Note: We are not offering sponsorship for this role.

Why Join Guardian Life?

Is the opportunity to join a culture where “We Do the Right Thing,” and “We Courageously Shape Our Future Together” important to you? Guardian Life, a leading mutual insurance company with over 160 years of protecting American families and businesses, is seeking a resolute, motivated individual to join our team as a Data Scientist / Senior Data Engineer – Finance Transformation in Bethlehem, United States.

At Guardian, you'll be part of a collaborative, innovative environment that values integrity, excellence, and forward-thinking leadership. We empower our teams to drive meaningful change in the insurance industry through cutting-edge technology and data-driven insights. Join us to work on transformative projects in actuarial science, financial modeling, and group insurance solutions that impact millions. Enjoy a hybrid work model, professional growth opportunities, and a commitment to your well-being in a company consistently ranked as a top employer.

Role Description

Guardian Life is seeking a technically skilled and business-savvy Data Scientist / Senior Data Engineer to design, develop, and support advanced actuarial and financial applications. This role will play a critical part in transforming our actuarial and finance functions by building scalable data pipelines, interactive dashboards, and machine learning models that enhance decision-making and operational efficiency.

You will work closely with Actuarial, Finance, Data Science, and Technology teams to deliver solutions used in reserving, pricing, predictive analytics, and financial reporting. If you have a passion for leveraging data to solve complex business challenges in the insurance sector, this is your chance to make a lasting impact at Guardian Life.

Detailed Responsibilities

Machine Learning, Engineering & Analytics Development

• Build and optimize large-scale data pipelines using PySpark, SQL, and Python on cloud platforms such as Databricks and AWS.
• Utilize advanced statistical and AI/ML techniques to develop, deploy, and support predictive models and actuarial tools for reserving, pricing, and FP&A (e.g., claims projection model, LTD Reserving model).
• Automate manual actuarial/finance processes by integrating coding workflows with structured datasets and business logic.
• Support use case development including initial data exploration, project/sample design, data reception and processing, analysis, modeling, and creation of final reports/presentations.
• Perform data wrangling, data matching/ETL to explore diverse data sources, gain expertise, conduct summary analyses, and prepare modeling datasets.
• Identify source data and implement data quality checks during model/solution development and in production.
• Package models/solutions and deploy in cooperation with Data Engineers and MLOps teams.
• Implement new statistical or mathematical methodologies as needed for specific models or analyses.

Data Integration & Validation

• Work across data domains to ingest, cleanse, and structure financial and actuarial datasets from multiple sources (e.g., Claims systems, Billing and Commissions systems).
• Implement robust data quality checks and reconciliation controls to ensure accuracy and completeness of critical reporting and modeling datasets.

Collaboration & Documentation

• Collaborate with actuaries, finance SMEs, and business analysts to translate complex requirements into efficient technical designs.
• Maintain clear documentation for code, data flows, model logic, and user instructions.

Required Skills

Technical Expertise & Domain Knowledge:

• 6–8 years in data engineering, actuarial modeling, or analytics-focused technical role, ideally in Group insurance or Financial services.
• 2+ years of hands-on ML modeling/development experience.
• Solid understanding of data analysis and statistical modeling.
• Knowledge of machine learning techniques (clustering, decision trees, bagging/boosting, artificial neural networks) and their real-world applications.
• Demonstrated experience in experimental design and execution.
• Hands-on experience with data wrangling including fuzzy matching, regular expressions, distributed computing, and parallelism in ML solutions.
• Strong programming skills in Python, PySpark, and SQL.
• Experience with Databricks, Tableau, Power BI, or similar tools; exposure to ML/AI libraries and frameworks.
• Working knowledge of pricing, actuarial processes, or Group insurance product structures.

Soft Skills:

• Analytical mindset with strong attention to detail.
• Self-starter who thrives in fast-paced, cross-functional teams.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Actuarial Science, Mathematics, Engineering, Finance, or related discipline (or equivalent experience).
• Preferred: Hands-on experience building valuation, reserving, or pricing models for group insurance; experience in agile/SAFe environments with Jira or Confluence.

Compensation Overview

The base salary for this position ranges from $99,150.00 - $162,885.00 annually, depending on experience and qualifications. Total compensation includes performance-based incentives, bonuses, and comprehensive benefits.

Benefits

Guardian Life offers competitive benefits including medical, dental, vision coverage, 401(k) with company match, paid time off, tuition reimbursement, employee assistance programs, wellness initiatives, and more. We prioritize work-life balance, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Apply today to shape the future of finance transformation at Guardian Life! Guardian is an equal opportunity employer.