Predictive Research Senior Manager (Data Scientist) H/F/X

Job Description:

Segment: Royal Canin

Contract : Permanent (CDI)

Location : Aimargues (proche de Montepellier)

At Royal Canin R&D, the Research Team is responsible for the long-term innovation (4+ years). It consists of science and technology experts that delivers solutions into new or improved products, processes and services that enhance the health and wellbeing of every cat and dog and bring competitive advantage to RC. The team values a broad expertise and the diversity of scientific backgrounds.

The Predictive Research Senior Manager - Data Scientist leads the Predictive Research team (biostatistician, data manager, and data scientist). This team is responsible for organizing, standardizing, analyzing and modeling biological, industrial trial and clinical trial data to answer scientific questions and accelerate research & development. Outcomes of this team include the development and execution of advanced statistical models for research studies, the development of predictive models regarding diet production or animal biological responses to diet, and the unveiling of animal physiological mechanisms using a large array of datasets.

The Senior Manager acts as a working technical leader, providing both strategic direction and hands-on technical guidance in advanced biostatistics and machine learning, while establishing robust partnerships with Mars community of experts and data & analytics teams, as well as external commercial and scientific partners.

What are we looking for?

- Education & Professional Qualifications

• Essential “dual” profile: A strong academic foundation in the Biological, Veterinary, or Life Sciences (e.g., DVM, PhD in Biology, Microbiology, Animal Science, or Biochemistry) combined with a formal degree, specialization, or extensive corporate track record in Data Science, Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, or Computer Science.

- Knowledge / Experience

• Minimum Experience: 5+ years of R&D experience in a corporate setting (Biopharma, Life Sciences, Food science or agro business) or research in academic setting.

• Leadership Track Record: Experience in managing multidisciplinary technical teams (statisticians, data scientists, software engineers) across diverse geographic locations is a plus.

• Technical Expertise: Deep knowledge of predictive modeling methodologies, and clinical data structures. Experience with cloud databases and high-performance computing networks. Experience in multi-omics integration pipelines is a plus.

What would be your key responsibilities?

- Strategic predictive research portfolio management

• Multi-year science strategy: Architect and execute the short and long-term roadmap for predictive science across several R&D functions (Research, Design, Deploy, Facilities…), ensuring tight alignment with the Royal Canin R&D OGSM and strategic priorities. Support the Research Director as a contributor of the Research Leadership Team to influence the business and key stakeholders in establishing a best-in-class and highly relevant data modeling platform as an enabler for Royal Canin innovation.
• Portfolio prioritization: Direct and prioritize the team's project portfolio. Build and manage an annual budget according to strategic needs. Balance internal support of research initiatives with external support.
• Project management: for complex R&D projects, serves as technical expert and contribute to data modeling execution.
• IP & value capture: Proactively identify opportunities for intellectual property (IP) protection arising from the team's modeling and mechanistic discoveries. Support Royal Canin’s R&D peer-reviewed scientific publication pipeline with strategic oversight of data publication or protection.

- People leadership & technical guidance

• Line management: Recruit, mentor, and develop a diverse, high-performing team of data scientists, biostatisticians, and data managers (3-4 direct reports) in accordance with Mars Great Line Management principles and expectations.
• Technical authority: Provide expert hands-on coaching and technical oversight on machine learning architectures, statistical modeling protocols, and data engineering standards. Guide and ensure the development of team members in those respective fields as needed.
• Computing infrastructure: In collaboration with the Digital Technology and Mars IT teams, inform and advise the modernization of the team’s computing infrastructure and data platforms (including for cloud analytics), securing budget and compliance.

- Royal Canin cross-functional & ecosystem Integration

• Translational Science Partnerships: Connect the Predictive Research team’s deliverables to other R&D teams and experts (Palatability, Food Processing, Healthy & Sick Pet Nutrition research, Formulation, Applied Algorithm, Solution Validation and Clinical Trial teams, Toxicology…) to construct unified data models linking diet design, ingredients, processing and pet health measures.
• Mars Petcare Synergy: Foster collaborative projects within the broader Mars ecosystem (Waltham Petcare Science Institute, Pet Nutrition, Science & Diagnostics Division, and Mars Veterinary Health networks) to leverage joint biobanks and large-scale data repositories.
• Data Strategy & Digital Technologies: Connect and align with Data & Analytics and Digital Technology teams across Royal Canin and Mars to leverage the existing infrastructure and platforms or align & ensure compliance of Royal Canin’s R&D proper data systems when needed.

- External Collaborations & Contracting

• Sourcing: Lead the technical evaluation, vendor selection, and contracting processes when needed. Advise on strategic internalization of key competencies and capabilities versus contracting.
• Governance & Compliance: Ensure data operations related to internal and external studies comply with Mars data standards and quality frameworks.

 

Context & Scope

- Operational Dynamics:

This role informs and executes the strategy for the management and modeling of a vast set of R&D data (industrial data, nutritional data, biological data) to translate them into tangible competitive advantage by accelerating R&D cycles (ingredient/product/animal performance) or unveil new insights on dog or cat health that inform new nutritional solutions. This requires organizational agility across various R&D functions and Mars Divisions to avoid duplications or misalignment, and requires technology savviness given the rapid evolution of computational sciences in the field of data.

 

- Key Stakeholders:

• Internal: R&D Leadership, Product Design & Formulation, Quality & Food Safety, Regulatory Affairs, IP Legal, IT Infrastructure, and Commercial teams.
• External: Contract Research Organizations (CROs), specialized biotech vendors (sequencing, metabolomics), international academic research labs, and Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) in veterinary science and data analytics.

What can you expect from Mars?

• You will work in a multicultural environment (more than 40 nationalities) and where your dog will be welcomed by more than 100 other Associates’ dogs at the office! 
• You will work in a unique campus, which gathers more than 800 Associates working for: the international HQ, the French subsidiary, two laboratories, a kennel and a cattery with more than 200 cats & dogs, and finally the most important factory of the Royal Canin group 
• A unique and ideal work environment to become the leader in health through nutrition for cats and dogs!
• You will evolve in the heart of an innovative production plant that will challenge you, on a daily basis

Royal Canin's CSR commitments, to build a better world for tomorrow:

• Since 2015, no waste to landfill is made by the 16 Royal Canin factories in the world
• All Royal Canin products manufactured in Europe are ISO 14001 certified from design to factory gate
• Since 2017, Royal Canin has supported the K-DOG program of the Curie Institute, which trains dogs to detect breast cancer via olfaction.