Staff Applied Research Scientist

GEICO • Bethesda, MD

1d • $130,000 - $260,000 • Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a highly experienced and strategic Staff Applied Research Scientist to lead the technical architecture and delivery of AI solutions that span multiple functional and technical boundaries at GEICO. As part of the AI Research team, you will define and own the vision for scalable, robust, and compliant AI/ML solutions; drive high-visibility, cross-functional initiatives from ideation through production; and mentor talent while aligning AI investments with business outcomes. You will drive innovation and operational excellence that accelerates transformation and delivers measurable value across the enterprise.

Requirements

• BS in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related quantitative field, PhD is preferred.
• At least 6+ years of professional experience delivering applied AI/ML solutions in production, including leading cross-functional initiatives with enterprise impact.
• Strong proficiency in Python and SQL; deep experience with ML frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, and Scikit-learn
• Demonstrated experience establishing KPI frameworks, experimentation, and causal analysis to quantify model impact and inform prioritization.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with a track record of driving alignment and adoption across product, engineering, and business teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to set the right context and explain complex technical topics to varied audiences, including executives.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with recommendation system and survival modeling
• Experience with GenAI and LLMs (e.g., prompt design, RAG, evaluation strategies, guardrails, red-teaming, human-in-the-loop workflows).
• Research experience in computer science, statistics, machine learning, operations research, or related fields; record of patents, publications, or impactful open-source contributions.
• Familiarity with insurance operations and model governance in regulated environments.

Responsibilities

• Identify High-Impact Opportunities: Proactively surface and shape high-value AI/ML initiatives by engaging with product, engineering, and operations to align technical roadmaps with strategic business goals.
• Architecture & Technical Direction: Provide architectural leadership for AI/ML solutions impacting multiple stakeholders. Establish standards for scalability, reliability, observability, compliance, and cost efficiency across online and batch systems.
• Development & Productionization: Lead end-to-end delivery of AI/ML solutions, including model design, data pipelines, feature stores, evaluation, deployment, A/B testing, and monitoring in real-time and batch environments. Ensure clear plans, milestones, and on-time delivery.
• ROI Measurement & Experimentation: Establish robust mechanisms to quantify business impact, including KPI definition, experimentation frameworks, and causal inference approaches to guide decision-making and prioritize investments.
• Innovation & Research Integration: Stay current with cutting-edge research in ML, GenAI, and optimization. Prototype and harden novel techniques that push the boundaries of innovation within GEICO’s insurance ecosystem. Set technical direction for multi-quarter research initiatives; build evaluation frameworks, ensure reproducibility/responsible AI, and drive cross-functional adoption; shepherd patents.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Champion collaboration across Product, Engineering, Data Platform, Governance, Legal, and Operations to ensure responsible, compliant, and effective adoption of AI systems.
• Mentorship & Capability Building: Mentor junior and senior scientists, elevate technical standards (coding, testing, documentation, reproducibility), and foster a culture of scientific rigor and engineering excellence.
• Communication & Executive Engagement: Translate complex technical topics into clear narratives for technical and non-technical audiences. Present to senior stakeholders, set context, explain trade-offs, and build alignment and enthusiasm.

Benefits

• 401K savings plan vested from day one that offers a 6% match
• performance and recognition-based incentives
• tuition assistance
• mental healthcare
• fertility and adoption assistance
• workplace flexibility
• GEICO Flex program, which offers the ability to work from anywhere in the US for up to four weeks per year

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior