Actuarial Data Scientist

The Department

The Life & Annuity Predictive Analytics (LAPA) business unit is a lean, agile, diverse, and geographically distributed data science startup within Milliman. Our team consists of professionals with varied backgrounds including data scientists, data engineers, software engineers/developers, and actuarial domain experts.

We help insurers and distributors of life and retirement products to understand and use their own data, industry data, and customer data to advance their competitive position and improve financial outcomes. Through our powerful combination of subject matter expertise, data management, and advanced analytics, we provide our clients with tools to analyze their business performance, manage risk, and generate new business leads to facilitate more profitable growth.

The Role

This role will primarily be responsible for leading industry studies for the LAPA team. You will manage teams which are responsible for end-to-end process including data collection from clients, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance of data processing and analytics infrastructure, modeling analytics, results analysis and report writing.

You will:

• Lead policyholder experience studies
• Direct analysts in preparing study data
• Provide life and annuity domain expertise
• Represent Milliman in client interactions
• Coordinate project tasks with technical team
• Perform and assess statistical methods
• Lead the preparation of client reports or relevant marketing materials

Job Knowledge, Experience Skills

• Bachelors in a quantitative field/Bachelor of Science (MS preferred) (e.g., Computer Science, Actuarial Science, Engineering, Statistics/Mathematics, Data Science, etc.)
• 5+ years of relevant work experience with a minimum of 2 years in an experience analysis or assumption setting role
• Member of any recognized Actuarial institute (e.g., IFoA, IAI, SOA)
• Experience with common data analysis tools (e.g. Python, R, SASS, SQL)
• Familiarity with fundamentals of predictive modeling and other statistical methods

Experience and Soft Skills Required

• Experience with leading a project team
• Background in life and annuity industry
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment where the client is always our first priority
• Proven record of reliability and dedication to high quality work
• Sharp critical thinking skills, sound judgment, and decision-making ability
• Both the ability and willingness to clearly articulate your ideas
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work both collaboratively and independently
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines

Additional Knowledge and Skills to Build

• Demonstrated aptitude for quantitative and critical thought
• Experience working with cloud-based computing platform (e.g. Databricks)
• Advanced analytical programming using spark-based languages (PySpark, SparkSQL)

Milliman & LAPA Practice Mission, Values, Competencies

Our mission is to serve our clients to protect the health and financial well-being of people everywhere.

In fulfilling this mission, Milliman’s professionals are helping our clients answer significant questions, such as:

• How can people provide for themselves when they no longer work?
• How can our clients efficiently finance, deliver and improve healthcare?
• How can an insurer protect its clients against the risks they face?

Since its founding in 1947, Milliman is dedicated to enduring values that govern our actions in the marketplace.

• Quality – Milliman’s advice, products and client service adhere to the highest standards of quality.
• Integrity – Milliman’s people demonstrate integrity in all that we do. We are committed to honesty and professionalism in our interaction with our clients and colleagues, including independent advice free of conflicts and a culture of inclusion and respect for all colleagues.
• Opportunity – Milliman is committed to embracing diversity and providing all our people opportunities to achieve their full potential including opportunities to:
  • Shape their own careers
  • Assist in developing the strategy of their practice
  • Pursue innovations to further Milliman’s mission in the marketplace.

At the Practice level, we strive to demonstrate the following performance competencies in our work:

• Collaboration and Teamwork – Actively works with members of other teams when confronted with a new or complex problem. Collaborates with people in other teams when asked to provide assistance. Coordinates work of teammates to complete routine work efficiently.
• Communication – Communicates clearly and concisely. Gives enough information, keeps team members informed. Listens effectively. Encourages others to express different ideas and perspectives. Open to constructive feedback. Gives quality, honest feedback. Effectively deals with conflict.
• Develops People – Develops team members through coaching, feedback, exposure and challenging assignments. Readily articulates the value and benefit of challenging assignments to others. Aligns career development goals with organizational objectives. Supports team members and helps them achieve results. Provides a clear sense of purpose and direction for team members.
• Innovation – Challenges the organization to adapt new and innovative processes. Creates an environment conducive to productive brainstorming and new idea creation. Generates innovative ideas and solutions to problems. Questions assumptions and traditions while understanding their reason for existing. Encourages creative and diverse thinking to promote and nurture innovation.
• Positive Culture – Shows respect for all colleagues. Considers “how” accomplishments are achieved in equal measure with “what” is achieved.
• Quality – Continuously deepens their expertise in their area(s) of work. Possesses technical skills and capabilities. Effectively manages work for clients and client relationships. Effectively manages work quality within the team. Effectively pursues or supports business development opportunities. Demonstrates good decision making in areas related to managing the business.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is an important area of focus for our practice and we expect all colleagues to foster a culture of belonging for all team members. We seek to continuously reflect on how we can be a more inclusive and equitable organization. We view diversity as not only a strength for our practice, but a business imperative to succeed in the marketplace.

For additional conduct expectations, please reference Milliman’s Code of Conduct.

Performance and Career Growth

This job description is intended to represent the duties of the role, and the knowledge, skills and experience needed to perform the role effectively.  Our job descriptions will be used to set expectations for performance management, but no job description will represent all tasks and duties required. As professionals, our Practice also expects from you the following:

• A client centric culture requires all colleagues to think about how we can contribute to exceptional client service. We expect all colleagues to think this way, and to take appropriate action whether a task is in the job description, or not.
• Performing the duties described in a job description meets the minimum requirements of a job. In order to receive career growth and compensation rewards, colleagues must exceed minimum expectations.
• There are a number of administrative responsibilities that come with working in our Practice. Timesheets, expense reports, performance management and compliance training are all required to ensure professional administration of our Practice, and all colleagues are expected to engage in these items in a timely manner.