Staff Auditor

American Express•New York, NY

About The Position

Our Internal Audit Group is a worldwide function with 400+ team members and offices across nine countries within American Express. Our mission is to protect and enhance organizational value by providing independent, objective, risk-based assurance, advisory services and to influence the way the company manages risk. We are committed to growing our audit staff significantly as we continue to expand and enhance the Internal Audit Group. Our assurance and risk professionals have diverse backgrounds including internal controls, consumer compliance, technology, operational risk, financial accounting, data analytics, and banking operations. Our audit teams align to key risk areas and business units to ensure IAG can provide comprehensive and risk-based audit coverage. In addition, IAG has a Professional Practices group responsible for managing audit operations, quality, and standards; regulatory relations; reporting; training and professional development; and key internal capabilities and technologies. About the Role This Staff Auditor role supports the Internal Audit Group’s assurance coverage for Data Science, Model Risk, and Gen AI. The colleague will contribute to audit engagements by supporting planning and execution activities, evaluating control design and effectiveness, and providing actionable insights that strengthen model governance, model lifecycle management, validation, performance monitoring, and model risk assessment practices. About the Team Our Data Science and Model Risk/AI team plays a critical role in supporting Internal Audit by providing specialized assurance over models and AI/Gen AI solutions used across the enterprise. We deliver independent, risk-based evaluations that help auditors gain a clearer understanding of how models and AI are developed, governed, validated, and deployed within the business. By combining quantitative expertise with business and regulatory knowledge, the team helps uncover model risks, assess governance practices, and highlight opportunities to strengthen controls — ultimately enhancing the depth, rigor, and quality of Internal Audit's coverage over AI and model risk.

Requirements

Bachelors in statistics, mathematics, economics, finance, accounting, computer science, data science, engineering, or another analytical field.
0-2 years of relevant experience, including internships in internal audit, model risk, risk management, compliance, data analytics, quantitative analysis, or financial services.
Working ability in Excel and at least one analytical tool—preferably SQL or Python.
Strong written communication: able to document testing, explain an issue clearly, and distinguish evidence from opinion.
Demonstrated critical thinking, professional skepticism, attention to detail, and willingness to challenge appropriately.
Employment eligibility to work with American Express in the United States is required as the company will not pursue visa sponsorship for these positions.

Nice To Haves

Audit experience or model development / validation, experience
Basic understanding of: Model lifecycle: development, implementation, validation, use, monitoring, and retirement
Internal controls, risk assessments, control testing, and audit evidence
Fundamental statistical modelling such as regression, sampling, hypothesis testing, performance metrics, and data quality
AI/ML techniques, data analytics
Prior experience working at a Big Four / G-SIB
CIA, FRM, CPA, CISA, or similar certification progress
Understanding of model and AI risk management framework, governance, controls, validation, monitoring, and related regulatory guidance, such as SR 26-2, OCC guidance, or comparable standards.
Exposure to credit risk, market risk, pricing, valuation, operational risk, stress testing, CECL, or other enterprise risk models.
Experience with data analytic tools, data visualization, key risk indicators (KRIs), key performance indicators (KPIs), information systems / technology, and scorecards / dashboards, etc.
Interest in working with data, interpreting results, analytic best practices and experience with data analytics tools and data visualization

Responsibilities

Participate as a key team member on model specific audits and independently review models, non-models, Gen AI tools, develop analytics, owning audit tasks such as developing workpapers, and executing audit tests in accordance with internal policies and procedures
Assist Senior Managers / Managers in the execution of assigned audit tasks in line with American Express' Internal Audit procedures, internal policies and standards, and regulatory expectations throughout the audit lifecycle with guidance; maintain audit proficiency through ongoing professional development, including data analytics literacy skills, technology, and banking best practices
Review prior audit results and relevant business monitoring materials to support Audit Planning activities; executes and actively participates in walkthroughs by asking thoughtful questions, leveraging effective challenge and critical thinking
Execute audit tests (e.g., process, governance, oversight testing) and clearly document test results in accordance with internal policies and procedures to evaluate the control design and effectiveness; draft work papers, demonstrating the ability to use automated work papers and other department and company tools
Identify and escalate issues as appropriate throughout testing and audit execution; draft audit issue documentation
Develop an understanding of American Express' business model, products, services, and organizational units
Document and evaluate audit observations and findings; support routine client status meetings, audit request, and other administrative tasks
Understand how corrective actions / Management Action Plans (MAPs) are impactful and sustainable; execute validation of MAPs
Communicate task status, roadblocks, challenges, and potential solutions to Senior Managers/Managers and leadership as appropriate
Demonstrate ability to work proactively and take initiative on next steps
Understand how to draft audit test results, audit findings, and support the team leader to draft the audit report as needed with guidance