Sr Consultant, Risk Researcher

Overview

As a team member in Finance at Nationwide, a Fortune 100 company with nearly $70 billion in annual sales, the opportunities are endless. The Catastrophe Risk Modeling team serves as a specialized enterprise capability focused on understanding and quantifying catastrophe exposure across physical property portfolios and weather‑related risk scenarios. The Sr Consultant, Risk Researcher reports to the Director of Catastrophe Risk Modeling and strengthens how catastrophe‑related data is sourced, validated, transformed, and delivered to produce high‑quality analytics and actionable insights for business partners.

• Support catastrophe risk research and analytics tied to physical property, weather, and catastrophe exposure data.
• Build, enhance, and maintain data pipelines and ETL processes for research, modeling, and reporting use cases.
• Use tools such as SQL, Python, R, Databricks, and Snowflake to source, transform, validate, and manage large datasets.
• Support data validation and reporting workflows to ensure outputs are accurate, consistent, and decision‑useful.
• Contribute to process improvement and automation efforts that make catastrophe analytics more efficient, scalable, and impactful.
• Research and implement financial engineering, data science, and statistical techniques for risk management and business applications.
• Create and test risk limits to guide asset allocation, risk transfer, and product growth decisions.
• Own all facets of complex quantitative modeling processes and ensure models align with industry standards.
• Consult and collaborate to ensure model assumptions, processes, and outputs are well understood.
• Review and analyze model output to identify limitations and their impact, mitigating these limitations with appropriate quantitative methods.
• Create and maintain model documentation detailing rationale, assumptions, and business continuity.
• Act as the technology owner for risk analytics.
• May perform other responsibilities as assigned.

• Bachelor's degree in a quantitative field such as data science, statistics, mathematics, actuarial science, computer science, engineering, finance, or a related discipline.
• ACAS level actuary credential required; progress toward FCAS credential preferred.
• Previous professional experience in P&C pricing or reserving (catastrophe modeling specific experience highly preferred).
• Strong SQL capability and working proficiency in Python and/or R.
• A natural curiosity, detail‑oriented approach, and judgment to question results, investigate discrepancies, and improve output quality.

Reports to Risk/Actuarial leader.

Education: Undergraduate studies in finance, accounting, economics, statistics, mathematics or related subject area required. Graduate‑level studies in a related field with an advanced degree highly desirable.

License/Certification/Designation: Progress toward FCAS, FSA, CQF, CFA or similar preferred.

Experience: Typically, seven or more years of related work experience in financial risk modeling or actuarial functions.

Knowledge, Abilities and

Skills:

Strong understanding of machine learning, stochastic processes, Monte Carlo simulations, sampling methods and other statistical techniques applicable to specialized risk modeling. Proven mathematical knowledge of specialized risk models such as those used in hedging, economic scenario generation, catastrophe, credit risk, etc. Advanced understanding of risk management operations such as asset‑liability management, portfolio risk assessment, and hedging. Sophisticated written and verbal communication skills.

Advanced proficiency with Excel and common statistical software such as R, SAS, Python, or MATLAB.

This role is intended to be based in Columbus, OH. However, applications from candidates who can work remotely and possess critical industry skills and relevant experience may be considered.

This role does not qualify for employer‑sponsored work authorization. Nationwide does not participate in the STEM OPT extension program.

National salary range: $149,000 – $262,000. Expected starting salary range: $149,000 – $223,000.

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Life insurance.
• Short‑term and long‑term disability coverage.
• Paid time off, including a minimum of 18 days per calendar year, nine paid holidays, and additional paid time off such as lifetime leave.
• 401(k) with company match and company‑paid pension plan.
• Business‑casual attire policy.

Nationwide is an equal‑opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone feels challenged, appreciated, respected, and engaged. Nationwide prohibits discrimination and harassment and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable law.