Wind Risk Engineer

Who are we? 
A strategic and trusted insurance partner, Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI), provides a broad range of commercial property, casualty and specialty insurance coverages and outstanding service to customers and brokers around the world. Part of Berkshire Hathaway’s insurance operations, we bring our solutions to market with our stellar brand name, top-rated balance sheet, and the expertise of our global team of professionals, who exude excellent capabilities and strong character.

We are a values-based organization where respect, integrity, excellence, collaboration, and passion define who we are and how we do business.  We value diversity of backgrounds, experience, and perspectives and strive to foster an inclusive environment that enables all our team members to bring their best selves to work.  We are one team committed to building a culture where every teammate has the opportunity to contribute and be recognized. Want to be part of the team building the finest property, casualty and specialty lines insurance company in the world?

Learn more about our unique culture and history. 

Job Opportunity: 

BHSI is seeking an analytical and technically minded, passionate Engineer or Senior Engineer with expertise in wind vulnerability assessment and risk modeling to join our Catastrophe Engineering and Analytics (CAT E&A) team. CAT E&A is an innovative and versatile technical team conducting catastrophe risk evaluations, developing independent solutions and models, and providing quantitative insured loss metrics that inform underwriting decisions.

The successful candidate will join the team responsible for conducting research and developing solutions for catastrophe risk assessment and should have strong research and development experience with catastrophe models or other risk assessment tools. Primary duties will involve research and development of internal views for hurricane wind risks. Contributions include undertaking wind and other perils risk evaluation using vendor models and internal models, assisting with individual underwriting decisions, and performing risk accumulation analyses. 

We welcome applicants at both the Engineer and Senior Engineer levels.  Title and responsibilities will be commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications.  The role can be based in our San Ramon, CA, Boston, MA, or Atlanta, GA office.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Conduct research on wind vulnerability of buildings and other structures for the development of internal catastrophe models.
• Conduct global wind risk evaluation using vendor models and internal models.
• Explain wind risk modeling concepts and results to underwriters to inform risk underwriting decisions.
• Conduct periodic training for underwriters.
• Work with our team to incorporate BHSI’s view of risk into catastrophe modeling tools and platform.
• Contribute to all aspects of natural catastrophe analytics.

 Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• PhD degree in Civil or Wind Engineering, or related discipline
• Strong understanding of wind engineering and design of buildings and other structures for wind. Previous catastrophe modeling and wind vulnerability assessment experience is a plus
• Knowledge of probability and statistics.
• Strong programming skills (e.g., R, Python, MATLAB, SQL)
• Proficiency in geospatial analytics
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Highly motivated, detail oriented, and team player

BHSI Offers:

• A competitive package and exciting growth opportunities for career-oriented teammates.
• A dynamic, action oriented, and thoughtful environment centered on always doing the right thing for our customers, teammates, and our other stakeholders.
• A purposely non-bureaucratic organization that embraces simplicity over complexity and emphasizes individual excellence in a team framework.
• Benefits that support your life and well-being, which include:

• • Comprehensive Health, Dental and Vision benefits
  • Disability Insurance (both short-term and long-term)
  • Life Insurance (for you and your family)
  • Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance (for you and your family)
  • Flexible Spending Accounts
  • Health Reimbursement Account
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Retirement Savings 401(k) Plan with Company Match
  • Generous holiday and Paid Time Off
  • Tuition Reimbursement
  • Paid Parental Leave

The base salary range for this position is $110,000 to $150,000, along with annual bonus eligibility.   Total compensation for a candidate is determined by their relevant skills, location, and experience.  We value our teammates – both their capabilities and character – as demonstrated by our amazing culture.

NOTE: Compensation will be commensurate with experience. This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Team Member may perform other related duties as negotiated to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.