Junior Data Scientist - Analytics and Inference - Remote Working (UK)

We are Zego - a commercial motor insurance provider that powers opportunities for businesses, from entire fleets of vehicles to self-employed drivers and riders. We combine best-in-class technology with sophisticated data sources to offer insurance products that save businesses time and money.

Since our inception, we have believed that the problem with traditional insurance is that it holds businesses back. It’s too expensive and time consuming, and it no longer suits businesses who use vehicles to earn money. Our products represent a solution to this problem for businesses based across the UK, Europe and beyond.

So far, we have raised over $200 million in funding and we were the first UK insurtech to be valued at over $1 billion. We were also the first to be awarded our own insurance licence and recently won Tech Company of the Year 2020.

At Zego, we are proud to say we have a diverse and inclusive team, unified by our shared values and mission. Our people are the most important part of our story and everybody at Zego, no matter their role, has an integral part to play.

Overview of the Data Science team

The mission of the Data Science team at Zego is to leverage novel data sources and modern computational tools to deliver value through data-driven insights, personalised pricing and insurance product innovation. It is a growing team, responsible for all the aspects related to data, including data sourcing, cleaning, extraction, problem formulation, implementing and testing models, productionising new exciting tools and algorithms and designing scalable tools, practices, and systems to support data science analysis and deployment. The team partners closely with Product, Pricing, Engineering and wider Commercial and Business functions to find the best ways to incorporate statistical models and evidence-based decision making into Zego’s products and processes.

Purpose of the role

The Data Science team (Pricing Squad) is looking for an ambitious Junior Data Scientist to work on insurance model development and analytics, leveraging novel data sources and advanced statistical and machine learning techniques. This is a dynamic role where you will work closely with Senior Data Scientists as well as the wider business to improve Zego’s risk selection and management capabilities through a data-driven and evidence-based approach.

Sitting at the heart of Zego’s industry leading data team, you will have the full support of Zego’s exceptional engineering, data and pricing teams, to develop processes and tooling for risk analytics, experimentation, model training, impact assessment, and performance monitoring. You will work with senior members on the team on projects involving behavioural modelling, data acquisition, causal inference and actuarial risk assessment and management, giving you a wide range of exposure and plenty of chances to develop as a Data Scientist.

The role is suited to a candidate with some experience in the Data Science industry, and willing to learn and grow their skills in the insurance space. You will have proven skills using a programming language such as Python, querying data with SQL, an understanding of good development practises (version control, peer review, documentation), and demonstrable knowledge of statistical analysis and modelling techniques. You will be given the support and backing you need to develop your skills, including on the job training, L&D budget, and a personal career development plan.

About the role

• You will take part into the heart of Zego pricing R&D efforts and help to build market leading risk selection and management capabilities.
• You will work closely with the Senior members of the team to design, develop, deploy and maintain industry leading pricing models and technology.
• You will support Zego’s evidence based decision making through data-driven insights, causal inference and experimentation
• You will work with various types and diverse datasets, including claims, driver behaviour, traffic, weather, telemetry, geospatial data
• You will conduct pre- and post-deployment impact analysis to quantify the success of new strategies and pricing implementations.
• You will contribute to improving Zego’s understanding how driver behaviour relates to actuarial risk and how Zego’s can leverage the insights to disrupt the way the industry currently operates.
• You will work with a diverse team of collaborative data professionals who enjoy technical discussions, learning new methodologies, and helping each other improve through feedback and shared researchools

About you

• You have a BSc/BA in Mathematics, Statistics, Engineering, Computer Science or similarly quantitative disciplines.
• You have 1+ years of experience as a data scientist
• You have an interest in insurance and financial services
• You are comfortable working with and querying structured data using SQL.
• You are comfortable using Python (or R) applied to data analysis, statistics and predictive modelling
• You have experience and enthusiasm for reproducible research techniques including version control (geg. Git & Github etc.).
• You are a lifelong learner; as technologies and techniques are constantly evolving, you are proactively pushing yourself to develop your skills and knowledge.

Bonus points:

• You have a graduate degree in a highly quantitative discipline
• You are familiar with common statistical tools and methods employed in insurance analysis, such as generalised linear models (GLMs)
• You have an interest and causal inference and Bayesian Statistics
• You have previous experience in a fast-growing scale-up.
• You have previous experience in the insurance industry.