Head of Applied AI & Data Science

Ipsen; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with company contributions

Group medical, dental and vision coverage

Parental leave

Flexible spending accounts

Paid time off

Job summary

A leading pharmaceutical company in Cambridge is seeking a Head of Data Science & AI Engineering to lead the technical strategy for advanced analytics and AI initiatives. This role involves developing internal products and evaluating third-party AI solutions, as well as mentoring a team and fostering collaboration across business domains. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in data science and leadership, with an advanced degree and over 10 years of relevant experience. A competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package are offered.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree (Master's or Ph.D.) in Computer Science, Data Science, or related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in data science, AI, or related fields, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Proven track record of leading and managing data science and AI teams.

Responsibilities

• Design and govern the technical strategy for enterprise advanced analytics and AI.
• Foster partnerships with business domains to deliver data/AI solutions.
• Lead the Data Science & AI Center of Excellence.

Skills

Leadership

Data Science

AI Engineering

Machine Learning

Strong Communication

Collaboration

Education

Advanced degree in Computer Science, Data Science, or related field

Tools

Scikit-learn

PyTorch

Python

SQL

Job description

Summary

The Head of Data Science & AI Engineering is a pivotal role within the Global Data & AI Department. This position acts as a leader and strategist, responsible for developing and governing the technical strategy and the capabilities for enterprise advanced analytics and AI that enable Ipsen's Business Data & AI Strategy. The Head of Data Science & AI Engineering fosters deep partnerships with business domains, provides technical leadership for data/AI initiatives, and oversees the entire lifecycle of data and AI products, including the development of internal products and the adoption of third‑party off‑the‑shelf AI solutions. Additionally, this position champions the Data Science & AI Center of Excellence, mentors a team of data scientists, data engineers, and AI engineers, and drives the adoption of new tools and technologies to enhance the team's capabilities. Effective communication with business leaders and stakeholders, as well as ensuring compliance with internal policies and relevant regulations, are also key responsibilities of this role.

The Global Digital IT (GDIT) division

The Global Digital IT (GDIT) division is dedicated to being the business partner of choice for digital, data, and technologies, delivering outstanding value at speed and scale for patients and Ipsen. In this transformative context, GDIT plays a crucial role in driving innovation and efficiency across the organization. The Global Data & AI Division within GDIT was established to enhance Ipsen's Data and AI capabilities and serve as a key business enabler. It is a central hub for Data, Analytics, and AI that unites diverse expertise to foster collaboration and deliver value throughout the data lifecycle. The division is structured around six core functions – Data & AI Strategy, Product & Delivery Management, Data Science & AI Engineering, Data Integration & Analytics, Data Governance & Data Management, Platform Engineering – to ensure the comprehensive delivery of data and AI initiatives while maintaining strong, scalable data governance and foundations.

Main Responsibilities

• Design, implement and govern the technical strategy for enterprise advanced analytics and AI, ensuring robust and scalable capabilities, standards, methodologies, and best practices that enable Ipsen's Business Data & AI Strategy. Ensure this technical strategy adheres to Ipsen's internal policies and external regulatory requirements.
• Be a key contributor of the overall enterprise AI strategy, in collaboration with GDIT and with the business.
• Foster deep partnerships with business domains to understand their needs, explore new opportunities, and deliver data/AI solutions that drive business value.
• Provide technical leadership for advanced analytics and AI initiatives. Oversee the entire development lifecycle of data and AI products, from feasibility to MVP development, scaling, and maintenance, either through direct involvement or by providing supervision and guidance.
• Ensure adherence to best practices in AI and data science, maintaining high‑quality delivery, reliability, and performance throughout all stages of the product lifecycle.
• Oversee and ensure the integration of data & AI models into existing systems and seamless deployment and monitoring of AI models in production environments.
• Conduct comprehensive assessments and evaluations of third‑party AI solutions, considering technical performance, regulatory compliance, security standards, and alignment with Ipsen's strategic objectives. Ensure that selected solutions meet the highest standards of quality, reliability, and ethical practices. Support the adoption across Ipsen of the third‑party AI solutions, such as enterprise productivity solutions, to enhance operational efficiency and innovation.
• Develop and implement metrics to monitor the performance and impact of AI and data science initiatives. Regularly report on the progress and outcomes of projects to senior leadership and stakeholders.
• Lead the Data Science & AI Center of Excellence, acculturating the Global Digital, IT teams, and the Business Functions, while fostering and animating the Data Science & AI engineering community across Ipsen.
• Effectively communicate the outcomes of initiatives and complex AI concepts to Ipsen business leaders, as well as other internal and external audiences, in a clear, engaging, and actionable manner. Ensure that these communications drive understanding, foster collaboration, and highlight the strategic value of AI.
• Lead and mentor a team of data scientists, data engineers and AI engineers, fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.
• Drive the adoption of new tools and technologies to enhance the team's capabilities.
• Promote a culture of innovation by encouraging the exploration of new technologies and methodologies. Stay updated with the latest advancements in AI and data science technologies and methodologies. Lead research initiatives to explore cutting‑edge AI and data science techniques and their potential applications.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams (business partners, data delivery leads, data managers, platform engineers, etc.) to drive successful implementation of the data & AI products.
• Ensure efficient allocation of the data & AI resources involved in the initiatives.
• Manage the relationship with vendors and oversee procurement activities to support the strategic goals of the Data Science & AI activities.
• Ensure compliance with relevant regulations (e.g., AI Act) and standards, maintaining the integrity and ethical standards of AI and data science initiatives, in collaboration with the Legal, Data Privacy, Quality & Security teams.

Knowledge, Abilities & Experience

• Advanced degree (Master's or Ph.D.) in Computer Science, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in data science, AI, or related fields, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Proven track record of leading and managing data science and AI teams, ideally in the pharmaceutical or healthcare industry.
• Extensive experience in developing and implementing AI and advanced analytics solutions, including internal product development and third‑party AI solutions.
• Strong background in regulatory compliance, data privacy, and security standards relevant to the pharmaceutical industry.
• Strong leadership, drive, and strategic thinking.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal and facilitation skills to drive alignment and engagement with partners and stakeholders.
• Ability to work in a matrix organization.
• Capability to foster a culture of innovation.
• Ability to develop and coach talents.
• Ensure accountability for high‑quality delivery.
• A business‑centric and value‑driven approach.
• An agile mindset with the ability to adapt to changing environments.
• A team player with a growth mindset.
• Open‑minded and comfortable with change.

Key Technical Competencies Required

• Expert in Data Science, Data Engineering and AI, including Machine Learning, Deep Learning, NLP, Generative AI, Agentic AI and LLM (Claude, LLaMa, GPT, etc.).
• Expert in ML/DL development and deployment frameworks (Scikit‑learn, PyTorch, MLflow).
• Experienced in Data Analysis (Pandas), Data Transformation (DBT) and Data Management.
• Experienced in Cloud Data & AI Services from Azure and AWS (S3, Glue, OpenSearch, Bedrock, Azure OpenAI, etc.) and Cloud Data Platforms (Databricks).
• Experienced in data programming languages (Python, R, SQL).
• Experienced in Agile methodology and software development lifecycle.
• Skilled with collaboration tools, such as JIRA and Confluence.
• Capable in technical architecture and solution design.
• Capable in change management.
• Capable in UX/UI design.

The annual base salary range for this position is $180,000 - $260,000. This job is eligible to participate in a short‑term incentives program. At Ipsen we are proud to offer a comprehensive employee benefits package, including 401(k) with company contributions, group medical, dental and vision coverage, life and disability insurance, short‑ and long‑term disability insurance, as well as flexible spending accounts. Ipsen also provides parental leave, paid time off, a discretionary winter shutdown, well‑being allowance, commuter benefits, and much more.