Data Scientist

Data Scientist

Remote - Anywhere in Canada

Please note the base salary will be determined by the successful candidate's education, skills and experience. The listed salary range serves as a general pay guideline for this position's pay level.

Our hiring process includes AI screening for keywords and minimum qualifications. Recruiters review all results.

The total target compensation (TTC) range, including salary and target bonus, is $104,041 - $153,690. This TTC range is applicable to permanent roles only. The base salary offered within this range will be determined by the successful candidate’s skills and experience, as well as internal equity.

Empire Life is looking to hire a Data Scientist to join our Data and Analytics team! We are actively seeking candidates to fill a current, open position.

The Data Scientist will play a pivotal role in supporting the design, development, and deployment of advanced analytics, machine learning, and Generative AI solutions that drive measurable business value through predictive analytics, intelligent automation, and AI-assisted decision systems. The Data Scientist will be involved in a combination of traditional data science initiatives and modern AI applications, including predictive modeling, LLM-powered solutions, intelligent automation, and AI-assisted decision support systems. This position operates within a modern enterprise AI ecosystem leveraging Microsoft Azure, Snowflake, and other enterprise AI platforms to deliver scalable and governed AI solutions. This role reports to the Director of Data and AI strategy.

Why pursue this opportunity

Join a transforming business - we are a medium-sized Canadian company in a stable industry that emphasizes the importance of innovation to use industry-leading technology.

Play an integral role - this is an opportunity that allows for you to grow your skills, while directly contributing to the business unit you are a part of.

The opportunity - collaborate with cross-functional teams and work on a variety of projects that will keep you engaged and continuously learning.

Hone your skills - this is an opportunity that allows for you to grow your technical, and functional skills.

What you’ll be working on

• Participate in the development and implementation of both traditional machine learning and Generative AI initiatives that drive business value, leveraging enterprise platforms including Microsoft Azure AI services, Snowflake, OpenAI technologies, and approved enterprise AI tooling

• Partner with business stakeholders, technology teams, and product owners to identify opportunities for analytics, AI, and intelligent automation solutions

• Evaluate machine learning and Generative AI systems using quantitative metrics, experimentation methodologies, human evaluation techniques, and business outcome measurements.

• Translate complex business problems into analytical and AI-driven solutions that support operational efficiency, customer experience, risk management, and business growth

• Develop and evaluate machine learning and statistical models using techniques such as classification, regression, clustering, forecasting, optimization, experimentation, and deep learning

• Develop and evaluate Generative AI applications including retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), semantic search, intelligent assistants, prompt engineering, and orchestration-based AI workflows.

• Perform exploratory analysis, feature engineering, experimentation, model evaluation, and visualization to support data-driven decision making

• Support responsible AI practices including model explainability, governance, monitoring, and compliance requirements

• Collaborate with ML Engineering teams to transition models and AI capabilities into scalable enterprise solutions

What we’re looking for you to have

• Master's degree or higher, in a quantitative field such as Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or Engineering.

• 2+ years of working experience in a quantitative role, ideally in data science and machine learning field

• Experience within insurance or financial services environments is strongly preferred

• Strong programming skills in Python and SQL, with a deep understanding of both traditional machine learning concepts and Generative AI concepts and algorithms, including experience with Azure OpenAI and Google for Generative AI.

• Experience with applied statistics and quantitative modelling (e.g. regression, segmentation, experimentation)

• Experience with modern machine learning and AI techniques, including deep learning, Generative AI, large language models (LLMs), retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), or agentic AI systems is considered an asset.

• Ability to translate ambiguous business problems into measurable analytical and AI-driven solutions.

• Familiarity with LLM evaluation approaches, prompt optimization, semantic retrieval systems, and AI-assisted workflow design is considered an asset.

• Ability to communicate analytical insights, AI limitations, and solution recommendations to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Experience supporting enterprise AI or intelligent automation initiatives

• Familiarity with AI governance, model risk management, or responsible AI practices

• Familiarity with conversational AI, intelligent document processing, or knowledge assistant solutions

• Exposure to document intelligence, knowledge assistants, semantic search, or enterprise AI copilots

• Experience working in agile product delivery environments

• If you are applying for a position which is open to applicants across Canada, unless otherwise indicated in the position, language proficiency in English is required for communicating with customers, advisors, or employees across Canada.

Beyond the salary

For permanent full-time positions, Empire Life offers a comprehensive total rewards package that includes:

• Hybrid work model

• Competitive salaries with annual pay increases

• Annual bonus program, which recognizes both strong company performance and individual contributions, for non sales positions

• Access to learning & development programs, and education/tuition reimbursement (role dependent), to support your professional growth and career advancement.

• Competitive uncapped commission, for sales positions

• A comprehensive employer-funded benefits package starting from day one of employment, that includes life insurance, health and dental and a generous health account

• Flexible work arrangements and an annual allotment of personal health days.

• Four weeks annual vacation from hire date

• A defined contribution pension plan with generous employer matching

• Top up programs for parental leave and compassionate leave

• Employer-sponsored wellness and recognition programs

• A cash employee referral program

To learn more about working at Empire Life, visit https://www.empire.ca/workatempire.

Get to know us

Empire life is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity, are committed to creating an inclusive environment, and welcome everyone to participate in our application process. We encourage those of all backgrounds and experiences to apply, even if you don't believe you meet each unique qualification outlined. Applicants will receive equal consideration without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or age.

Empire Life is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to building an inclusive and barrier-free workplace. We welcome applications from people with disabilities and are committed to providing accommodations at any stage of the recruitment process. If you require a specific adjustment to help you present your best self, please let us know—we are happy to work with you. If you need this job posting in an alternative format or have any accessibility questions, please contact [email protected].