Geospatial Data Scientist

 

 

Location: Guildford/hybrid

Salary: Dep on exp + annual bonus + benefits

 

Who we are

 

Allianz is a global insurance company serving across 70 different countries, but from the very first day you join our team you’ll know that your contributions are valued. We offer world class learning and career development opportunities, while we celebrate an inclusive culture.

 

Datalab is a small and fast-moving team of data scientists, analysts and engineers; delivering advanced analytics, geospatial and machine learning-powered data products to the Allianz Commercial business. As one of the largest general insurers in the UK we have unparalleled access to data. Whilst we have our fair share of legacy IT, we are rapidly transforming and modernising our data stack, in particular building in the public cloud (Azure). We create meaningful business value, using the latest data tools and methods, our vast pools of data, combined with deep industry expertise.

 

The role

 

We’re looking for individuals who have an appetite to learn, innovate and collaborate on dynamic and challenging initiatives as part of a specialised and close-knit team. If you have a technical background, love working with data or have a passion for geospatial intelligence, please read on!

 

Today, the Geospatial and Enrichment squads provide services that enable the business to visualise and manage insured locations, assess peril and accumulation risk, analyse and engineer predictive features, respond to weather events, quantify catastrophe scenarios, and streamline business operations. Further, the team is progressing an ambitious agenda to modernise our core products and infrastructure, and establish new and enhanced analytical capabilities.

 

Join us and work alongside data scientists, geospatial experts and other data specialists in developing, deploying and running data products that deliver tangible insight to the business to help understand, quantify and manage geographic risk.

 

 

Key responsibilities

 

You will be working as part of an innovative datalab team, under the direction of the Head of Data Science. Your day-to-day work on strategic data projects and development of enhanced data capabilities will comprise a wide range of activities, including:

 

• Leveraging data analytics and spatial methods in Python and related programming tools to generate and deliver enhanced geospatial insight at scale;
• Applying analytical approaches to build, test and deploy analytical workflows and ML models to augment understanding and decision-making;
• Working with spatial data and remotely sensed data to extract and derive features for modelling;
• Transforming established location data products by establishing coherent database infrastructures and developing and deploying modular geospatial services – notably web applications and APIs – to the cloud;
• Building and automating data pipelines to deliver data between systems and for consumable reporting via data extracts, reports, and web map interfaces;
• Engaging with the wider Allianz Group to explore and understand new spatial data, methods and tooling;
• Applying agile ways of working as part of a highly dynamic and motivated team - driving effective collaboration, solution design and successful engagement with core business customers.

 

You will have an incredible opportunity to hone your skills and will be able to make a significant contribution to driving technical excellence in respect of geospatial data and analytics at Allianz.

 

 

About you

 

• A passion for geospatial data & analytics, and strong appetite for continuous learning;
• Great inter-personal skills, a highly collaborative team player and a self-starter;
• A degree in a technical subject (e.g. Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Science, Physics). We will also consider equivalent experience;
• Programming experience, ideally in Python;
• Familiarity working with spatial data and databases;
• Familiarity working with containers and in cloud environments;
• Understanding of statistical concepts and data science methodologies;
• Knowledge of insurance useful but not essential.

Tools and technology we use

 

Here are some of the technologies we work with. We don’t expect you to be familiar with them all, and will provide opportunity and support to learn those that become most relevant to your role. This is not a mandatory checklist, but represents different topics relevant to our work. We are looking for candidates who have experience in some of these areas and, most importantly, a desire to learn more of them.

 

• Python libraries for spatial analysis and mapping (e.g. geopandas, folium, rasterio, gdal)
• Relational databases and spatial databases (e.g. postgres / postgis)
• GIS tools and web mapping environments (e.g. QGIS)
• Container orchestration (e.g. Docker, Kubernetes, Helm)s
• Cloud computing & analytics (e.g. Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure ML)
• Big data processing (e.g. Apache Spark, Apache Sedona, Dask, Dask geopandas)
• Rapid prototyping tools and web app development (e.g. Streamlit, Dash, FastAPI, Flask, Django)
• API concepts and technologies (e.g. REST, GraphQL, Apigee)
• DevOps: Github, CI/CD, test automation, monitoring and alerting

 

 

 

What we will offer you

 

Recognised and rewarded for a job well done, we have a range of flexible benefits for you to choose from- so you can pick a package that’s perfect for you. We also offer flexible working options, global career opportunities across the wider Allianz Group, and fantastic career development and training. That’s on top of enjoying all the benefits you’d expect from the world’s number one insurance brand, including:

 

• Annual bonus scheme
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Contributory pension scheme
• Life cover
• Group Income Protection
• Flexible buy/sell holiday options
• Flexible working arrangements
• A discount up to 50% on a range of insurance products including car, home and pet
• Retail discounts

 

Our ways of working

Do you need some flexibility with the hours you work? Let us know as part of your application and if it’s right for our customers, our business and for you, then we’ll do everything we can to make it happen.

 

Here at Allianz, we are signatories of the ABIs flexible working charter. We believe in supporting hybrid work patterns, which balance the needs of our customers, with your personal circumstances and our business requirements. Our aim with this is to help innovation, creativity, and you to thrive - Your work life balance is important to us.

 

Our Purpose and Values

We secure your future

Be Brave | With Heart | Everyone Counts | Inspiring Trust

Our purpose and values are more than just words on a website - they are the why and how of Allianz. They influence everything we do and guide us how to do it. Created by our people, for our people, they shape our culture, bring us together, and inspire us to be the best. Building an inclusive culture for us all to succeed.

 

Diversity & Inclusion

At Allianz, we value diversity and inclusion and back this up with our accreditations. Allianz is EDGE certified for gender inclusion, members of the Women in Finance Charter, members of the Stonewall Diversity Champion programme, signatories of Business in the Community’s Race at Work Charter, and an Armed Forces Covenant gold standard employer.

 

We have a range of employee networks focusing on gender inclusion, cultural diversity, LGBTQIA+, disability and long term health conditions (including neurodiversity), intergenerational and life stages, parents and carers, mental wellbeing, menopause support and armed forces and veterans, all supporting you to bring your best and authentic self to work.

 

Join us - Let’s Care for Tomorrow