CDI - Manager R&I AI & Algorithm - (H/F)

About The Job

Danone France is striving to be the best company for the world. All 26 of our brands in France are B Corp™ certified, guiding our CSR strategy and allowing us to continually improve and measure our social and environmental performance.

Danone’s research and innovation (R&I) centre is located in Gif-sur-Yvette on the Saclay plateau, inaugurated in 2023 as a global centre of excellence dedicated to food innovation research. It welcomes more than 500 experts from 40 nationalities working in life sciences, health and nutrition, consumer experience and product development. Equipped with laboratories and pilot facilities, it supports innovation and development while fostering collaboration with food technology start‑ups and stakeholders.

About Danone’s DDAI Transformation in Research & Innovation

• Our R&I division is at the heart of bringing health through food to as many people as possible. We have launched DDAI (Data, Digital & AI) to revolutionise our R&I landscape.
• The DDAI strategy delivers value across six flagships, including Gut Health & Microbiome, In Silico Modeling, Consumer Insights and Digitisation & Efficiency.
• The DDAI Lab accelerates our top 20 priority projects – a dynamic portfolio of 14 high‑impact use cases and six foundational projects.

Position Overview

Reporting to the Director of DDAI Tech & AI, the R&I AI & Algorithm Manager is the scientific and technical leader for all artificial intelligence initiatives at Danone. The role leads the Algorithm & AI approach, ensures methodological rigor, directs the design and development of advanced AI and optimisation algorithms, and establishes AI governance and best practices.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and execute the Algorithm & AI approach aligned with the R&I Strategy, including Generative AI.
• Drive innovation through technological watch and collaboration with internal teams, universities and external labs.
• Lead the end‑to‑end AI product lifecycle, from design and optimisation to scaling robust solutions, implementing MLOps best practices.
• Lead, mentor and manage the Data Scientist & Data Analyst team as their technical leader.
• Animate the R&I Science & Data community to share expertise and best practices across all DDAI use cases.
• Establish AI and GenAI governance guidelines to mitigate risks, aligning with the central DDAI governance framework.

Employer Commitments

• Competitive compensation package based on external benchmark and internal equity, including base salary, annual bonus and gain sharing.
• Work flexibility, including weekly homeworking options.
• Skill development through the Danone Academy France and continuous managerial conversations.
• Up to three days a year of volunteering via the Vendredi platform.
• Parenting benefits, including extended parental leave and the possibility to convert earnings into time off.
• Comprehensive benefits: complementary pension scheme, health care plan, CSE, 100% of the Navigo pass covered.

About You

• Master’s/Ph.D. in Data Science, Computer Science or related field, with 7+ years in data science and 5+ years in leadership.
• Expertise in statistical modelling, machine learning, deep learning and Generative AI.
• Proven track record of delivering high‑stake AI and GenAI industrialised products (e.g., NLP projects, RAG).
• Proficiency in cloud platforms, data‑engineering tools, AI, and MLOps frameworks.
• Experience integrating AI solutions into cloud infrastructure and with Microsoft Copilot.
• Strong understanding of software engineering principles: CI/CD, clean code, code packaging for industrialisation.
• Excellent leadership, communication and organisational skills.
• Background in biology and food sciences (desirable).

Inclusion Statement

We are proud to promote diversity and equal opportunity within our teams. All nominations will be considered regardless of origin, background, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability and more. We will therefore consider all applications by fostering an inclusive work culture where everyone can feel at home.

About Us

Our four core values – HOPE: Humanism, Openness, Closeness and Enthusiasm – serve as our compass. At Danone, you will make decisions that impact our economic and societal performance and the ability to reach our ambitions. We encourage you to define how you work, develop and progress, and work in an authentic, nurturing, and challenging environment.