About Wildfire Defense Systems, Inc.
Wildfire Defense Systems (WDS) is the North American leader in insurer wildfire services, combining professional wildfire consulting and loss intervention services with Qualified Insurance Resources (QIR). Founded in 2001 to fulfill initial-attack assignments for the US Forest Service, the company added professional services support in 2005 and launched wildfire loss-intervention programs for insurers in 2008.
WDS Wildfire Loss Intervention Service (WDS Service) applies a comprehensive approach to reducing risk in catastrophic exposure on an industry scale, decreasing the average annual loss (AAL) for our insurer clients, and providing peace of mind to their policy holders during wildfire events. WDS provides these industry-leading services to insurer clients and their policy holders across a 22-state service area.
The Head of Catastrophe Modeling leads Wildfire Defense Systems’ efforts to quantify wildfire risk and demonstrate the loss-reduction value of WDS’s services to insurance partners. This role translates WDS’s field and operational data into credible, model-driven insights that support carrier relationships, business growth, and operational decision-making. A major responsibility of this role is to design, develop, and maintain proprietary internal catastrophe models and contribute to risk and pricing modeling.
This position sits within the Data Science Department and reports to the Data Science Manager. The Head of Catastrophe Modeling owns the development, validation, and application of wildfire catastrophe models and analytics across WDS’s enrolled property portfolio in the United States and Canada. They serve as WDS’s subject matter expert on wildfire hazard, structure vulnerability, and loss estimation. They evaluate and work alongside industry-standard vendor models, build proprietary analytics from WDS’s unique data, and communicate findings to executive leadership, insurance carriers, and reinsurance partners. The role collaborates with data science colleagues and partners closely with actuarial, operations, product, and client-facing teams. It also builds and leads a team of modeling and analytics professionals as the function grows.
This position technically reports to the Data Science Manager. The Head of Catastrophe Modeling will be a WDS employee who works closely with other WD Companies.
This position is eligible for a hybrid or remote work arrangement, subject to WDS flexible work policy and business needs. Occasional travel may be required for team meetings, industry conferences, regulatory hearings, or client engagements. The role operates in a standard office or remote office environment with extended periods of computer use.
This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts WDS rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
Wildfire Defense Systems, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
Wildfire Defense Systems (WDS) is a national leader in insurer wildfire services, combining professional wildfire consulting with federally-certified emergency response wildfire suppression services. Founded in 2001 for U.S. Forest Service initial attack, suppression and mop-up services, the company added professional services support in 2005, and in 2008 initiated its insurer services programs for comprehensive wildfire loss prevention.
WDS covers a 22-state service region along with British Columbia and Alberta, Canada. WDS is equipped with highly experienced personnel, a fleet of wildland engines, and an inventory of wildfire suppression and structure protection equipment and materials. Our mix of professional management and field operation expertise allows us to perform projects and assignments from design to implementation of comprehensive insurer wildfire programs including property risk analysis and reporting to wildfire suppression and structure protection. The WDS client list includes state and federal agencies, regional corporations, and Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies.
