Associate Director Data Science Jobs in Arizona (NOW HIRING)

Being good neighbors – helping people, investing in our communities, and making the world a better place – is who we are at State Farm. It is at the core of how we operate and the reason for our success. Come join a #1 team and do some good!

HYBRID: Qualified candidates must be residing or relcoate within a 180-mile radius of a hub location listed below will be classified as a Hybrid employee. In a hybrid work arrangement, you will be able to work remotely most of the time, with in-office expectations.
HUB LOCATIONS: Bloomington, IL; Dunwoody, GA; Richardson, TX; or Tempe, AZ 

SPONSORSHIP: Applicants for this position are required to be eligible to lawfully work in the U.S. immediately; employer will not sponsor applicants for U.S. work authorization (e.g. H-1B visa) for this opportunity.

State Farm is seeking Data Scientists with experience in deep learning with Computer Vision and Nature Language Processing (NLP) and GenAI to support the growing demand for data science solutions across the organization. We are looking for talented, motivated individuals who will partner with business areas to help drive results for the enterprise via the development and adoption of AI/ML solutions.

Applicants for this posting will be considered for Lead Data Scientist openings in Enterprise Technology – Data & AI. This area supports AI/ML solution development for Claims, Marketing, and other internal departments. It also hosts centers of excellence for natural language processing, experimental design, generative AI, & data science training/research.

At State Farm, we believe in fostering professional growth and development. As a Lead Data Scientist at State Farm, you will have the opportunity to expand your analytic skill set across multiple development areas. Being a trustworthy consultant to business, you continue to develop and improve your communication skills as you explain technical concepts to your business partners. The diverse range of projects you will work on will refine your knowledge in AI/ML topics, software development practices, and tool development for department use.

Data Science at State Farm:

As a Data Scientist at State Farm, you will serve as a subject matter expert and consultant. In this role, you will share your knowledge and work to increase the use of analytics for decision-making across the organization. This opportunity affords consideration for data scientists who can bring in-demand skills and disciplines to our data science suites. Below are some of the tasks you can expect in the typical day of a Data Scientist:

• Develop and validate advanced deep learning models and GenAI solutions
• Provide input into and/or build datasets to support AI/ML solution development
• Collaborate with other team members on scoping solutions and project decision points
• Present on technical topics to peers, leadership, and other stakeholders, including non-technical business partners
• Lead/mentor other data scientists, interns, and other technical work teams
• Make strategic recommendations on data collection, integration, and retention requirements, incorporating business requirements and knowledge of best practices
• Serve as a peer reviewer to other model development teams
• Establish and leverage a network of associates with business domain and data expertise
• Instill a business-oriented mindset that delivers business outcomes for State Farm’s AI/ML portfolio
• Assess model performance, investigate changes, and perform model updates as necessary.

Why Join Our Data Science Team?

At State Farm, we are dedicated to helping our team members develop to their full potential. As a Data Scientist, you have the unique opportunity to develop both professionally & analytically. You will strengthen your communication skills through interactions with technical and non-technical business partners. Our Data Scientists also embrace staying current with the evolving data science landscape.

The Selection Process:

1. After submitting your application, our recruitment team will carefully review your qualifications. If your profile aligns with our requirements, you will receive an invite to complete a video recording.

2. If selected to move forward, you will have the opportunity to participate in a live video interview with members of our hiring team. This interview focus on roleplaying interactions with a data science business partner and interpreting code and graphical outputs.

3. The next step is another live video interview with members of our hiring team. This interview will provide a chance for us to further assess your technical expertise and suitability for the role.

4. Following the successful completion of the Hiring Team round, competitive candidates may be invited to the final stage of the process: an in-person final loop interview. This round will involve interviews with members of our hiring panel, allowing us to gain deeper insights into your skills and experiences.

• Completed master’s or PhD in an analytical or engineering field such as statistics, computer science, mathematics, nature science (physics, chemistry etc.), economics, data science, quantitative marketing, operations research, industrial engineering, etc., with 3+ years of predictive model building experience
• Experience with Python, deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch), and fine-tuning open-source Computer Vision and NLP models
• Experience with GenAI (e.g., LLM and Agentic AI) solution development
• Experience in end-to-end ML models development for production (i.e., scoping project, design, ground truth collection, training, validation, and monitoring)
• Experience with IDEs (e.g., IntelliJ, VS Code), Linux terminal, version control and cloud-based tools for ML development (e.g., AWS SageMaker)
• Solid general coding practice and computer knowledge (e.g., latency vs throughput)
• Strong communication skills and the ability to manage multiple, diverse stakeholders across business areas and leadership levels

Because work-life balance is a priority at State Farm, compensation is based on our standard 38:45-hour work week!

• Potential starting salary range: $110,000 - $160,000. Starting salary will be based on skills, background, and experience (High end of the range limited to applicants with significant relevant experience)
• Potential yearly incentive pay up to 15% of base salary

At State Farm, we offer more than just a paycheck. Check out our suite of benefits designed to give you the flexibility you need to take care of you and your family!

• Get Paid! On top of our competitive pay, you are eligible for an annual raise and bonus.
• Stay Well! Focus on you and your family’s health with our robust health and wellbeing programs. State Farm pays most of your healthcare premium, and we offer multiple healthcare plan options, including a high deductible plan. All medical plans provide 100% coverage for in-network preventative care, AND you and your family have access to vision, dental, telemedicine, 24/7 mental health professionals, and much more!
• Develop and Grow! Take advantage of educational benefits like industry leading training programs, top-notch tuition assistance programs, employee resource groups, and mentoring.
• Plan Ahead! Plan for those big moments in life with benefits like fertility/IVF/adoption assistance, college coaching, national discount programs, interactive monthly financial workshops, free financial coaching, and more. You can also start a savings account or consider financing through our State Farm Federal Credit Union!
• Take a Little “You” Time! You will have access to our generous time off policies designed so you can plan around holidays, family events, volunteering, or just to take a relaxing day off. With the opportunity to initially earn up to 20 days annually plus parental leave, paid holidays, celebration day, life leave (40 hours/year), bereavement leave, and community service/education support days, there will be plenty of time for you!
• Give Back! We offer several ways to give back through our Matching Gift Program, Good Neighbor Grant Program, and the Employee Assistance Fund.
• Finish Strong! Plan for retirement using free financial advisors and a 401(k) plan with company contributions of up to 7% of your salary.

Visit our State Farm Careers page for more information on our benefits, locations, and the hiring process of joining the State Farm team!

• Completed master’s or PhD in an analytical or engineering field such as statistics, computer science, mathematics, nature science (physics, chemistry etc.), economics, data science, quantitative marketing, operations research, industrial engineering, etc., with 3+ years of predictive model building experience
• Experience with Python, deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch), and fine-tuning open-source Computer Vision and NLP models
• Experience with GenAI (e.g., LLM and Agentic AI) solution development
• Experience in end-to-end ML models development for production (i.e., scoping project, design, ground truth collection, training, validation, and monitoring)
• Experience with IDEs (e.g., IntelliJ, VS Code), Linux terminal, version control and cloud-based tools for ML development (e.g., AWS SageMaker)
• Solid general coding practice and computer knowledge (e.g., latency vs throughput)
• Strong communication skills and the ability to manage multiple, diverse stakeholders across business areas and leadership levels