Remote Insurance Data Scientist

Placements24; Mossel Bay; Hybrid; ZAR 700,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully remote

Competitive salary

Professional development budget

Cloud platforms access

Stock options

Flexible hours

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a remote Insurance Data Scientist to extract actionable insights from complex datasets. You will drive risk assessment, pricing, segmentation, and fraud detection while collaborating with actuaries, underwriters, and product teams.

You will work remotely with Mossel Bay involvement and nationwide operations, applying advanced statistical modeling and ML to real-world insurance challenges. A strong data science background and insurance experience are essential.

Qualifications

• A Master's or Ph.D. in Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Economics, or a related quantitative field.
• Minimum of 4-6 years of professional experience as a Data Scientist, with a significant portion in insurance or financial services.
• Proven expertise in statistical modeling, machine learning algorithms (regression, classification, clustering, deep learning), and experimental design.
• Proficiency in Python or R, including libraries such as scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch, Pandas, NumPy.
• Experience with SQL and large databases.
• Familiarity with Spark or Hadoop is a plus.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills for diverse audiences.
• Ability to work remotely and collaborate with cross-functional teams.
• Knowledge of insurance products, risk principles, and regulatory requirements is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement advanced statistical and ML models for pricing, underwriting, claims analysis, and customer behavior.
• Clean, transform, and analyze large, complex datasets from various sources to identify patterns and insights.
• Build predictive models for risk, fraud detection, customer lifetime value, and churn.
• Design and conduct A/B tests and experiments to evaluate new strategies or features.
• Collaborate with actuaries, underwriters, and product managers to translate needs into data solutions.
• Develop data visualizations and dashboards to communicate findings to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Stay current with advances in data science, ML, and AI and apply them to insurance domains.
• Ensure data quality, integrity, and ethical use in analyses and models.
• Contribute to data infrastructure and analytics platforms maintenance.
• Present complex findings clearly to senior management.

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a progressive insurance company dedicated to leveraging data for strategic decision-making, is seeking a talented and experienced Remote Insurance Data Scientist. This role is crucial for extracting actionable insights from complex datasets, driving innovation in risk assessment, pricing, customer segmentation, and fraud detection. Working entirely remotely, you will be a key contributor to our client's analytical capabilities, supporting operations relevant to Mossel Bay and nationwide. We are looking for an individual with a passion for data, strong statistical modeling skills, and a deep understanding of the insurance landscape. As a remote-first organization, we provide a collaborative digital environment, cutting-edge tools, and support for continuous learning, enabling you to excel and advance your career from anywhere.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement advanced statistical and machine learning models to address key business challenges in areas such as pricing, underwriting, claims analysis, and customer behavior.
• Clean, transform, and analyze large, complex datasets from various sources to identify patterns, trends, and insights.
• Build predictive models for risk assessment, fraud detection, customer lifetime value, and churn prediction.
• Design and conduct A/B tests and other experiments to evaluate the effectiveness of new strategies or product features.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders, including actuaries, underwriters, and product managers, to understand their needs and translate them into data-driven solutions.
• Develop data visualizations and dashboards to effectively communicate findings and insights to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Stay current with the latest advancements in data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, and explore their application to the insurance domain.
• Ensure data quality, integrity, and ethical use of data in all analyses and model development.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of the company's data infrastructure and analytics platforms.
• Present complex findings and recommendations clearly and persuasively to senior management.

Requirements

• A Master's or Ph.D. in Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Economics, or a related quantitative field.
• Minimum of 4-6 years of professional experience as a Data Scientist, with a significant portion focused on the insurance or financial services industry.
• Proven expertise in statistical modeling, machine learning algorithms (e.g., regression, classification, clustering, deep learning), and experimental design.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R, including relevant libraries (e.g., scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch, Pandas, NumPy).
• Experience with SQL and working with large databases.
• Familiarity with big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Hadoop) is a plus.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a keen attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to a diverse audience.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively in a remote setting.
• Knowledge of insurance products, risk principles, and regulatory requirements is highly desirable.

Benefits

• Fully remote work arrangement with flexible hours.
• Highly competitive salary and bonus opportunities.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Generous 401(k) or equivalent retirement plan with employer match.
• Professional development budget for conferences, courses, and certifications.
• Access to leading-edge data science tools and cloud platforms.
• A culture that fosters innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• Generous paid time off and holidays.
• Employee stock options or other long-term incentives.
• Opportunity to work on impactful projects that shape the future of the insurance industry.