Senior Associate, Underwriting Rules Automation

Location Designation: Hybrid - 1 day per quarter
Role Overview:
Designs, tests, and governs rules for New York Life's automated underwriting engine, translating underwriting, medical, and actuarial guidance into executable logic that supports straight-through processing.
Requires strong underwriting judgment and comfort with rules platforms, partners across actuarial, data science, technology, medical, and product teams.
What You'll Do:
Rules Design & Authoring

• Design and author underwriting rules across key mortality and morbidity risk categories and non-medical factors (build, lifestyle, financial).
• Convert guidelines and underwriting into structured decision logic in the BRMS and underwriting workbench.
• Build decision trees using available data (Rx, EHR, MIB, ICD-10, labs, third-party scores) for consistent, auditable outcomes.
• Define multi-impairment and co-morbidity rules aligned to company and reinsurance standards.
• Define triage and escalation paths (auto-approve, rate, decline, refer, order requirements).

Rules Governance & Quality Assurance

• Maintain documentation (rationale, logic narrative, data dependencies, versions, clinical/actuarial basis).
• Create and execute test cases (standard and edge) and support UAT before deployment.
• Monitor rule performance (STP, QC, mortality/morbidity) to detect gaps and unintended outcomes.
• Manage change lifecycle (intake, impact, review, approval, release, post-deploy validation).
• Ensure rule design meets MRM standards, regulatory requirements, and privacy/fairness guidance.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with actuarial/data science to incorporate model outputs into rule logic (thresholds, overrides).
• Act as underwriting SME for technology delivery (requirements, review, validation).
• Work with medical directors and senior underwriters to apply evidence and reinsurer guidance.
• Identify segments suitable for more automation and support STP improvement priorities.

Continuous Improvement

• Track emerging evidence and benchmarking to recommend rule enhancements.
• Engage in reinsurer/industry forums to stay current on best practices and data sources.
• Develop training and reference materials to support adoption of automated underwriting.

What You'll Bring:

• 5+ years individual life underwriting experience with broad medical risk assessment expertise.
• Strong mortality/morbidity knowledge; familiarity with reinsurer manuals (e.g., Munich Re, RGA, Gen Re, SCOR).
• Experience with accelerated/automated underwriting and rules-based decision engines.

• BRMS experience (e.g., Corticon, Blaze, Drools, Pega) building decision tables/trees/flows.

• Analytical: break down complex histories into clear, auditable decision pathways.
• Strong writing skills for requirements, rule specs, and test narratives for technical and business audiences.
• Collaborative, able to work across underwriting, actuarial, data science, technology, compliance, and product.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience integrating third-party data into rules (Rx, EHR, MIB/MVR, financial data, wearables).
• Exposure to predictive model scores and how to operationalize them in rules.
• Working knowledge of ICD-10 and clinical terminology used in underwriting.
• Underwriting experience in LTC, IDI, or critical illness a plus.
• Familiarity with analytics tools (SQL, Excel, Tableau, Python) for monitoring rule performance.
• Experience in an MRM framework (documentation and validation for automated decisions).

What We Offer

• High-impact role accelerating automated underwriting and faster decisions for customers and field.
• Work at the intersection of underwriting, data science, and technology.
• Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits.
• Support for professional development and relevant designations.
• Hybrid/remote flexibility and a culture that values balance and performance

#LI - EM1
#LI - REMOTE
Pay Transparency
Salary Range: $81,000-$123,000
Overtime eligible: Exempt
Discretionary bonus eligible: Yes
Sales bonus eligible: No
Actual base salary will be determined based on several factors but not limited to individual's experience, skills, qualifications, and job location. Additionally, employees are eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. In addition to base salary, employees may also be eligible to participate in an incentive program.
Company Overview
At New York Life, our 180-year legacy of purpose and integrity fuels our future. As we evolve into a more technology-, data-, and AI-enabled organization, we remain grounded in the values that drive lasting impact.
Our diverse business portfolio creates opportunities to make a difference across industries and communities-inviting bold thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and purpose-driven innovation. Here, you'll find the rare balance of long-standing stability and forward momentum, supported by an inclusive team that honors tradition while embracing progress.
As a Fortune 100 mutual company, we offer a place to grow your skills, contribute to meaningful work, and deliver solutions that matter. Your ideas drive what's next, and your growth powers it.
Our Benefits
We provide a full package of benefits for employees - and have unique offerings for a modern workforce, including leave programs, adoption assistance, and student loan repayment programs. Based on feedback from our employees, we continue to refine and add benefits to our offering, so that you can flourish both inside and outside of work.Click hereto discover more about our comprehensive benefit options or visit our NYL Benefits Site.
Our Commitment to Inclusion
At New York Life, fostering an inclusive workplace is fundamental to who we are and how we serve our communities. We have a longstanding commitment to creating an environment where individuals can contribute their best and succeed together. This foundation is rooted in our core values of humanity and integrity, ensuring that every employee feels valued and supported. By embracing a broad range of perspectives and experiences, we achieve greater success and fulfill our promise of providing financial security and peace of mind to families across all communities. Click here to learn more about New York Life's leadership in this space.
Recognized as one of Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies, New York Life is committed to improving local communities through a culture of employee giving and volunteerism, supported by the Foundation. We're proud that due to our mutuality, we operate in the best interests of our policy owners. To learn more about career opportunities at New York Life, please visit the Careers page of www.NewYorkLife.com.
Visit our LinkedIn to see how our employees and agents are leading the industry and impacting communities.
Visit our Newsroom to learn more about how our company is constantly evolving to meet our clients' and employees' needs.
Job Requisition ID: 93678
#BI-Hybrid