Head of Data Science

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Washington.

📋 Description

• Define, implement, and oversee the data science strategy in alignment with the company's vision, objectives, and goals—establishing initiatives that promote premium growth, enhance retention, improve customer satisfaction, and maximize shareholder value.

• Provide leadership and guidance to a high-performing data science team; recruit, mentor, and develop data scientists and machine learning engineers, while fostering a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and technical excellence.

• Integrate AI-first thinking and promote the hands-on adoption of AI tools as standard practice within the team, ensuring the organization remains at the forefront of applied machine learning and LLM-based capabilities.

• Collaborate with senior executives, insurance business leaders, and cross-functional teams to outline project scope, implement data science across the organization, and deliver quantifiable results.

• Oversee the data science budget, establish project timelines, and define KPIs and metrics to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of data science initiatives.

• Analyze operational data to uncover opportunities for improving fidelity, accuracy, and accessibility; design and execute A/B tests and experiments to assess the impact of models and business strategies.

• Own the data science technical roadmap and significantly influence data engineering and analytics roadmaps through regular collaboration with engineering and business stakeholders.

⛳️ Requirements

• 12+ years of experience in data science, applied statistics, actuarial science, machine learning, or econometrics at the industry level (or 15+ years combining academia and industry).

• Strong technical data science expertise, including hands-on experience in statistical modeling, A/B testing, data pipeline architecture, a working knowledge of modern LLM APIs, MLOps tools, and cloud-native AI infrastructure.

• Proven ability to lead and motivate a team, with a history of building high-performing organizations and nurturing cultures of innovation and technical excellence.

• Excellent communication skills, capable of conveying complex technical results to non-technical stakeholders, including senior executives and board-level audiences.

• Highly analytical with a robust intellectual curiosity and a commitment to applying new modeling methods to enhance business performance.

• Significant experience with data science technology stacks and the comprehensive process of transitioning models from development to production.

• Preferred: PhD in a technical discipline.

• Preferred: 5+ years of experience in the homeowners insurance industry.

🏝️ Benefits

• Long-term incentive awards.

• Annual bonus based on individual and company performance.

• Comprehensive health coverage (3 Medical plan options, 2 Dental plan options, Vision plan).

• Voluntary Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, and Accident plans.

• Pre-tax savings options (partially employer-funded Health Savings Account, employee Flexible Savings Accounts).

• Company-paid Basic Life and AD&D, Short and Long-Term Disability benefits.

• Voluntary Life and AD&D plans.

• Traditional and Roth 401(k) plans with discretionary employer match.

• Employer-paid wellbeing program (Supportlinc).

• Discounts on gym memberships, travel, appliances, movies, and pet insurance (LifeBalance).

• Flexible paid vacation and paid parental leave.

• Paid sick time and company-paid holidays (typically nine per year).

• Identity theft program and travel assistance.

• Fitness and other discount programs.