Senior Scientist - Hurricane Model Developer, Impact Forecasting

About the role

This is a hybrid role with the flexibility to work virtually and from our Boston or Chicago office. Aon is in the Business of Better Decisions At Aon, we shape decisions for the better to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. United through trust as one inclusive team, we are passionate about helping our colleagues and clients succeed.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and enhance hurricane and tropical cyclone catastrophe models, including stochastic event generation, wind field modeling, hazard characterization, and parameter estimation.
• Build, maintain, and improve model components used to quantify catastrophe risk and estimate potential insurance losses.
• Prepare, transform, integrate, and analyze large meteorological, geospatial, and insurance datasets to support model development and research initiatives.
• Develop and optimize automated data processing and forecasting workflows that improve the efficiency, scalability, and accuracy of modeling solutions.
• Manage and maintain modeling datasets, ensuring effective data organization, accessibility, documentation, and governance throughout the model development lifecycle.
• Implement data quality controls, validation procedures, and performance testing to ensure reliable and accurate model outputs.
• Incorporate emerging climate science research into catastrophe models to evaluate potential impacts on future hurricane-related losses.
• Utilize Python, SQL, and related analytical tools to support data analysis, model development, and automation efforts.
• Conduct quantitative analyses to identify risk drivers, evaluate uncertainty, and support catastrophe risk management decisions.
• Collaborate across multidisciplinary teams to deliver modeling enhancements and research initiatives aligned with business priorities and project timelines.
• Document methodologies, validation results, and research findings through clear technical reports and model documentation.
• Communicate complex scientific concepts and analytical findings effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Stay informed of developments in atmospheric science, climate research, data science, and catastrophe modeling to advance product capabilities and innovation.

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD in Meteorology, Climate Science, Oceanography, Earth Science, Applied Mathematics, Physics, or a related field, or equivalent industry experience.
• Experience developing, analyzing, or enhancing catastrophe models, risk models, or related scientific modeling solutions.
• Strong quantitative analysis and problem-solving skills with experience applying statistical or computational methods to complex datasets.
• Experience programming in Python, MATLAB, R, or similar analytical languages, including developing tools, workflows, or automated analytical solutions.
• Experience collecting, processing, manipulating, and analyzing large datasets to generate actionable insights.
• Experience conducting scientific research and translating findings into practical modeling applications.
• Ability to communicate technical information clearly through reports, documentation, presentations, and stakeholder discussions.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across teams while managing priorities and delivering high-quality work.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience with hurricane, tropical cyclone, or weather-related catastrophe modeling.
• Experience using SQL to query, manage, and analyze relational datasets.
• Experience with ArcGIS, QGIS, or other geospatial analysis tools.
• Knowledge of climate change impacts on natural catastrophe risk.
• Experience supporting model validation, data quality, or model governance activities.