Principal Data & AI Scientist

PEMCO•Portland, OR

About The Position

PEMCO has a dynamic and challenging opportunity for a Principal Data & AI Scientist to join our community. In this role, you will be responsible for designing, developing, and operationalizing advanced data science, machine learning, and AI solutions across core insurance domains such as underwriting, claims automation, pricing optimization, risk modeling, and customer lifecycle personalization.

Requirements

B.A. or B.S. degree or equivalent work experience in a related field, such as Computer Science, Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science, or Data Engineering.
10 years of enterprise-scale experience in designing, implementing, and deploying AI/ML models.
7 years of experience working with cloud-based AI platforms, including Azure Machine Learning, Databricks, and Snowflake.
7 years of experience in implementing both supervised and unsupervised learning techniques in real-world applications.
Experience in the insurance industry, particularly in Auto, Home, and Umbrella insurance processes, underwriting, claims analysis, and risk assessment is required.
Hands-on experience with Gen AI, RAG pipelines, Vector Databases, and Knowledge Graphs.
Strong problem-solving skills and a deep understanding of statistical and mathematical principles.
Strong experience in natural language processing (NLP) and generative AI applications.
Expertise in MLOps, model lifecycle management, and AI model deployment at scale.
Proficient in Python, PySpark, and SQL.
Deep understanding of Azure Databricks, Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, Azure Synapse Analytics, and Azure Data Factory.
Experience with distributed model training and serving on Databricks
Expertise in both supervised and unsupervised learning techniques and the ability to implement AI/ML solutions that enhance data-driven decision-making in the insurance industry, particularly in Auto, Home, and Umbrella insurance.
Familiarity with agile software delivery methodologies such as Scrum.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or Ph.D. in a related field, such as Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, or Machine Learning preferred.
Experience working with advanced AI frameworks such as LangChain, LlamaIndex, and Hugging Face transformers is preferred.
Familiarity with Azure OpenAI, LLM fine-tuning, or cognitive services is preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead development and deployment of AI models leveraging both supervised and unsupervised learning techniques.
Design, implement, and optimize Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) pipelines for AI-driven decision support.
Utilize Vector Databases and Knowledge Graphs to enhance AI applications in underwriting, claims processing, and customer engagement.
Develop data pipelines for ingestion, transformation, and storage to support AI/ML workloads.
Design and implement scalable solutions using cloud-based AI platforms such as Azure Machine Learning, Databricks and Snowflake.
Implement MLOps best practices, including CI/CD for model training, validation, deployment, and monitoring.
Develop generative AI models for personalized customer experiences and automation of complex decision-making processes.
Apply natural language processing (NLP) techniques to analyze and extract insights from unstructured data sources.
Optimize AI models for performance, scalability, and reliability in enterprise environments.
Conduct architecture design reviews and performance tuning for AI/ML applications
Work cross-functionally with business and technology teams to identify AI-driven opportunities and define strategies.
Ensure compliance with ethical AI principles, model governance, and data privacy regulations.
Demonstrate behaviors consistent with PEMCO's policies, values, code of ethics and business conduct.
Authentically support the PEMCO Brand and constantly are on the lookout for top talent to join us to achieve our Mission to Worry Less and Live More.
Other duties as assigned.
Provide guidance, mentorship, knowledge sharing, and technical growth to team members.

Benefits

Regular part-time PEMCO employees working at least 24 hours per week and regular full-time PEMCO employees are eligible to elect coverage under medical, dental, and vision plans for themselves and their eligible family members with generous employer premium cost shares. In addition, as a benefits-eligible employee, you are:
covered by employer-paid basic life and accidental death & dismemberment insurance policies as well as long- and short-term disability benefit coverages.
eligible to participate in PEMCO’s 401(k) plan which includes a generous employer match (2 for 1 on the first 6% employee pre-tax and/or Roth deferral, up to federal maximums).
PEMCO provides the following paid leave programs for benefits-eligible employees in their first year of PEMCO employment:
Vacation accrues at a rate of 10 days for new hires, and increases based on a schedule to a maximum annual accrual of 25 days based on tenure.
Granted four (4) personal days immediately upon hire.
Paid holidays for the eight (8) holidays observed by PEMCO throughout the calendar year.
Granted up to ten (10) days of sick leave immediately upon hire (pro-rated based on hire date and full-time/part-time status), which is approximately 28 hours more per year than the Washington state-required accrual.
In addition, PEMCO provides paid time off for bereavement, jury duty, and employee volunteering in the community.
Flexible Spending Accounts.
Education Assistance Program after one year of service.
Scholarship program for children of PEMCO employees after one year of service.
Employee Assistance Program.
Well-being program.
Discretionary taxable gifts and gift cards.
And other Perks & Benefits including discounts on computer software and hardware, cell phone plans, and rental cars.
Other compensation depending on role, contributions, and performance may include:
Discretionary bonuses.
Tiered sales commissions and/or incentives (from 5-25% of employee’s monthly sales).
Employee referral bonuses.
Shift differential pay.