Principal Data Scientist

Location(s)

Details

Kemper is one of the nation’s leading specialized insurers. Our success is a direct reflection of the talented and diverse people who make a positive difference in the lives of our customers every day. We believe a high-performing culture, valuable opportunities for personal development and professional challenge, and a healthy work-life balance can be highly motivating and productive. Kemper’s products and services are making a real difference to our customers, who have unique and evolving needs. By joining our team, you are helping to provide an experience to our stakeholders that delivers on our promises. 

SUMMARY:

Responsible for directing strategic development and solutioning in cross-functional teams.
Coaches and mentors other team members. Brings deep technical expertise in machine learning, cloud computing, and software engineering best practices to drive scalable and transparent solutions across the data science lifecycle.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Maintains cutting-edge technical and industry knowledge.
• Leads cross-functional discussions to solve various business problems and design end-to-end AI/ML solutions.
• Presents analytical solutions to external business partners and senior leadership teams.
• Communicates project progress and challenges to external business partners and senior leadership teams.
• Manages project scope, expectations, and timelines.
• Leads model peer reviews with other data science groups and business partners. Provides recommendations for enhancements.
• Coaches and mentors team members.
• Promotes a culture of learning, curiosity, and engineering discipline within the data science team.
• Leads training sessions on statistical modeling, machine learning, and AI techniques.
• Guides the team in building modular Python code and full-stack frameworks for model development, training, deployment, and scoring.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Graduate degree in Mathematics, Statistics, Engineering, or other STEM field with 10+ years of experience in insurance industry or related industry in a data science/analytics environment.
• PhD in Mathematics, Statistics, Engineering, or other STEM fields preferred with 8+ years of experience in insurance industry or related industry in a data science/predictive environment.

                                                                                                                                              REQUIRED JOB SKILLS:

• At least 10 years of firsthand experience with statistical modeling and AI/ML platforms.
• Strong proficiency in Python with a focus on readable, maintainable, and well-documented code.
• Deep knowledge of machine learning and statistical modeling, with experience across supervised, unsupervised, and time series methods.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, or Databricks) for data science and machine learning workflows.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS (Not Required):

• Exposure to reinforcement learning, large language models (LLMs), or other emerging ML techniques
• Understanding of MLOps principles including model packaging, CI/CD workflows, and scalable pipelines (GitLab experience a plus).                                                                                                                                                                                                        

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed.  They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.  The incumbent must have the abilities or aptitudes to perform each essential function proficiently with or without reasonable accommodation.  Our organization has a dynamic work environment where positions evolve and change.  Therefore, the Company reserves the right to modify, delete, or add job duties, responsibilities and skills that are stated in this job description at any time.                                

Kemper is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, disability status or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. We are committed to supporting diversity and equality across our organization and we work diligently to maintain a workplace free from discrimination.  

Kemper does not accept unsolicited resumes through or from search firms or staffing agencies. All unsolicited resumes will be considered the property of Kemper and Kemper will not be obligated to pay a placement fee. 

Kemper will never request personal information, such as your social security number or banking information, via text or email.  Additionally, Kemper does not use external messaging applications like WireApp or Skype to communicate with candidates.  If you receive such a message, delete it.  

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