Actuary, Assumption Development, R&D in London

Actuary, Assumption Development, R&D in London

London Full-Time 50000 - 70000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
Pacific Life Re

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Join our R&D team to develop innovative actuarial assumptions and models.
  • Company: Global life reinsurer with a commitment to innovation and excellence.
  • Benefits: 25 days annual leave, healthcare, wellness initiatives, and generous parental leave.
  • Other info: Dynamic work culture that values diversity, inclusion, and employee well-being.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in the Longevity and Protection markets while collaborating globally.
  • Qualifications: Nearly or qualified actuary with strong analytical skills and programming knowledge.

The predicted salary is between 50000 - 70000 £ per year.

We are a global life reinsurer operating in Europe, Asia, Australia and North America, and are part of Pacific Life, a mutual insurance group. Fuelled by our pursuit of excellence and a quest to innovate, we’re proud to do things differently. Our people are not afraid to disrupt and challenge industry thinking and provide the best protection, savings and retirement reinsurance products and services possible.

Role Overview

We have an exciting opportunity for a nearly or qualified actuary ideally with experience in assumption setting or experience analysis to join the R&D team. This is an exciting time to join as we expand into new markets and strengthen our presence in existing ones across Europe and North America. In this role, you'll work across both Longevity and Protection markets, giving you diverse exposure and the opportunity to make a real impact. You'll contribute to developing the actuarial bases that set our best estimate assumptions — guiding work from initial data analysis through model fitting, validation, and final approval. Previous experience with actuarial techniques like Generalised Linear Models and Survival models would be an advantage.

You will work closely with other teams including:

  • R&D teams across multiple geographies, including Medical Analytics and Strategic Analytics, our internal teams of experts providing insights into emerging medical advances and of data scientists and engineers respectively.
  • Savings and Retirement and Protection teams inside the Reinsurance Division to support on Pricing and Product developments and to ensure that the assumptions developed meet their needs.

How You’ll Help Move Us Forward

  • Contribute to the development of market-leading assumptions by sourcing data, building models, and bringing innovative approaches to assumption setting.
  • Provide robust challenge to assumptions and approaches adopted by Pricing.
  • Build effective working relationships with stakeholders across the company, to support alignment and understanding of technical recommendations.
  • Support actuarial research initiatives, including contributing to internal analysis, thought-leadership work, and engagement with academic partners.
  • Provide guidance and mentoring within the R&D team, supporting the development for junior team members.

Skills & Experience

  • Nearly qualified or qualified Fellow of the Institute or Faculty of Actuaries or Society of Actuaries or other similar organisation.
  • Strong analytical skills and problem-solving abilities.
  • Uses structured reasoning to solve straightforward problems, and contributes to more complex decisions by identifying options and evaluating trade-offs.
  • Applies judgement to deliver in new or evolving areas, with support where needed.
  • An understanding of one or more of the markets we operate in (Longevity or Protection reinsurance).
  • Familiarity of experience studies, trend modelling, and pricing within the life insurance industry (including reinsurers, insurers and consultancy).
  • Competent in using programming languages (e.g. SQL, R or Tyche).
  • Knowledge of actuarial techniques such as Generalized Linear Models and Survival Models.
  • Places a high value on innovation and continuous improvement.
  • Ability to collaborate with strong team-working and interpersonal skills.
  • Experience in presenting to varied audiences on technical topics to gain approval.
  • Ability to work independently and lead on the work.
  • Organised and deadline focussed.

We know strong candidates may not meet every point listed above. If this role feels like a good fit for your experience and strengths, we’d encourage you to apply.

Working For Pacific Life Re

Every person in our global team is valued for the unique qualities they bring to our business and we seek to build their expertise and support their individual ambitions at every step. Of course, we take our work seriously and we know our team can operate under great pressure. We work hard and thrive on achievement, but we also know how to have fun and relax too. We regularly host a range of team building days to strengthen our team's connection with each other and reflect on their successes. Providing employees with a healthy work-life balance is very important to our culture. We have a wide range of employee benefits and we host regular social activities and well being initiatives. We are also committed to supporting our employee's involvement in their communities, by actively fundraising, hosting charity events and overseeing volunteering opportunities.

Benefits (Only for Permanent and Fixed Term Employees)

  • 25 days of annual leave with option to buy/sell more days.
  • Adoption and fertility leave.
  • Generous enhanced parental leave.
  • Comprehensive private insurance coverage for employee and dependents.
  • Group Life Insurance coverage of 9x basic annual salary and Group Income Protection up to 75% of basic annual salary.
  • Optical benefits.
  • 15% combined employee/employer contributions.
  • Subsidized gym membership.
  • Access to Employee Assistance Program.
  • Cycle to Work and Electric Car Salary Sacrifice Scheme.
  • Time off for volunteering.
  • Charitable matching of employee donations.

You Can Be Who You Are

We are committed to a culture of diversity and inclusion that embraces the authenticity of all employees, partners and communities. We support all employees to thrive and achieve their fullest potential. As part of our commitment to diversity and inclusion, we will provide reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process to ensure equal access to applicants with disabilities. Please contact us about your needs so that we can discuss these with you to make sure that suitable adjustments are made, where possible.

Actuary, Assumption Development, R&D in London employer: Pacific Life Re

At Pacific Life Re, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that values innovation, collaboration, and employee well-being. Our dynamic work culture fosters personal and professional growth, offering diverse opportunities for actuaries to make a meaningful impact in the R&D team while enjoying a healthy work-life balance through generous benefits and engaging social activities. Join us in a supportive environment where your unique contributions are celebrated, and together we can redefine the future of reinsurance.

Pacific Life Re

Contact Details:

Pacific Life Re Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Actuary, Assumption Development, R&D in London

Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to current employees or alumni from your university who work in the industry. A friendly chat can give you insider info and might even lead to a referral.

Tip Number 2

Prepare for interviews by practising common actuarial questions and scenarios. We recommend doing mock interviews with friends or using online platforms to get comfortable with your responses.

Tip Number 3

Showcase your analytical skills during interviews. Be ready to discuss specific projects where you used data analysis or modelling techniques, especially those relevant to longevity or protection markets.

Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.

We think you need these skills to ace Actuary, Assumption Development, R&D in London

Actuarial Techniques
Assumption Setting
Experience Analysis
Generalised Linear Models
Survival Models
Data Analysis
Programming Languages (SQL, R, Tyche)

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the actuary role. Highlight your experience in assumption setting and any relevant actuarial techniques you've used. We want to see how your skills align with what we're looking for!

Showcase Your Analytical Skills:Since this role requires strong analytical abilities, don’t shy away from sharing specific examples of how you've tackled complex problems in the past. We love seeing how you apply structured reasoning to your work!

Be Authentic:Let your personality shine through in your application. We value authenticity and want to get a sense of who you are beyond your qualifications. Share your passion for innovation and continuous improvement in the actuarial field!

Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to submit your application directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure it gets into the right hands. Plus, you’ll find all the details you need about the role and our company culture there!

How to prepare for a job interview at Pacific Life Re

Know Your Assumptions

Before the interview, brush up on the key assumptions in the Longevity and Protection markets. Be ready to discuss how you would approach assumption setting and the methodologies you would use. This shows that you’re not just familiar with the theory but can apply it practically.

Showcase Your Analytical Skills

Prepare to demonstrate your analytical prowess by discussing past projects where you used Generalised Linear Models or Survival models. Bring examples of how you tackled complex problems and the impact your solutions had. This will highlight your problem-solving abilities and technical expertise.

Build Relationships

Since collaboration is key in this role, think about how you can illustrate your ability to build effective working relationships. Share experiences where you successfully collaborated with different teams or stakeholders, and how that contributed to project success.

Engage with Innovation

The company values innovation, so come prepared with ideas on how you could bring fresh approaches to assumption development. Think about recent trends in the industry and be ready to discuss how you can contribute to the company's quest for excellence and innovation.