in this posting reflect the US base salary only. - The estimated base salary range for this role is $180,000 - $210,000 - Additionally, this role may be eligible to participate in TRM’s equity plan. - Please note – we factor in the different costs for geographies outside the United States. Work Week Travel: This role requires participation in in-person R&D work weeks, typically 1–2 times per quarter, at a TRM hub or other designated location. Work weeks may be scheduled with as little as 14 days’ notice, and some roles may require additional travel based on team and cross-functional needs. TRM coordinates and covers approved travel, lodging, and workspace. Accommodations are available for legitimate caregiving, health, immigration, and similar constraints. APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS If you’re interested in joining TRM, we encourage you to apply directly. Every application is reviewed by our Talent team. Before applying, review the job description carefully and highlight the experience and impact that best demonstrate the required qualifications. Please also provide thoughtful and accurate answers to the application questions, as these will be used to evaluate your skills and qualifications for the role. If you send your resume directly to someone at TRM, we can’t guarantee it will reach the appropriate hiring team. Applying directly is the best way to ensure your application will be considered. INTERVIEWING WITH TRM Our process is designed to understand how you think, solve problems, and deliver impact, while allowing you to evaluate TRM. Most interview processes include a case study, an AI skills assessment, and a Leadership Principles interview. - Recruiter Intro: Qualifications, motivations, and alignment with the role. - Hiring Manager: Deep dive into your relevant experience, skills, and impact. - First Round: 1–2 interviews focused on the skills most critical to the role. - Final Round: Hands-on case study. This is usually a panel-style session where we go deeper into your craft, problem-solving, and alignment with TRM. - References: Former colleagues who can provide insight into your work and impact. - Offer: Congrats! Your recruiter will present the offer and compensation details. - Welcome to TRM: We're excited to build a safer world with you! Your recruiter will share your specific interview plan and preparation guidance along the way. AI FLUENCY AT TRM AI fluency is a baseline expectation at TRM. We believe AI meaningfully changes how top performers operate. We expect every team member to use AI to accelerate and reimagine their craft, not just automate surface tasks. At TRM, AI fluency means you are among the top 10 percent of operators in your function in how you apply AI to: - Accelerate repeatable workflows - Structure and solve problems - Improve output quality - Increase speed and leverage You will be evaluated on applied AI fluency during the interview process. LIFE AT TRM We are building a safer world. That promise shows up in how we work every day. TRM moves FAST. We are a high-velocity, high-ownership team that expects clarity, follow-through, and impact. People who thrive here are energized by hard problems, experimentation, and continuous feedback. If something takes months elsewhere, it will ship here in days. Our work sits at the intersection of AI, national security, and fighting crime. The problems are complex, the stakes are real, and the environment evolves quickly. The pace and intensity of the work reflect the importance of the mission. As a result, the way we operate requires a high level of ownership, adaptability, collaboration, and creative problem-solving. At TRM, you should expect: - Priorities and targets to change quickly - Operating with a high degree of ambiguity - A high level of personal ownership and accountability - Close collaboration across teams and functions - Frequent, high-touch communication - Creative problem-solving and out-of-the-box thinking - A pace that rewards urgency, adaptability, and outcomes This environment is energizing for people who enjoy building, solving hard problems, and making progress in situations that are not always fully defined. It also requires thriving in ambiguity, adjusting course as new information emerges, and maintaining focus and positivity in a fast-moving and intense environment. We also recognize that this style of operating is not for everyone. If you are primarily optimizing for predictability or a consistently balanced workload, we encourage you to use the interview process to pressure-test whether this environment is truly the right fit. We want teammates who thrive here, not just survive here. If you are excited by meaningful problems, motivated by ambitious goals, and energized by working alongside mission-driven colleagues, there is a good chance you will find TRM to be an exceptional place to grow and contribute. LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES We hire and grow against three leadership principles. They’re the standards for how we operate, treat each other, and make decisions. - Impact-Oriented Trailblazer: We put customers first and move with speed, focus, and adaptability. We treat every plan like an experiment – test, ship, measure, and iterate quickly. - Master Craftsperson: We care deeply about our craft. We balance speed with high standards, own outcomes end‑to‑end, and invest in getting better everyday. - Inspiring Colleague: We add clarity and energy, not noise. We bring humility, candor, and a one‑team mindset — giving and receiving feedback to make the team stronger. JOIN OUR MISSION At TRM, we care deeply about our craft. We are looking for individuals who want their work to matter, who experiment with speed and rigor, and who take pride in building a safer world for billions of people. If you’re excited by TRM’s mission but don’t check every box, we encourage you to apply — we hire for slope, judgment, and the will to learn fast. TRM is a Series C company with $220M in total funding, backed by Goldman Sachs, Bessemer, Y Combinator, Thoma Bravo, and others. Headquartered in San Francisco, TRM operates as a distributed-first company with hubs in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Washington D.C., London, and Singapore. PRIVACY POLICY AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION By submitting your application, you agree to allow TRM Labs to process your personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy trmlabs.com. We collect the information you provide (such as your resume, work history, and contact details) solely for the purpose of evaluating your candidacy for current and future roles at TRM. Because our hiring cycles for certain positions may span 24 to 36 months, we retain your personal information for up to 36 months from the date of your application. After that period, your data is deleted unless a different retention period is required or permitted by law. If you are located in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or another jurisdiction with applicable data protection laws, you have the right to access, correct, or request deletion of your personal data at any time before that period ends. To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@trmlabs.com. To notify TRM Labs that you believe this job posting is non-compliant, please submit a report through this form docs.google.com. No response will be provided to inquiries unrelated to job posting compliance. The use of AI tools of any kind (including but not limited to notetakers, interview assistants, and real-time coaching tools such as Otter.ai, Fireflies, Fathom, Cluey, or similar) during TRM interviews is not permitted without prior approval from TRM. TRM uses its own internal tools for note-taking to ensure a consistent and confidential experience for all candidates. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this form docs.google.com. RECRUITMENT AGENCIES TRM Labs does not accept unsolicited agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to TRM employees. TRM Labs is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes and will not pay fees to any third-party agency or company without a signed agreement.

Requirements

Must-haves

BUILD A SAFER WORLD.
Own end-to-end attribution for a risk category: identify high-impact targets, build algorithms (heuristics, ML models, AI agents), and ship to production.
Collaborate tightly with — and become — a Subject Matter Expert for your category, translating customer and GTM needs into actionable intelligence.
Navigate all intelligence layers (Network / On-chain / Protocol) to uncover patterns competitors can't replicate.
Ship production-quality code — heuristics, ML models, and data pipelines — with rigorous evaluation and scalable architecture.
Drive measurable outcomes: billions in illicit funds traced, seized, or prevented.
Quantitative background (Computer Science, Statistics, Engineering, Economics, Physics).
Strong problem-solving mindset: gets to the root cause, leverages creativity, and thrives in ambiguity with a hypothesis-driven, iterative approach.
Demonstrated domain curiosity — ability to absorb and apply expertise in blockchain, fraud, money laundering, or cybercrime.
6+ years in an analytical role with strong SQL, Python, and AI-assisted coding tools (Cursor, Claude Code).
Experience with distributed data systems (Spark, BigQuery, Airflow) and shipping production code.
Strong async communication (Loom, Slack, Notion) and ability to own work independently in a remote environment.
Data Scientists are embedded within risk categories teams (Sanctions, Cybercrime, Nation States, etc.), working closely with SMEs, engineers, and cross-functional partners.
Fully remote and globally distributed. Most overlap occurs 7am–12pm PST for meetings and collaboration.
All team members must have at least 4-hour overlap with PST business hours.
On-call responsibilities: Analytics on-call (< 1 hr/day monthly) and Data Science on-call (1-2 hrs/day every 3 months).
Rapid Customer Impact. Deliver last-minute, high-stakes projects for key customers — turning around attribution insights in days, not weeks.
MVP to Production. Build complex algorithms with tight timeframes (1-2 sprints for MVP) and iterate based on real customer feedback.
Parallel Execution. Juggle multiple priorities across categories and stakeholders while maintaining quality and speed.
If you’re interested in joining TRM, we encourage you to apply directly. Every application is reviewed by our Talent team.
If you send your resume directly to someone at TRM, we can’t guarantee it will reach the appropriate hiring team. Applying directly is the best way to ensure your application will be considered.
Recruiter Intro: Qualifications, motivations, and alignment with the role.
Hiring Manager: Deep dive into your relevant experience, skills, and impact.

Nice-to-haves

Bonus: Deep ML experience, prior work in crypto, financial crime, or financial institutions.

Application prep

Use the role’s language and application details while tailoring your materials.

Keywords to mirror

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Platform: ashby
Effort: quick

Benefits

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Vision

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