About the role
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:
The HELOC Underwriting team is responsible for evaluating loan applications and making sound, policy-aligned credit decisions. This team ensures consistent application of underwriting guidelines across approvals and declines, validates borrower income and assets, and identifies potential fraud risks. The team partners with Processing, Closing, and Quality to ensure accurate and efficient loan decisioning and funding.
As a Senior Home Lending Underwriter, you’ll partner closely with our Licensed Loan Advisors to ensure loan decisions are accurate and timely. It is your responsibility to ensure that we are originating quality, sellable loans that adhere to our underwriting policy and procedures. You will also need a keen eye for process improvements, and a track record of exceptional recommendations to enable Upstart to originate high quality loans.
How you’ll make an impact
- Approval & decline accuracy: Ensure all approval and decline decisions are well-supported, clearly documented, and consistent with credit policy and regulatory expectations.
- Income & asset validation: Accurately calculate and validate borrower income (W-2, self-employed, variable income, rental, etc.) and assess assets to determine repayment ability.
- Fraud risk identification: Review applications for potential fraud indicators (income misrepresentation, occupancy concerns, document inconsistencies, identity risk) and take appropriate action in alignment with fraud protocols.
- Documentation & compliance: Maintain complete, audit-ready loan files with clear rationale, supporting documentation, and decision notes.
- Operational consistency: Apply underwriting guidelines consistently and contribute to maintaining quality and reducing defects across the underwriting process.
Minimum Qualifications
- 5+ years of residential mortgage underwriting experience with independent decisioning authority
- Demonstrated experience making both approval and decline decisions
- Strong experience calculating income across multiple borrower profiles (W-2, self-employed, variable income, rental income, etc.)
- Experience reviewing loan files for fraud risk and escalating concerns appropriately
- Experience working within an LOS and reviewing full loan documentation packages
- Strong documentation skills supporting credit decisions for QA/audit review
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with HELOC-specific underwriting guidelines and second lien products
- Familiarity with fraud detection tools, red flag identification, and investigation workflows
- Experience in high-volume underwriting environments with SLA expectations
- Proficiency with Excel/Sheets for income calculation and loan analysis
- Familiarity with compliance and regulatory requirements related to mortgage underwriting
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-Associate
At Upstart, your base pay is one part of your total compensation package. The anticipated 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).
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
