At Root, we’re on a mission to improve the lives of our customers by offering better insurance solutions. We challenge ourselves to think differently in order to reimagine insurance to make it smarter, more equitable, and a better experience for all.

We strive to “unbreak” the archaic insurance industry by using data and technology in innovative new ways. We believe we must be steadfast in our commitments to research, experimentation, and disciplined data-driven decision making in order to build products our customers love. Analytics sits at the center of our vision.

The Opportunity

Root is seeking a Lead Data Scientist to join our fast-growing Data Science team and lead the charge in optimizing our Partnerships and Independent Agents distribution channels. This role will be instrumental in shaping how we research, build, and scale machine learning models and data-driven strategies that enhance partner performance, customer acquisition, and profitability.

This is a unique opportunity to own a high-growth space from the ground up. You’ll collaborate closely with Product, Analytics, and Business Development to embed deeply in the problem space, drive strategic research initiatives, and deliver scalable data science solutions across a multi-partner landscape that includes names like Carvana, Goosehead, and Hyundai.

Salary Range:  $151,200 - $189,000  (Bonus and LTI eligible)

Root is a “work where it works best” company. Meaning we will support you working in whatever location that works best for you across the US.

How You Will Make an Impact

• Serve as the technical lead for data science efforts across partnerships and agent channels.
• Translate partner needs and growth objectives into actionable data science projects.
• Conduct advanced research in pricing strategy, compensation optimization, and predictive agent performance.
• Develop lead-scoring models to prioritize high-conversion agents and tailor outreach strategies.
• Use NLP to extract insights from partner feedback and support logs, driving product and relationship improvements.
• Design and validate experiments and measurement frameworks that guide business decisions.
• Develop proof-of-concepts and quantitative models to evaluate new growth opportunities.
• Partner with engineering and analytics to deliver production-grade solutions.
• Mentor junior data scientists and set the standard for technical excellence and team collaboration.
• Foster alignment with cross-functional stakeholders through consistent communication and insight-sharing.
• Promote team effectiveness by championing good planning, process design, and best practices.

What You Will Need to Succeed

• BS, MS, or PhD in Statistics, Computer Science, Economics, or a related field.
• 6+ years of experience building predictive models, running experiments, and supporting decision-making in business environments.
• Proven expertise in Python (and/or R) and SQL; experience with modern ML and experimentation frameworks.
• Deep understanding of measurement, causal inference, and statistical validation.
• Strong communication skills with an ability to distill complex insights to non-technical partners.
• Familiarity with ML Ops concepts such as feature stores, retraining pipelines, and post-deployment monitoring.
• Ability to lead through ambiguity, prioritize high-impact work, and deliver in a fast-paced environment.
• Comfortable working across cross-functional teams to align technical work to business goals.
• Experience planning and sequencing team initiatives to deliver quarterly objectives.
• A team-first mindset with a track record of mentoring and elevating others.

As part of Root's interview process, we kindly ask that all candidates be on camera for virtual interviews. This helps us create a more personal and engaging experience for both you and our interviewers. Being on camera is a standard requirement for our process and part of how we assess fit and communication style, so we do require it to move forward with any applicant's candidacy. If you have any concerns, feel free to let us know once you are contacted. We’re happy to talk it through.