Product Performance Actuary

Ethos; United States; Remote; USD 150,000 - 266,000; Full time

Job summary

Ethos is seeking an experienced actuary to lead mortality analytics and actuarial assumption modeling. You will translate complex insights into strategies that improve product competitiveness and financial integrity, applying AI and modern techniques to mortality problems across finance, product, and underwriting teams.

You will partner with cross-functional teams, own mortality inputs, and drive experience studies to quantify mortality lift from underwriting requirements, while maintaining

Qualifications

• FSA or near-FSA designation preferred; ASA candidates considered.
• 5+ years of life insurance actuarial experience incl. mortality and underwriting models.
• Experience translating data into mortality outcomes; pricing/forecasting experience.
• Proficient with data tools: SQL, dbt, Snowflake; strong Python/R skills.

Responsibilities

• Own mortality-related assumptions across product development, forecasting, and reporting.
• Lead development and maintenance of mortality models and experience studies.
• Collaborate with underwriting and data science teams to monitor mortality experience.
• Apply AI to accelerate insights and business impact.
• Advise senior leaders and external partners on actuarial insights.

Skills

Mortality analytics

Underwriting models

Python/R

Communication skills

Pricing & forecasting

Education

FSA or near-FSA

ASA considered

Tools

SQL

dbt

Snowflake

Excel

Actuarial tools

Job description

Ethos is a leading life insurance technology company on a mission to protect families by democratizing access to life insurance and empowering agents at scale. With its robust three-sided technology platform, Ethos is transforming the life insurance experience for consumers, agents, and carriers alike. Ethos offers instant, accessible products and a seamless online process that requires no medical exams and just a few health questions; it eliminates traditional barriers, making it easier than ever for everyone to protect their families. Ethos is redefining how life insurance is bought, sold, and underwritten.

About the role

Ethos is looking for an experienced actuary to lead our mortality analytics and actuarial assumption modeling. You will serve as the company's expert on mortality, translating complex insights into strategies that improve our product competitiveness and financial integrity.

We're seeking someone with a strong foundation in life insurance mortality modeling who brings deep actuarial expertise and enjoys tackling open-ended problems. Building new methodologies where playbooks don't exist. You're energized by the chance to apply AI and emerging techniques to problems insurance companies have solved the same way for decades, and you know how to align actuarial rigor with product velocity across finance, product, and underwriting teams.

If you're excited about pushing the boundaries of actuarial science while maintaining rigor and reliability, we'd love to hear from you.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Own mortality-related assumptions and other actuarial inputs across product development, forecasting, and financial reporting.
• Lead the development and maintenance of expected mortality models, assumption frameworks, and experience studies.
• Leverage leading data points, such as post-issue audit data and mortality risk scores, to predict mortality before experience is fully credible.
• Monitor actual-to-expected mortality experience and work collaboratively with underwriting and data science teams.
• Design and complete protective value studies to quantify the mortality lift of underwriting requirements.
• Quantify the impact of applicant behavior on overall expected mortality and mortality curve shapes.
• Utilize AI to accelerate pace of insights and maximize business impact.
• Serve as the Ethos mortality subject matter expert, advising senior leaders internally and engaging with key partners externally, translating technical work into actionable business recommendations.

Qualifications and Skills

• FSA or near-FSA designation preferred; experienced ASA candidates considered.
• 5+ years of experience in life insurance actuarial roles with exposure to both mortality and underwriting models.
• Proven ability to translate third-party data, post-issue audits, and other leading indicators into expected mortality outcomes.
• Experience with assumption setting for life insurance pricing, forecasting, or valuation across a broad range of products.
• Track record of partnering with finance, product, and underwriting teams—aligning actuarial rigor with business velocity.
• Familiarity with modern data tools and pipelines (SQL, dbt, Snowflake, etc.).
• Strong statistical modeling skills in R or Python.
• Proficiency with Excel and actuarial modeling tools.
• Excellent communication skills, able to translate technical work for non-actuarial audiences.

The US national base salary range for this full-time position is $150,000 -$266,000. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only and do not include applicable bonus, equity, or benefits.

You can find further details of our US benefits at https://www.ethoslife.com/careers/

Don’t meet every single requirement? If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. At Ethos we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace.

We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Pursuant to the SF Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider employment for qualified applicants with arrests and conviction records.