Position Summary:

As Director, Data Science, you will lead a team of data scientists, analysts, and machine learning experts to deliver high-impact  data science and AI solutions. This role will focus on applying data science to marketing, customer experience and sales growth using modeling, experimentation, and advanced analytics to improve business outcomes and guide strategic decisions. You will collaborate with senior leaders to shape enterprise-wide data and AI strategy and translate insights into measurable business impact. 

State specific pay scales for this role are as follows:

$XX to $XX  (CA, NJ, NY, WA, HI, AK, MD, CT, RI, MA)

$XX to $XX (NV, OR, AZ, CO, WY, TX, ND, MN, MO, IL, WI, FL, GA, MI, OH, VA, PA, DE, VT, NH, ME)

$XX to $XX  (UT, ID, MT, NM, SD, NE, KS, OK, IA, AR, LA, MS, AL, TN, KY, IN, SC, NC, WV)

The expected base salary for this position will vary depending on a number of factors, including relevant experience, skills and location.

Essential Job Functions:

Execution & Delivery

• Lead development and deployment of predictive and prescriptive models to optimize marketing performance, customer engagement, and sales effectiveness.
• Partner with marketing, sales, and customer experience teams to deliver data driven insights on customer behavior, campaign performance, and growth opportunities.
• Build and scale analytics solutions for segmentation, personalization, churn reduction, and lifetime value optimization.
• Ensure methodological rigor, model transparency, and operational reliability in all data science initiatives.
• Communicate findings clearly to both technical and executive audiences, linking analytics to tangible business results.
• Strategic Leadership
• Define and execute a data science roadmap that sales and marketing advances analytics, customer experience modeling, and AI adoption across the organizations.
• Champion the use of data to connect marketing investment with business growth, ROI, and customer satisfaction.
• Balance near term analytical wins with long term innovation in modeling, automation, and experimentation.
• People & Thought Leadership
• Develop and mentor a high performing team skilled in marketing data science and applied AI.
• Foster a collaborative, curious, and outcome-oriented culture.
• Service as a thought leader on how data science and AI can drive customer centric growth and competitive advantage.
• Partner across business units to identify new opportunities and apply advanced analytics and sales challenges.

Education:

• Worker characteristics are normally acquired through the successful completion of a Bachelor's degree in statistics, math, engineering, computer science or other related technical areas. 

• Master’s degree or Ph.D. (or ACAS/FCAS credentials) preferred. 

Experience:

• At least 10 years of experience in data analysis, data science, data engineering, machine learning, actuarial science, computer science, and/or software development

• At least 10 years of experience with SQL and Python/R

• At least 5 years of experience in P&C insurance, preferably in a variety of technical and/or non-technical roles that span multiple functional areas

• At least 3 years of experience leading a team of data engineers, data scientists, data analysts, actuaries, or computer scientists

Knowledge and Skills:

• Comprehensive knowledge of P&C insurance, including the industry’s concepts and principles. 

• Understanding of the state of the industry (the general challenges, competitive landscape, etc.), including the technical proficiencies of other companies.

• Quantitative judgment: Demonstrated knowledge of building, tuning, validating, testing, deploying, and monitoring machine learning and/or statistical predictive models.

• Understanding how to avoid the common machine learning pitfalls that can affect a model’s fidelity and generalizability.

• Research methods: Knowledge of multiple quantitative research and analysis approaches and their tradeoffs.

• Strong project management skills and the ability to handle multiple large projects simultaneously.

• Expert written and verbal communication skills. Ability to communicate technical concepts to all levels of leaders and associates, and an understanding on when/how to reach out to stakeholders to ensure they feel connected to the work.

• Seeks and objectively considers input from appropriate sources. Considers implications of actions on other areas, people, and processes when making decisions.

• Drives decisions, projects, and processes without formal authority. Works directly with a variety of people to create broad acceptance for proposed innovations and changes.

• Implements changes which improve business processes. Anticipates and responds to changing situations, needs and expectations.

• Able to handle large and complex engagements focused on broader business activities.

• Ability to lead key relationships and act independently.

• Passion, inquisitiveness, creativity, self-starters and team builders.

• Passion for problem-solving, comfort with ambiguity.

• Ability to think strategically, conceptually, analytically, and creatively.

• Experience working with cloud-based infrastructure, including cloud data warehouses (e.g., AWS Redshift, Snowflake)

• Experience leading a team that uses best practices in software engineering, including version control (e.g., GitHub/GitLab).

• Solid experience using R, Python, SQL, dbt and other programing languages.

• Strong data skills and the ability to work with large structured and unstructured data sources using supervised and unsupervised learning methodologies (using state-of-the-art algorithms and readily available packages)

• Experience in text mining or other natural language processing techniques.

• Lead and directs the work of other employees and has full authority for personnel decisions.

• Ability to manage, develop, and mentor others. Ability to foster teamwork in a safe and innovative environment.

• Primarily focused on administering established policies and procedures but may have some impact on departmental budgeting, strategic planning, and procedural change.

• Demonstrate Company’s Core Values.

Why choose a career at Mercury?

At Mercury, we have been guided by our purpose to help people reduce risk and overcome unexpected events for more than 60 years. We are one team with a common goal to help others. Everyone needs insurance and we can’t imagine a world without it.

Our team will encourage you to grow, make time to have fun, and work together to make great things happen. We embrace the strengths and values of each team member. We believe in having diverse perspectives where everyone is included, to serve customers from all walks of life.

We care about our people, and we mean it. We reward our talented professionals with a competitive salary, bonus potential, and a variety of benefits to help our team members reach their health, retirement, and professional goals.

Learn more about us here: https://www.mercuryinsurance.com/about/careers

We offer many great benefits, including:

• Competitive compensation
• Flexibility to work from anywhere in the United States for most positions
• Paid time off (vacation time, sick time, 9 paid Company holidays, volunteer hours)
• Incentive bonus programs (potential for holiday bonus, referral bonus, and performance-based bonus)
• Medical, dental, vision, life, and pet insurance
• 401 (k) retirement savings plan with company match
• Engaging work environment
• Promotional opportunities
• Education assistance
• Professional and personal development opportunities
• Company recognition program
• Health and wellbeing resources, including free mental wellbeing therapy/coaching sessions, child and eldercare resources, and more

Mercury Insurance is an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.