Actuarial Data Scientist

You desire impactful work.
 

You’re RGA ready

RGA is a purpose-driven organization working to solve today’s challenges through innovation and collaboration. A Fortune 500 Company and listed among its World’s Most Admired Companies, we’re the only global reinsurance company to focus primarily on life- and health-related solutions. Join our multinational team of intelligent, motivated, and collaborative people, and help us make financial protection accessible to all.

Position Overview

We’re looking for an individual with strong analytical and coding skills to fill a global role supporting local business teams with data, models, and insight related primarily to mortality improvements. 

Candidates should be able to demonstrate a strong working knowledge of mortality and longevity research; the role would suit somebody with prior experience of performing R&D or providing analytical support in an insurance/reinsurance environment but may also be suitable for candidates with relevant experience gained through academic research or similar career paths.

The successful candidate will play a key role in developing and maintaining the codebase required for loading, manipulating, analysing, and visualizing mortality/longevity/improvements data, and a suite of forecasting models developed locally and served to business units across the globe. The global nature of the role means that the right candidate will get exposure to a broad range of teams and projects from across the business and be involved with a diverse range of analytics initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Builds and maintains software related to modelling and forecasting mortality rates and future improvements in the markets and geographies in which RGA writes business
• Works with stakeholders across the business to help them understand the tools and models that are on offer, and troubleshoot any issues that arise
• Writes high quality code in R or Python and understands how to structure what they write such that it is readable, maintainable, and reusable.
• Works with a range of stakeholders across the organization to understand their needs and prioritize potential projects
• Responds to development requests and bug-fix-requests in a timely manner, and communicates timelines and progress to all relevant stakeholders
• Serves tools and insights using a range of modern solutions including launchers and dashboards
• Stays abreast of new developments in mortality modelling across different geographies, and explains the benefits of these to stakeholders ahead of implementing any agreed methods
• Finds, collates, cleans, and standardizes a range of key datasets from multiple sources and geographies to help with understanding mortality improvements (cause of death, socioeconomic data, etc.).
• Conducts ad hoc research into topics related to future mortality improvements, and shares findings with stakeholders across global functions and business units

Education and Experience

• Strong undergraduate degree in a STEM subject
• Work (or postgraduate research) experience in an analytical role
• Experience of demographic/biometric research or assumption setting
• Experience of using R or python in a work or research environment
• Postgraduate degree 
• Qualified or part-qualified actuary
• Exposure to working in and/or with Actuarial teams in the insurance industry

Skills & Abilities

• Ability to manipulate, visualize, and analyze large volumes of data using common data science packages like pandas, seaborn, data tables, ggplot, etc.
• Ability to code in R and/or Python; a good high-level understanding of what makes “good” code, willingness to adhere to team coding standards for key pieces of work, and a willingness to help to set or modify those standards.
• Fluency in topics related to mortality and longevity research: recent mortality trends, excess deaths, competing risks, mortality projection models, etc.
• Good understanding of core mortality modelling techniques (GLMs, ARIMAs, smoothing methods)
• Strong oral and written communication skills with ability to share knowledge and explain technical topics concisely
• Strong investigative, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Basic knowledge of the Life Insurance industry and key products (annuities and assurances)
• Experience of common mortality model structures like the Lee Carter and APC models
• Driven to improve and continue to develop technical and soft skills
• Experience of serving dashboards to business teams
• Experience of building R packages
• Experience using github

What you can expect from RGA:

• Gain valuable knowledge from and experience with diverse, caring colleagues around the world.

• Enjoy a respectful, welcoming environment that fosters individuality and encourages pioneering thought.

• Join the bright and creative minds of RGA, and experience vast, endless career potential.