Data Science Manager, R&D Ops — ML & Impact

Natera; San Carlos (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 188,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual incentive bonus

Long-term equity awards

401(k) with company match

Generous paid time off

Fertility care benefits

Free testing for employees and depend,

Job summary

Natera is seeking a Data Science Manager in R&D Operations to lead a team of data scientists, shaping the data science roadmap, and delivering scalable data solutions. You’ll own governance, mentor staff, and collaborate with data engineering to enable data-driven decisions across R&D.

You’ll apply ML/AI to forecast demand, optimize resources, and automate processes while ensuring reproducibility and strong stakeholder engagement. Strong leadership and domain knowledge are essential.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of data science experience in biotech, life sciences, or operations research.
• Demonstrated people-management experience with coaching on performance and career growth.
• Experience owning a data science roadmap and communicating progress to executives.
• Domain knowledge in biology or life sciences strongly preferred to partner effectively with R&D Operations.
• Experience working with laboratory or operational data (e.g., LIMS, inventory, procurement, or equipment operations).
• Track record of driving process improvement through algorithms, tools, or new solutions.
• Strong background in data processes, SOPs, and governance frameworks.
• Expertise in Python (pandas, scikit-learn, TensorFlow/PyTorch) and SQL.
• Hands-on ML/AI applied to real-world problems with production deployment & monitoring.
• Experience with Snowflake and dbt.
• Ability to write clear requirements and partner with Data Engineering.
• Clear communication and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Direct, mentor, and develop a team of data scientists, including hiring and performance management.
• Set the technical direction and advance ML/AI capabilities for the data science team.
• Own the DS roadmap for R&D Operations and report progress to stakeholders.
• Translate data analytics pain points into solutions and drive implementation for efficiency gains.
• Own sample governance end-to-end and manage stakeholder relationships.
• Develop ML models, optimization strategies, and AI solutions to forecast demand and optimize resources.
• Lead development of new data products and provide training to grow self-service capabilities.
• Design and implement data governance, integrity, and reproducibility practices across R&D Operations.
• Collaborate with Data Engineering and Analytics managers to translate business needs into governed data solutions.
• Write clear, testable requirements and define path from prototype to production with Data Eng.

Skills

Data science leadership

People management

ML/AI in practice

Python & SQL

Cloud data warehousing

Data governance

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Problem solving

Education

Advanced degree in biology or life sciences

Operations research

Tools

Python

SQL

Snowflake

dbt

LIMS

TensorFlow/PyTorch

Job description

Natera is seeking a Data Science Manager in R&D Operations to lead a team of data scientists, shaping the data science roadmap, and delivering scalable data solutions. You’ll own governance, mentor staff, and collaborate with data engineering to enable data-driven decisions across R&D.

You’ll apply ML/AI to forecast demand, optimize resources, and automate processes while ensuring reproducibility and strong stakeholder engagement. Strong leadership and domain knowledge are essential.