Associate Director, Data Science

Bristol Myers Squibb; Denham; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Bristol Myers Squibb is seeking an Associate Director of Data Science to lead the DSAA team, shaping analytics strategy across drug development. You will drive advanced analytics, AI/ML, and statistical methods while partnering with cross-functional stakeholders to align scientific objectives.

The role demands senior scientific leadership, robust programming in Python/R/SQL, and experience with modern cloud platforms.

Qualifications

• PhD in a quantitative field with 6+ years in industry/academia.
• Proven data science and statistical analysis on clinical data.
• Experience leading ML models on high-dimensional data.
• Strong Python/R/SQL skills and cloud experience.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction and methodological guidance across multiple drug development programs.
• Lead exploratory and confirmatory analyses across diverse data types from discovery to late-phase trials.
• Shape analytical strategy for trial design, endpoints, biomarkers, and evidence generation.
• Represent DSAA in cross-functional meetings, influencing development decisions with data-driven analysis.

Skills

Python

R

SQL

Cloud platforms

AI/ML

NLP

Survival analysis

Communication

Team leadership

Education

PhD in quantitative field

Master's degree in quantitative field

Tools

Databricks

AWS

Azure

Job description

At Bristol Myers Squibb, our employees often ask, “Who are you working for?”—a question that fuels collaboration, accountability, and urgency in our work. Our purpose-driven culture inspires us to discover, develop, and deliver innovative medicines to prevail over serious diseases. We offer uniquely interesting and meaningful work, opportunities for growth, and a supportive environment that values inclusion, wellbeing, flexibility, and comprehensive benefits. This is work that transforms the lives of patients, and the careers of those who do it.

Shape the Future of Drug Development

Are you a data science leader with the vision to transform complex, multi‑modal data into life‑changing scientific decisions? Bristol Myers Squibb is looking for an Associate Director of Data Science to join our cutting‑edge Drug Development Data Science & Advanced Analytics (DSAA) team.

This is a rare opportunity to operate at the intersection of advanced analytics, AI/ML innovation, and clinical science — driving both strategic direction and hands‑on execution across early‑to‑late phase drug development programs. As a senior scientific and technical leader, you will define analytical frameworks, champion methodological standards, and serve as a key partner to cross‑functional stakeholders across the organization.

What You’ll Do

Data Science Strategy & Scientific Leadership

• Serve as a senior scientific resource within DSAA, providing strategic direction and methodological guidance across multiple drug development programs
• Lead the design and execution of exploratory and confirmatory analyses across diverse and complex data types — from early discovery through late‑phase clinical development
• Shape analytical strategy for drug development programs, contributing to decisions around trial design, endpoint selection, biomarker strategy, and evidence generation
• Represent DSAA in cross‑functional program team meetings, providing authoritative scientific input and influencing development decisions through rigorous, data‑driven analysis

Advanced Analytics & Modelling

• Lead the development and application of novel computational methods for patient segmentation, biomarker discovery, and precision medicine from multimodal clinical and omics datasets
• Drive the integration, mining, and visualization of diverse, high‑dimensional datasets across therapeutic areas and development phases — including genomics, proteomics, imaging, and flow cytometry
• Apply and advance the use of AI/ML, deep learning, NLP, causal ML, and explainable AI across multiple data modalities and clinical development contexts
• Lead application of rigorous statistical approaches to clinical trial data, including survival analysis, longitudinal/mixed‑effects modelling, causal inference, and principled handling of missing data

Data Engineering & Reproducibility

• Define and champion standards for scalable, reproducible, and well‑documented analytical pipelines and codebases using Python, R, SQL, and cloud platforms
• Establish and enforce data quality frameworks to ensure fitness‑for‑purpose of diverse data sources across programs
• Drive adoption of scalable, automated analytical processes and best‑in‑class software engineering practices across the team

Leadership, Mentorship & Cross‑Functional Influence

• Manage and develop a small team of data scientists, building capabilities and fostering scientific rigor and innovation
• Mentor junior and mid‑level data scientists, elevating team‑wide methodological and engineering standards through code reviews, collaborative problem‑solving, and knowledge sharing
• Partner with lead and protocol statisticians in shaping statistical analysis plans (SAPs) for exploratory data science analyses
• Communicate complex analytical strategies and results with clarity and scientific authority to both technical and non‑technical audiences, including senior leadership

What We’re Looking For

Required Qualifications

• PhD in a relevant quantitative field (e.g., Computational Biology, Biostatistics, Statistics, Biomedical Engineering, or Computer Science) with 6+ years of academic/industry experience; or a Master’s Degree in a relevant quantitative field with 8+ years of industry experience
• Demonstrated mastery in data science and statistical analysis using clinical trial or electronic health records data, with a strong track record of delivering impactful results in a pharma R&D context
• Significant experience leading the development and application of statistical and machine learning models on high‑dimensional data for time‑to‑event, longitudinal, and multivariate outcomes
• Proven expertise in AI/ML and proficiency in Python, R, SQL, and cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, Databricks)
• Deep familiarity with clinical trial design, drug development processes, and the role of biomarkers and data science in regulatory and clinical decision‑making
• Demonstrated ability to define and drive analytical strategy across multiple concurrent programs, balancing scientific rigor with practical delivery
• Excellent communication, data presentation, and visualization skills with the ability to convey complex concepts to diverse audiences

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with genomics, proteomics, imaging, flow cytometry, or immunobiology datasets from clinical trials
• Experience with NLP, causal ML, explainable AI, and survival analysis/time‑to‑event modelling
• Knowledge of molecular biology and understanding of disease pathways
• Experience with real‑world data (RWD/RWE) sources, including EHR, claims, or registry data
• Familiarity with novel clinical trial designs (e.g., adaptive, platform, or biomarker‑enriched trials)
• Prior experience in a people management or formal scientific leadership role
• Experience with cloud‑based scalable compute and deployment patterns for large‑scale data processing and model training

We hire for skills and capabilities, not just credentials – if this role excites you, but doesn’t perfectly match your resume, we encourage you to apply anyway.

How We Work

Where you work matters – because collaboration, innovation and patient impact happen in many settings. Our roles are structured across four work models site-essential, site‑by‑design, field‑based and remote‑by‑design. The model assigned to this role is based on its core responsibilities. Learn more at https //careers.bms.com/ways-of-working.

Supporting People With Disabilities

BMS is dedicated to ensuring that people with disabilities can excel through a transparent recruitment process, reasonable workplace accommodations/adjustments and ongoing support in their roles. Applicants can request a reasonable workplace accommodation/adjustment prior to accepting a job offer. If you require reasonable accommodations/adjustments in completing this application, or in any part of the recruitment process, direct your inquiries to [e-mail]. Visit careers.bms.com/eeo-accessibility to access our complete Equal Employment Opportunity statement.

Bristol Myers Squibb is Disability Confident – Employer

A UK Government scheme

Candidate Rights

BMS will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, pursuant to applicable laws in your area.

For roles based in Los Angeles County only If you live in or expect to work from Los Angeles County if hired for this position, please visit this page for important additional information https //careers.bms.com/california-residents/

Data Protection

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Any data processed in connection with role applications will be treated in accordance with applicable data privacy policies and regulations.

If this posting is missing required information required by local law or incorrect, contact BMS at [e-mail] with the Job Title and Requisition number. Do not send application‑related inquiries to this email. To check your application status, please login to your Candidate Home Account.

R1600843 Associate Director, Data Science