Director of Engineering, AI/ML
Mercury Insurance · United States
- Hybrid
- Full-time
- $386,026 / year
- United States
Job highlights
- Lead AI/ML engineering team.
- Develop advanced AI models and capabilities.
- Automate operations and personalize customer experiences.
- Focus on insurtech innovation and scaling.
- Manage ML lifecycle from concept to deployment.
About the role
Director of Engineering, AI/ML
An amazing team at Mercury Insurance, recognized as one of America's Best Midsize Employers for 2026, is seeking a Director of Engineering, AI/ML. This role is crucial for leading the development and scaling of advanced AI/ML capabilities that automate internal operations and enhance customer and agent experiences. You will build and manage a world-class team of ML Engineers and Data/ML Scientists, guiding them in creating reliable, impactful AI solutions for insurtech challenges. Your expertise will drive the company's mission by optimizing policy recommendations, personalizing experiences through data, and automating tasks across Underwriting, Claims, and Customer Support. You will oversee the entire machine learning lifecycle, from concept to deployment, with a strategic focus on delivering data-driven solutions. A deep understanding of Machine Learning algorithms, Deep Learning, NLP, LLMs, and Generative AI, particularly in insurtech applications, is essential. This is an exceptional opportunity to drive change through AI in the insurtech industry. As an in-person interview may be required during the hiring process. **Geo-Salary Information** State-specific pay scales for this role are as follows: * $137,883 to $386,920 (CA, NJ, NY, WA, HI, AK, MD, CT, RI, MA) * $137,883 to $386,920 (NV, OR, AZ, CO, WY, TX, ND, MN, MO, IL, WI, FL, GA, MI, OH, VA, PA, DE, VT, NH, ME) * $137,883 to $386,920 (UT, ID, MT, NM, SD, NE, KS, OK, IA, AR, LA, MS, AL, TN, KY, IN, SC, NC, WV) The expected base salary will vary based on experience, skills, and location. In CA, the typical hiring range is $236,161 to $328,002.Responsibilities
Essential Job Functions:- Lead and manage the machine learning team to build state-of-the-art AI models, focusing on user experience personalization, recommendations, and operation automation.
- Design and implement ML solutions to personalize customer and agent experience across the insurance lifecycle (quote, bind, service, claim, etc.).
- Implement AI solutions to optimize processes and reduce operational costs.
- Lead GenAI efforts for both operation automation and customer experience improvement.
- Collaborate with leadership, product, and technical teams to align ML strategy with business goals.
- Maintain cutting-edge knowledge of advancements in AI, including Machine learning algorithms, Deep Learning, Generative AI, NLP, and LLMs, and apply them to drive innovation within the organization.
- Provide leadership and mentorship to junior team members, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence.
Qualifications
**Education:**- Minimum: B.S. Data Science, Computer Science, Mathematical or related
- Preferred: B.S./M.S./PHD Data Science, Computer Science, Mathematical or related
- Minimum: 8+ years of experience in Machine Learning, Deep Learning, NLP, LLMs, and Generative AI.
- 5+ years of experience in application development.
- 5+ years management experience.
- Preferred: 10+ years of experience in Machine Learning, Deep Learning, NLP, LLMs, and Generative AI.
- 5+ years experience in building large scale enterprise applications and platforms.
- 8+ years leadership experience.
- 3+ years on insurtech.
- Minimum: 10+ years of experience in Machine Learning algorithms, Deep Learning, NLP, LLMs, and Generative AI.
- Strong background in applied research and engineering, with a demonstrated ability to lead projects from R&D to deployment.
- Knowledge in large-scale system deployment of AI models.
- Expertise in building and optimizing POCs, with hands-on experience in training and fine-tuning AI models.
- Advanced proficiency in Java, Python, ML frameworks, and ML libraries.
- Great communication and leadership skills, with the ability to present complex ideas to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Preferred: Proven experience in insurtech or related industries is strongly preferred.
- Experience on public cloud such as AWS, SageMaker, MLflow, etc. is preferred.
About The Company
**Why choose a career at Mercury?** At Mercury, we have been guided by our purpose to help people reduce risk and overcome unexpected events for more than 60 years. We are one team with a common goal to help others. Everyone needs insurance, and we can’t imagine a world without it. Our team will encourage you to grow, make time to have fun, and work together to make great things happen. We embrace the strengths and values of each team member. We believe in having diverse perspectives where everyone is included, to serve customers from all walks of life. We care about our people, and we mean it. We reward our talented professionals with a competitive salary, bonus potential, and a variety of benefits to help our team members reach their health, retirement, and professional goals. Learn more about us here: https://www.mercuryinsurance.com/about/careersPerks And Benefits
We offer many great benefits, including:- Competitive compensation
- Flexibility to work from anywhere in the United States for most positions
- Paid time off (vacation time, sick time, 9 paid Company holidays, volunteer hours)
- Incentive bonus programs (potential for holiday bonus, referral bonus, and performance-based bonus)
- Medical, dental, vision, life, and pet insurance
- 401(k) retirement savings plan with company match
- Engaging work environment
- Promotional opportunities
- Education assistance
- Professional and personal development opportunities
- Company recognition program
- Health and wellbeing resources, including free mental wellbeing therapy/coaching sessions, child and eldercare resources, and more
Key skills/competency
- AI/ML Leadership
- Machine Learning Engineering
- Data Science
- Deep Learning
- NLP and LLMs
- Generative AI
- Insurtech
- System Deployment
- Team Management
- Applied Research
Skills & topics
- Director of Engineering
- AI
- Machine Learning
- ML Engineering
- Data Science
- Deep Learning
- NLP
- LLM
- Generative AI
- Insurtech
- Leadership
- Management
- Python
- Java
- Cloud
- AWS
- SageMaker
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight your AI/ML leadership, deep learning, NLP, and insurtech experience.
- Showcase impact: Quantify achievements in automating operations and personalizing customer experiences.
- Demonstrate technical depth: Emphasize your expertise in ML algorithms, LLMs, and Generative AI.
- Prepare for interviews: Be ready to discuss leading teams and driving AI strategy.
- Research Mercury: Understand their mission and how AI/ML drives their insurtech solutions.
Technical preparation
Master ML algorithms and deep learning frameworks.,Practice applying NLP, LLMs, and Generative AI.,Develop large-scale enterprise AI systems.,Refine skills in Python, Java, and ML libraries.
Behavioral questions
Describe leading a machine learning team.,How do you align AI strategy with business goals?,Share an example of driving innovation with AI.,How do you mentor and develop junior engineers?
Frequently asked questions
- What is the typical salary range for the Director of Engineering, AI/ML role at Mercury Insurance?
- The salary range for the Director of Engineering, AI/ML role at Mercury Insurance is between $137,883 and $386,920 annually, with specific ranges varying by state. For example, in California, the typical hiring range is $236,161 to $328,002. The final offer depends on factors like experience, skills, and location.
- What are the minimum education and experience requirements for the Director of Engineering, AI/ML position?
- The minimum education requirement is a B.S. in Data Science, Computer Science, Mathematical or a related field. Minimum experience includes 8+ years in Machine Learning, Deep Learning, NLP, LLMs, and Generative AI, 5+ years in application development, and 5+ years in management.
- Does Mercury Insurance offer remote work options for the Director of Engineering, AI/ML role?
- While the job description mentions flexibility to work from anywhere in the United States for most positions, it also states that an in-person interview may be required. The specific work arrangement for this role would need to be confirmed directly with the hiring team.
- What specific AI/ML technologies are most important for the Director of Engineering, AI/ML role at Mercury Insurance?
- The role emphasizes expertise in Machine Learning algorithms, Deep Learning, NLP, LLMs, and Generative AI. Strong practical experience in applied research, engineering, building and optimizing Proofs of Concept (POCs), and training/fine-tuning AI models is highly valued.
- What is the company culture like at Mercury Insurance for engineers?
- Mercury Insurance fosters a culture of growth, collaboration, and innovation. They emphasize diversity of perspectives and a supportive environment where team members are encouraged to develop professionally and personally. They also offer a competitive compensation and benefits package.
- How does Mercury Insurance utilize AI/ML in the insurtech industry?
- Mercury Insurance uses AI/ML to automate internal operations, personalize customer and agent experiences across the insurance lifecycle, optimize policy recommendations, and reduce operational costs. They leverage these technologies to address insurtech challenges and drive innovation.
- What are the key responsibilities of the Director of Engineering, AI/ML at Mercury Insurance?