Root Insurance
Direct-to-consumer auto insurer with telematics
Machine Learning Engineer - Pricing Platform
+ Bonus + Equity offering
About the job
- 10+ years of software engineering experience, with a demonstrated track record of designing and delivering business-critical machine learning platforms, data platforms, or similarly complex distributed systems.
- Demonstrated architectural ownership of production machine learning infrastructure, including feature pipelines or feature stores, model training and orchestration, model registries and versioning, model serving, or research-to-production infrastructure.
- Strong system design and distributed systems expertise, including experience designing reliable, scalable data processing systems and well-defined interfaces between complex systems.
- Experience designing systems that provide strong guarantees around reproducibility, lineage, versioning, training-serving consistency, and production correctness.
- Working knowledge of the machine learning lifecycle and the engineering considerations involved in training, evaluating, deploying, and operating models in production.
- Demonstrated ability to establish technical direction in ambiguous problem spaces and translate long-term architectural goals into incremental, executable plans.
- A track record of creating technical leverage across multiple teams through shared platforms, abstractions, standards, or tooling.
- Demonstrated ability to influence technical direction across teams without direct authority and mentor senior engineers on architecture and system design.
- Strong experience collaborating with Data Scientists and researchers to understand research workflows and translate their needs into scalable platform capabilities.
- Proficiency with Python and modern machine learning and data tooling.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively across Engineering, Data Science, Product, and leadership.
- Define the long-term technical roadmap that accelerates pricing innovation through machine learning tools and workflows that improve the end-to-end pricing research and development process, balancing iterative delivery with the long-term vision for the platform.
- Work closely with researchers to define platform needs that improve research and development ergonomics from data readiness through feature engineering, model fitting, serving, diagnostics, and monitoring.
- Define the architecture and versioned contracts connecting data, features, models, and production pricing, ensuring the platform remains reproducible and technically coherent as it evolves.
- Automate end-to-end workflows, leveraging large language model technology to power agentic data science workflow automation.
- Write and review code in the most critical parts of the platform and drive technical design across systems and cross-team dependencies.
- Mentor senior engineers in architecture, platform design, and best practices in machine learning engineering.
- Set standards for reliability, observability, reproducibility, and correctness across the platform’s systems.
- Understanding of machine learning and statistical modeling, including model assumptions, bias and variance, uncertainty, evaluation methodology, and common model failure modes.
- Understanding of how common machine learning algorithms and frameworks operate beneath their interfaces and how those details influence production system design.
- Experience improving model development velocity, experimentation throughput, deployment reliability, or model quality through machine learning platform investments.
- Experience building machine learning infrastructure in a regulated or highly data-intensive domain such as insurance, fintech, financial services, or healthcare.
- Experience designing platforms used by quantitative researchers or Data Scientists with demanding experimentation and reproducibility requirements.
- Experience applying large language models or agentic systems to developer tooling, research workflows, or data science automation.
About the company
Root Insurance sells auto insurance through a digital-first, direct-to-consumer model. A smartphone app collects driving data to calculate a personalized premium, and customers purchase and manage coverage online without traditional agents. By using telematics and avoiding agents, it lowers costs and passes savings to customers, focusing on fair pricing for good drivers. Its goal is to make auto insurance affordable and easy to use for good drivers through a data-driven, online experience.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Columbus, Ohio
Founded
2015
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Q2 2026 net income reached $25.4 million, up 15.5%, with 31% ROE.
- August 5, 2026 combined ratio improved to 92.1%, showing underwriting discipline.
- July 24, 2026 New Jersey launch and Carvana, Toyota, Hyundai channels expand distribution.
What critics are saying
- Q2 2026 gross premiums written fell 1.9%, signaling slower direct-channel growth.
- Analysts still rate Root Hold; July 31, 2026 targets ranged $50 to $95.
- A 2027 expansion miss or telematics underpricing shock can crush capital and force retrenchment.
What makes Root Insurance unique
- Root's smartphone telematics prices policies on driving behavior across 37 states.
- July 8, 2026 Jerry partnership embeds quote-to-bind inside a high-intent marketplace.
- Root's 2026 automation push supports faster onboarding, policy management, and claims routing.
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Benefits
Flexible Work Hours
Remote Work Options
Health Insurance
401(k) Retirement Plan
Paid Sick Leave
Paid Holidays
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 0%1 year growth
↑ 1%2 year growth
↑ 0%Root reported net income of $25 million in Q2 2026, up 15% year-over-year, with an annualised return on equity of approximately 31%. Revenue grew 2% to $389 million. The insurance technology company ended the quarter with 484,000 policies in force, representing 6% year-over-year growth. Co-founder and CEO Alexander Timm said the results demonstrate the strength of Root's technology and data science capabilities built over the past decade. Root held its earnings conference call on 5 August 2026, with executives discussing progress in executing against the company's model. The firm issued a shareholder letter alongside its quarterly results and filed its Form 10-Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Root reported second-quarter revenue of $389.2 million, missing analyst estimates of $396.4 million despite a 1.6% year-on-year increase. The digital auto insurance company's stock dropped 11.1% following the announcement. Net premiums earned reached $363.5 million, falling short of the $369.6 million expected by analysts. However, Root exceeded profit expectations with GAAP earnings of $1.49 per share, 66% above the consensus estimate of $0.90. The company's combined ratio of 92.1% beat analyst forecasts of 96.6% by 450 basis points. Root's revenue growth has slowed from its five-year compound annual growth rate of 43.3% to 35.5% over the past two years. Net premiums earned account for 91.6% of Root's total revenue over the last five years.
Root (NASDAQ:ROOT) stock price down 7.4% - what's next? July 31, 2026 Key points. * Root shares fell 7.4% to about $53.76 in mid-day trading, with volume down 70% versus the average session. * Analysts remain cautious, with a consensus "Hold" rating from seven analysts and an average price target of $86; targets range from $50 to $95. * Root's latest quarter showed mixed results: EPS of $2.09 significantly exceeded estimates, while revenue of $393.5 million fell slightly short of expectations but increased 12.5% year over year. Institutional investors own nearly 60% of the company. * Interested in Root? Here are five stocks we like better. Root, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROOT - Get Free Report)'s stock price traded down 7.4% during mid-day trading on Friday. The company traded as low as $53.92 and last traded at $53.7560. 89,115 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 70% from the average session volume of 298,608 shares. The stock had previously closed at $58.04. Analyst upgrades and downgrades. Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the company. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on Root from $58.00 to $61.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, July 9th. TD Cowen restated a "hold" rating on shares of Root in a report on Wednesday, June 17th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Root from a "hold (c-)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a report on Tuesday. UBS Group set a $50.00 price objective on shares of Root and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Monday, May 11th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods decreased their target price on Root from $104.00 to $95.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 7th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $86.00. Root stock down 5.4%. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $57.04 and a two-hundred day moving average of $55.85. The firm has a market capitalization of $869.16 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.40 and a beta of 2.85. The company has a quick ratio of 1.07, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61. Root (NASDAQ:ROOT - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, May 6th. The company reported $2.09 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.84 by $1.25. The firm had revenue of $393.50 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $398.16 million. Root had a return on equity of 19.97% and a net margin of 3.58%.The business's quarterly revenue was up 12.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.07 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Root, Inc. will post 3.28 EPS for the current fiscal year. Institutional trading of Root. A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Root by 122.2% during the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 10,229 shares of the company's stock worth $1,365,000 after buying an additional 5,626 shares in the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its stake in shares of Root by 4.7% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 5,141 shares of the company's stock valued at $686,000 after purchasing an additional 229 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its holdings in shares of Root by 389.3% during the second quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 28,905 shares of the company's stock worth $3,699,000 after purchasing an additional 22,997 shares during the last quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. increased its stake in shares of Root by 511.7% in the second quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 734 shares of the company's stock valued at $94,000 after buying an additional 614 shares during the period. Finally, New York State Common Retirement Fund increased its stake in shares of Root by 29.6% in the second quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund now owns 3,500 shares of the company's stock valued at $448,000 after buying an additional 800 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 59.82% of the company's stock. Root company profile. Root, trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker ROOT, is a Columbus, Ohio-based insurance company that leverages mobile technology and data analytics to offer personalized auto insurance policies. Founded in 2015 by Alex Timm and Dan Manges, Root set out to transform traditional underwriting by focusing on individual driving behavior rather than broad demographic factors. Discover more Market Cap Calculator Email & Messaging MarketBeat All Access The company's core product is usage-based auto insurance, delivered through a smartphone app that monitors driving patterns such as speed, braking and phone usage behind the wheel. This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected]. Before you consider Root, you'll want to hear this. MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Root wasn't on the list. While Root currently has a Hold rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys. Discover the next wave of investment opportunities with our report, 7 Stocks That Will Be Magnificent in 2026. Explore companies poised to replicate the growth, innovation, and value creation of the tech giants dominating today's markets.
Root expands its telematics car insurance to New Jersey, its 37th state. July 24, 2026 Technology-driven insurer Root has launched its behavior-based car insurance in New Jersey, marking its 37th state. Using mobile telematics, Root calculates its rates primarily on actual driving performance, such as focused driving, smooth braking, and gentle turns. The system can financially reward safe drivers. Safe drivers in New Jersey stand to realize potential annual savings of up to $1,300, according to the insurer. Driver onboarding, customized coverage selection, policy management, and claims routing are handled entirely through Root's mobile application. "Expanding to New Jersey is a massive milestone in our state expansion strategy as we accelerate toward our goal of coverage in the contiguous U.S. by 2027," said Alex Timm, founder and CEO of Root. "By entering the Garden State, we're expanding our reach to a market historically characterized by limited consumer choice. Our ability to scale our behavioral pricing model demonstrates the efficiency of our technology and positions us to capture more market share." Root said it plans to further expand to Wyoming, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Michigan, Idaho, and Maine pending regulatory approvals. Root also said it plans to expand its independent agent distribution channel to 100,000 eligible producers. Appointments can be made in 24 hours. Root also sells through relationships with Carvana, Toyota, and Hyundai Capital; this channel grew new writings nearly 30% year-over-year. In May, Root Inc. reported first quarter 2026 net income of $35.9 million - the best quarterly result in the company's history - compared with net income of $18.4 million for the same period in 2025. For the first quarter, the combined ratio came in at 91.4 compared with 95.6 a year ago during the same time. Policies in force grew 9% to 495,429 "despite a challenging and increasingly competitive environment," Timm said. Root ended the year 2025 with record net income of $40.3 million, a 30% jump compared with $30.9 million for full-year 2024. In a letter to shareholders, Root said its continued investment in its system puts it on track "to building an entirely automated insurance carrier." Root was founded in 2015 and is based in Columbus, Ohio. Was this article valuable? Latest magazine.
Root expands its telematics car insurance to New Jersey, its 37th state. Technology-driven insurer Root has launched its behavior-based car insurance in New Jersey, marking its 37th state. Using mobile telematics, Root calculates its rates primarily on actual driving performance, such as focused driving, smooth braking, and gentle turns. The system can financially reward safe drivers. Safe drivers in New Jersey stand to realize potential annual savings of up to $1,300, according to the insurer. Driver onboarding, customized coverage selection, policy management, and claims routing are handled entirely through Root's mobile application. "Expanding to New Jersey is a massive milestone in our state expansion strategy as we accelerate toward our goal of coverage in the contiguous U.S. by 2027," said Alex Timm, founder and CEO of Root. "By entering the Garden State, we're expanding our reach to a market historically characterized by limited consumer choice. Our ability to scale our behavioral pricing model demonstrates the efficiency of our technology and positions us to capture more market share." Root said it plans to further expand to Wyoming, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Michigan, Idaho, and Maine pending regulatory approvals. Root said it plans to expand its independent agent distribution channel to 100,000 eligible producers. Appointments can be made in 24 hours. Root also sells through relationships with Carvana, Toyota, and Hyundai Capital; this channel grew new writings nearly 30% year-over-year. In May, Root Inc. reported first quarter 2026 net income of $35.9 million - the best quarterly result in the company's history - compared with net income of $18.4 million for the same period in 2025. For the first quarter, the combined ratio came in at 91.4 compared with 95.6 a year ago during the same time. Policies in force grew 9% to 495,429 "despite a challenging and increasingly competitive environment," Timm said. Root ended the year 2025 with record net income of $40.3 million, a 30% jump compared with $30.9 million for full-year 2024. In a letter to shareholders, Root said its continued investment in its system puts it on track "to building an entirely automated insurance carrier." Root was founded in 2015 and is based in Columbus, Ohio. Was this article valuable? Thank you! Please tell Lifeinsurance Orleans what Lifeinsurance Orleans can do to improve this article. Thank you! % of people found this article valuable. Please tell Lifeinsurance Orleans what you liked about it. Interested in auto? Get automatic alerts for this topic.