OPT Health Actuary Jobs
Health Actuary jobs on OPT require STEM OPT eligibility, since actuarial roles fall under CIP codes tied to mathematics and statistics degrees. Most employers sponsor H-1B visa after OPT, making this one of the stronger long-term visa pathways for international students in quantitative finance and insurance.
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Get Access To All JobsCareers With Purpose
Sanford Health is one of the largest and fastest-growing not-for-profit health systems in the United States. We're proud to offer many development and advancement opportunities to our nearly 50,000 members of the Sanford Family who are dedicated to the work of health and healing across our broad footprint.
Facility: GSS National Campus
Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Address: 4800 W 57th St, Sioux Falls, SD 57108, USA
Shift: 8 Hours - Day Shifts
Job Schedule: Full time
Weekly Hours: 40.00
Salary Range: $49.50 - $81.50
Job Summary
The Staff Actuary will be required to provide experienced data work flow programming and data-mining skills. Work closely with a multitude of departments, to rapidly understand and navigate new situations, and create solutions, on-the-go analysis and data development for a broad range of financial and actuarial functions. This includes: product pricing and rate reviews, financial planning and forecasting, trend analysis, product development, provider reimbursement analysis, fee schedule development, provider risk analysis, and medical cost containment analysis. Perform analytic project work assigned by manager with minimal supervision. Deliver accurate claims/encounter data analysis. Provide strong mathematical modeling techniques and statistical concepts to determine probabilities and assess risks. Develop analytic project plan to meet defined objectives. Facilitate planning and review sessions. Collaborate with leader(s) in defining project objectives, and design components of larger projects. May manage one or more large projects. Use data systems and query tools to complete work projects, developing new code and tools to meet objectives. Design and build technical processes to address business issues.
Develop criteria to validate results in light of prior expectations. Investigate unusual results and offers explanations. Examine and interpret results in the context of the specific business questions being addressed. Identify new questions and/or unforeseen data complexities arising from results and takes steps to address them. Integrate information from multiple sources to interpret results in larger business context. Perform and support trend analysis. Perform risk adjustment analytical studies that involve manipulations of large amounts of data. Identify patterns and trends in diagnostic coding practice in conjunction with risk score measurement.
Conduct gap analysis and data collection and validation. Stay abreast of government regulations as related to the 3R's. Conduct complex actuarial analyses to assess risk scores. Create data-driven solutions for capturing risk and improving quality of care for our members. Perform vendor return on investment analyses to determine ongoing benefit and decision support. Develop and execute work plans that may involve collaboration with more than one team. Identify systems and operational problems, and recommend solutions and changes to streamline procedures for more effective reporting. Perform root cause analysis. Analyze enrollment and claims data for patterns and trends to identify opportunities to improve documentation and coding. Conduct Monthly P&L financial reconciliations and frequent liaisons with the Finance team. Present reports, explaining their implications to managers and directors, and advising on risk ranges. Communicate with internal clients and carrying out relationships with financial directors and stakeholders.
Conduct Ad-hoc modeling and projects. Conduct other responsibilities as assigned.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Mathematical Statistics, Mathematics, Actuarial Science, Public Policy Analysis, Mathematical Economics, or Finance required.
Health insurance experience preferred. Experience in data and analytic skills using SQL, SAS or python coding required.
Requires Associate in the Society of Actuaries (ASA).
Benefits
Sanford offers an attractive benefits package for qualifying full-time and part-time employees. Depending on eligibility, a variety of benefits include health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan, work/life balance benefits, and a generous time off package to maintain a healthy home-work balance. For more information about Total Rewards, visit https://sanfordcareers.com/benefits.
Sanford is an EEO/AA Employer M/F/Disability/Vet. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation for help with your online application, please call 1-877-673-0854 or send an email to talent@sanfordhealth.org.
Sanford has a Drug Free Workplace Policy. An accepted offer will require a drug screen and pre-employment background screening as a condition of employment.
Req Number: R-0255728
Job Function: Health Plan
Featured: No
Careers With Purpose
Sanford Health is one of the largest and fastest-growing not-for-profit health systems in the United States. We're proud to offer many development and advancement opportunities to our nearly 50,000 members of the Sanford Family who are dedicated to the work of health and healing across our broad footprint.
Facility: GSS National Campus
Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Address: 4800 W 57th St, Sioux Falls, SD 57108, USA
Shift: 8 Hours - Day Shifts
Job Schedule: Full time
Weekly Hours: 40.00
Salary Range: $49.50 - $81.50
Job Summary
The Staff Actuary will be required to provide experienced data work flow programming and data-mining skills. Work closely with a multitude of departments, to rapidly understand and navigate new situations, and create solutions, on-the-go analysis and data development for a broad range of financial and actuarial functions. This includes: product pricing and rate reviews, financial planning and forecasting, trend analysis, product development, provider reimbursement analysis, fee schedule development, provider risk analysis, and medical cost containment analysis. Perform analytic project work assigned by manager with minimal supervision. Deliver accurate claims/encounter data analysis. Provide strong mathematical modeling techniques and statistical concepts to determine probabilities and assess risks. Develop analytic project plan to meet defined objectives. Facilitate planning and review sessions. Collaborate with leader(s) in defining project objectives, and design components of larger projects. May manage one or more large projects. Use data systems and query tools to complete work projects, developing new code and tools to meet objectives. Design and build technical processes to address business issues.
Develop criteria to validate results in light of prior expectations. Investigate unusual results and offers explanations. Examine and interpret results in the context of the specific business questions being addressed. Identify new questions and/or unforeseen data complexities arising from results and takes steps to address them. Integrate information from multiple sources to interpret results in larger business context. Perform and support trend analysis. Perform risk adjustment analytical studies that involve manipulations of large amounts of data. Identify patterns and trends in diagnostic coding practice in conjunction with risk score measurement.
Conduct gap analysis and data collection and validation. Stay abreast of government regulations as related to the 3R's. Conduct complex actuarial analyses to assess risk scores. Create data-driven solutions for capturing risk and improving quality of care for our members. Perform vendor return on investment analyses to determine ongoing benefit and decision support. Develop and execute work plans that may involve collaboration with more than one team. Identify systems and operational problems, and recommend solutions and changes to streamline procedures for more effective reporting. Perform root cause analysis. Analyze enrollment and claims data for patterns and trends to identify opportunities to improve documentation and coding. Conduct Monthly P&L financial reconciliations and frequent liaisons with the Finance team. Present reports, explaining their implications to managers and directors, and advising on risk ranges. Communicate with internal clients and carrying out relationships with financial directors and stakeholders.
Conduct Ad-hoc modeling and projects. Conduct other responsibilities as assigned.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Mathematical Statistics, Mathematics, Actuarial Science, Public Policy Analysis, Mathematical Economics, or Finance required.
Health insurance experience preferred. Experience in data and analytic skills using SQL, SAS or python coding required.
Requires Associate in the Society of Actuaries (ASA).
Benefits
Sanford offers an attractive benefits package for qualifying full-time and part-time employees. Depending on eligibility, a variety of benefits include health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan, work/life balance benefits, and a generous time off package to maintain a healthy home-work balance. For more information about Total Rewards, visit https://sanfordcareers.com/benefits.
Sanford is an EEO/AA Employer M/F/Disability/Vet. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation for help with your online application, please call 1-877-673-0854 or send an email to talent@sanfordhealth.org.
Sanford has a Drug Free Workplace Policy. An accepted offer will require a drug screen and pre-employment background screening as a condition of employment.
Req Number: R-0255728
Job Function: Health Plan
Featured: No
See all OPT Health Actuary Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Health Actuary
Target insurers and consulting firms with established sponsorship histories
Large health insurers like UnitedHealth Group, Aetna, and Cigna, along with actuarial consulting firms, have well-established H-1B visa sponsorship pipelines. Prioritizing these employers significantly improves your chances of transitioning from OPT to long-term work authorization.
Confirm your degree qualifies for STEM OPT extension
Actuarial roles typically qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension if your degree is in mathematics, statistics, or actuarial science. Verify your CIP code with your DSO before applying, since the extension gives you three years total on OPT.
Pursue actuarial exams to strengthen your sponsorship case
Passing SOA or CAS exams signals professional commitment and makes you a stronger sponsorship candidate. Employers investing in your exam reimbursement are also more likely to sponsor your visa, since they're already committed to your long-term development.
Address your OPT timeline early in the hiring process
Health actuarial hiring cycles can be slow. If your OPT authorization or STEM extension start date is approaching, raise your timeline during early recruiter conversations so employers can plan their H-1B filing around your work authorization window without last-minute complications.
Highlight programming and data skills to stand out
Employers increasingly expect health actuaries to work in R, Python, or SQL alongside traditional actuarial tools. Demonstrating these skills in your resume and interviews positions you as a high-value hire worth the sponsorship investment in competitive candidate pools.
Use Migrate Mate to filter for OPT-friendly actuarial roles
Searching broadly wastes time when your work authorization window is limited. Migrate Mate surfaces health actuary roles from employers with active sponsorship histories, so you can focus your applications on companies already familiar with OPT and H-1B processes.
Health Actuary OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Do health actuary jobs qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Yes, in most cases. Health actuary roles are typically tied to degrees in actuarial science, mathematics, or statistics, all of which appear on the STEM Designated Degree Program list. If your degree qualifies, you're eligible for a 24-month STEM OPT extension on top of your initial 12-month OPT period, giving you up to three years of work authorization. Confirm your specific CIP code with your Designated School Official before relying on this.
How common is H-1B sponsorship for health actuaries?
Sponsorship is relatively common in this field compared to many other industries. Large health insurers, managed care organizations, and actuarial consulting firms regularly sponsor H-1B visas because qualified actuaries are in short supply and hard to replace. DOL LCA disclosure data consistently shows actuarial job titles among sponsored occupations at major insurers. Passing actuarial exams and demonstrating specialized health data skills makes you a stronger candidate for sponsorship consideration.
Can I work as a health actuary on OPT before passing my actuarial exams?
Yes. Most entry-level and associate-level actuarial roles expect candidates to be in the process of taking exams, not finished. Employers typically hire OPT students into actuarial analyst roles with the expectation that exam progression happens on the job. Having one or two SOA or CAS exams passed before graduating strengthens your application, but it's not a universal requirement for your first position.
Where can I find health actuary jobs that are open to OPT candidates?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for international students on OPT and surfaces roles from employers with documented sponsorship activity. Searching broadly across general job platforms often means filtering through hundreds of postings from employers with no visa sponsorship experience. Focusing your search on Migrate Mate lets you target health actuary openings at companies already familiar with OPT authorization requirements and H-1B transition timelines.
What happens to my OPT status if I switch from a health actuary role to a different actuarial specialty?
Your OPT authorization is tied to your degree field, not your specific job title. Moving between actuarial specialties, such as from health to property and casualty or life insurance, is generally fine as long as the new role still relates to your degree in actuarial science, mathematics, or statistics. For STEM OPT specifically, the job must be directly related to your STEM degree. Confirm any role change with your DSO before accepting a new position to avoid jeopardizing your authorization.