Head of R and D Platform Engineering

Reference No. R2794577

Position Title: Head of R and D Platform Engineering

Department: R&D Data Products and Platforms

Location: Toronto, Ontario

About the Job

Our Hubs are a crucial part of how we innovate, improving performance across every Sanofi department and providing a springboard for the amazing work we do. Build a career and you can be part of transforming our business while helping to change millions of lives. 

  

At Sanofi, we’re committed to providing the next-gen healthcare that patients and customers need. It’s about harnessing data insights and leveraging AI responsibly to search deeper and solve sooner than ever before. Join our R&D Data & AI Products and Platforms Team as Head of R&D Platform Engineering and you can help make it happen. 

 

Sanofi has recently embarked into a vast and ambitious digital transformation program. A cornerstone of this roadmap is the acceleration of its data transformation and of the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) solutions, to accelerate R&D, manufacturing and commercial performance and bring better drugs and vaccines to patients faster, to improve health and save lives. 

  

The R&D Data & AI Products and Platforms Team is a key team within R&D Digital, focused on developing and delivering Data and AI products for R&D use cases. This team plays a critical role in pursuing broader democratization of data across R&D and providing the foundation to scale AI/ML, advanced analytics, and operational analytics capabilities. 

 

As the Head of R&D Platform Engineering, you will be a leader on a dynamic team committed to driving strategic and operational digital priorities and initiatives in R&D. You will work with data architects and engineers within an agile environment to drive and oversee the design, development, deployment and maintenance of scalable, efficient, and innovative platforms that enable teams to drive solutions and accelerate Data/AI Product development. This will include platforms that enable foundational scientific data management and compute processing capabilities at Sanofi are driven through Scientific Information processing Services (SIPS) and Scientific Workflow Engineering Lab (SWEL).  

  

Our vision for digital, data analytics and AI  

Join us on our journey in enabling Sanofi’s Digital Transformation through becoming an AI first organization. This means:  

• AI Factory - Versatile Teams Operating in Cross Functional Pods: Utilizing digital and data resources to develop AI products, bringing data management, AI and product development skills to products, programs and projects to create an agile, fulfilling and meaningful work environment. 

• Leading Edge Tech Stack: Experience build products that will be deployed globally on a leading-edge tech stack. 

• World Class Mentorship and Training: Working with renown leaders and academics in machine learning to further develop your skillsets. 

  

We are an innovative global healthcare company with one purpose: to chase the miracles of science to improve people’s lives. We’re also a company where you can flourish and grow your career, with countless opportunities to explore, make connections with people, and stretch the limits of what you thought was possible. Ready to get started? 

  

 Main Responsibilities: 

Platform Development and Delivery: 

• Define and execute the vision and strategy for R&D platform engineering, aligning with broader R&D business objectives and data strategy needs 

• Act as liaison between technical teams and R&D business stakeholders to ensure alignment and prioritization of platform initiatives 

• Define, develop, and maintain product development roadmaps for the development of data platforms, including SIPS and SWEL 

• Lead teams of engineers and architects through the design, implementation, and optimization of SIPS and SWEL platforms to support scalable and secure R&D operations and accelerate the delivery of R&D data and AI products 

• Oversee the architecture, deployment, and maintenance of system integration and software lifecycle platforms 

• Lead and participate in technical, design, and product discussions related to the data platform; and communicate complex technical ideas to non-technical stakeholders 

Technical Data Management: 

• Oversee and directly manage team responsible for technical data management activities 

• Work with this team to manage data management needs from the business and provide platform level technical solutions where required 

Innovation & Team Management: 

• Collaborate with technical and non-technical teams to maximize the value of the data stack and ensure platforms meet analytical and modeling requirements 

• Ensure execution across the platform team is predictable, reliable, and sustainable, implementing best practices in engineering processes 

• Manage project timelines and priorities to ensure timely delivery of platform engineering outputs 

  

About You 

Key Functional Requirements & Qualifications: 

• Master’s in computer science, engineering, or a related field; 8-10 years of experience in platform engineering, DevOps, or software development and 6+ years in management and leadership roles 

• Proven track record leading successful platform projects across design, development, scaling, and maintenance 

• Understanding of R&D business and data environment strongly preferred 

• Strong communication between technical and non-technical stakeholders and collaborators 

• Demonstrated team leadership, mentorship, and management skill  

Key Technical Requirements & Qualifications: 

• Expertise building large-scale data platforms with supporting data lakes 

• Experience with data security, compliance, and regulatory requirements 

• Proficiency with data analytics and statistical software (incl. SQL, Python, Java, Excel, AWS, Snowflake, Informatica) 

• Expert experience with engineering tools and in programming languages such as Python, R, Java 

• Proven expertise in system integration, data streaming, data platform services, and software engineering lifecycle management 

• Deep understanding and proven track record managing large-scale platform deployments in a complex R&D environment 

 

Why Choose Us? 

• Bring the miracles of science to life alongside a supportive, future-focused team.

• Discover endless opportunities to grow your talent and drive your career, whether it’s through a promotion or lateral move, at home or internationally.

• Enjoy a thoughtful, well-crafted rewards package that recognizes your contribution and amplifies your impact.

• Take good care of yourself and your family, with a wide range of health and wellbeing benefits including high-quality healthcare, prevention and wellness programs

This position is for a new vacant role that is now open for applications.

Sanofi is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. Our goal is to attract, develop and retain highly talented employees from diverse backgrounds, allowing us to benefit from a wide variety of experiences and perspectives. We welcome and encourage applications from all qualified applicants. Accommodations for persons with disabilities required during the recruitment process are available upon request.

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Pursue progress, discover extraordinary

Better is out there. Better medications, better outcomes, better science. But progress doesn’t happen without people – people from different backgrounds, in different locations, doing different roles, all united by one thing: a desire to make miracles happen. So, let’s be those people.

At Sanofi, we provide equal opportunities to all regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, ability or gender identity.

Watch our ALL IN video and check out our Diversity Equity and Inclusion actions at sanofi.com!

North America Applicants Only

The salary range for this position is:

$165,800.00 - $239,466.66

All compensation will be determined commensurate with demonstrated experience. Employees may be eligible to participate in Company employee benefit programs. Additional benefits information can be found through the LINK.

La fourchette salariale pour ce poste est la suivante:

$165,800.00 - $239,466.66

Toute compensation sera déterminée en fonction de l'expérience démontrée. Les employés peuvent être admissibles à participer aux programmes d'avantages sociau de l'enterprise. Des informations supplémentaires sur les avantages sont disponibles via le lien.