Join the innovative team at Unum and become part of an organization dedicated to your success and growth. Our aim is to provide employee benefits and service solutions that empower individuals at our client companies to thrive through life's various moments. We prioritize your development with a range of opportunities to succeed, including:
Award-winning culture that values your contributions
A strong focus on inclusion and diversity
Performance-based incentive plans
A competitive benefits package including health, vision, dental, and disability coverage
Generous paid time off, including time for volunteering
Up to 9.5% contribution to your 401(k)
Mental health support services
Opportunities for career advancement
Student loan repayment assistance
Tuition reimbursement for continued education
Flexibility in your work environment
*All benefits are subject to the terms of their individual Plans.
Your journey starts here...
With a workforce of 10,000 employees serving over 39 million people globally, each role at Unum is significant. Whether you are assisting a growing family or creating digital tools to support individuals during challenging times, every team member contributes to our mission. Help us make a difference—become a part of Team Unum today!
General Summary:
If you are enthusiastic about utilizing AI and advanced analytics to address complex and high-visibility business challenges, we want you on our team. You will thrive in a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment where you can prototype, experiment, and influence the future of AI on a large scale.
We are looking for a Lead Data Scientist to join our agile innovation hub—an energetic group focused on solving our company's most strategic challenges. In this role, you will create proof of concepts, develop comprehensive machine learning and generative AI solutions, and collaborate directly with senior leaders across the organization.
What You Bring:
A bachelor's degree in a quantitative field is required (master's or PhD is preferred)
6+ years of experience in data science or machine learning
Proficient in Python and SQL
Experience with cloud platforms, preferably AWS (or comparable experience with Azure/GCP)
Familiarity with Databricks and PySpark is a strong advantage
A solid background in statistical modeling, ML algorithms, and feature engineering
Expertise in building automated analytics workflows and working with APIs
Excellent communication abilities, especially in influencing senior stakeholders
An entrepreneurial mindset with a strong sense of curiosity and the ability to thrive in a dynamic environment
Job Specifications / Qualifications:
Education:
Experience:
Technical Expertise:
Core Data Science Capabilities (expert in at least two, strong in others):
Programming & Automation:
Proficient in Python; experience with automation, DevOps practices, APIs, file I/O, and database integrations.
Experience engineering solutions within cloud environments (AWS preferred).
Exposure to object-oriented development and scalable architecture.
Data Visualization:
Expertise in various visualization tools and techniques.
Adept at tailoring visual presentations to specific business use cases and audiences.
Statistics & Machine Learning:
Deep knowledge of statistical inference, regression techniques, feature selection, and ML algorithms.
Experience leading large-scale modeling projects from inception to completion.
Familiarity with generative AI approaches is advantageous.
Data Engineering / ETL:
Strong SQL skills, able to design, debug, and optimize complex queries.
Able to navigate and explore extensive databases independently.
Experience in combining both internal and external data sources.
Soft Skills & Business Leadership:
Strong communication skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders.
Project management expertise and robust business acumen (experience in financial services is a plus).
Able to manage multiple concurrent initiatives in a fast-paced environment.
Comfortable leading engagements and representing analytics to executive leadership.
Primary Responsibilities:
Analytical Solution Development:
Design, develop, and implement analytical solutions using optimization, simulation, machine learning, generative AI, and statistical modeling.
Construct predictive models to explain occurrences, forecast behavior, assess risk, or carry out segmentation and clustering.
Apply domain expertise to ensure that models are practical, interpretable, and aligned with business objectives.
Evaluate alternate approaches and select suitable modeling techniques for each scenario.
Data Engineering & Preparation:
Integrate and transform large datasets from various sources (e.g., DB2, SQL Server, Teradata, APIs) to support analytics and experimentation.
Create modeling-ready datasets through validation, reconciliation, feature engineering, and aggregation techniques.
Write intricate SQL queries that involve multiple table joins and thorough data exploration.
Develop logical data models that combine internal and external datasets, leading discussions with external data providers as necessary.
Automation & Deployment:
Construct automated analytics pipelines utilizing scripting, APIs, DevOps practices, and cloud platforms.
Collaborate with engineering and IT teams to scale solutions, automate processes, and integrate models into business operations.
Take a leadership role in operationalizing AI/ML solutions in production environments.
Visualization, Insights & Communication:
Craft and present clear, compelling visualizations (both static and dynamic) tailored to various audiences.
Interpret analytical outcomes and convey actionable insights that can influence senior leaders and key business stakeholders.
Translate intricate technical work into user-friendly business recommendations.
Leadership, Mentorship & Collaboration:
Guide, mentor, and develop junior data scientists by providing technical guidance and constructive feedback.
Lead data science initiatives, ensuring deliverables meet established quality standards.
Work collaboratively in an innovation-focused environment alongside product owners, engineers, data architects, and business partners.
Manage multiple projects simultaneously, independently prioritizing tasks while mentoring less experienced team members.
Innovation & Research:
Stay abreast of emerging statistical methods, advancements in machine learning, and innovation in generative AI tools.
Engage in independent research and development to prototype new methods and explore innovative solutions for high-visibility business challenges.
Exhibit an entrepreneurial mindset with a strong desire for curiosity and continuous learning.
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Unum and Colonial Life are part of Unum Group, a Fortune 500 company that is a leading provider of employee benefits worldwide. The company is headquartered in Chattanooga, TN, with international offices in Ireland, Poland, and the UK, along with significant operations in Portland, ME, and Baton Rouge, LA, plus over 35 US field offices. Colonial Life is based in Columbia, SC, with more than 40 field offices across the country.
Unum is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, ensuring fair consideration for all qualified applicants and employees for hiring, placement, and promotional opportunities, without discrimination on any basis such as race, color, religion, national origin, age, genetic information, military status, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, or protected veteran status.
The base salary range for this position is as follows. Actual pay will be determined based on skill level, geographic location, and experience.
$89,400.00 - $183,500.00
Unum offers a comprehensive benefits portfolio that is competitive, including healthcare benefits (health, vision, dental), insurance (short & long-term disability), performance-based incentive plans, paid time off, and a 401(k) retirement plan that includes employer matching up to 5% and an added 4.5% contribution regardless of personal contributions. All benefits are subject to the terms and conditions of individual Plans.