Director of Engineering, AI/ML

Overview Join an amazing team that is consistently recognized for our achievements and culture, including our most recent Forbes award of being one of America's Best Midsize Employers for 2026! Position Summary: We are seeking an Director of Engineering, AI/ML, where you'll lead the development and scaling of advanced AI models and capabilities that automates internal operation as well as provides personalized experience for our customers and agents. This role is essential in building and managing a world-class team of ML Engineers and Data/ML Scientists. Your expertise will guide teams in building reliable systems that deliver impactful solutions. This role will be pivotal in developing and deploying innovative AI solutions at scale, address insurtech challenges. You will drive the company’s mission forward by optimizing policy/coverage recommendations, providing personalized experience with data, and driving automation to reduce human effort across Underwriting, Claim, Customer Support etc. using AI/ML. You will oversee the entire machine learning lifecycle, from concept to deployment, with strategic focus on delivering impactful, data-driven solutions. The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in Machine Learning algorithms, Deep Learning, NLP, LLMs, and Generative AI technologies, with a strong background in insurTech related AI applications. If you are passionate about driving change through AI in the insurTech, this is an exceptional opportunity. Geo-Salary Information An in-person interview may be required during the hiring process 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 for this position will vary depending on a number of factors, including relevant experience, skills and location. In CA: 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.). Implements AI solutions to optimize processes and reduce operational costs. Lead GenAI effort 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, include in 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 Experience: Minimum: 8+ years of experience in Machine Learning, Deep Learning, NLP, LLMs, and Generative AI. 5+ years of experience in application developments. 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 application and platform. 8+ years leadership experience 3+ experience on insurTech Skills & Abilities 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/careers #LI-ZK1 Perks 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 Mercury Insurance is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Pay Range USD $133,226.00 - USD $346,026.00 /Yr.