Senior Director-Data Science

At Elanco (NYSE: ELAN) – it all starts with animals!

As a global leader in animal health, we are dedicated to innovation and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets. At Elanco, we are driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life and our purpose – all to Go Beyond for Animals, Customers, Society and Our People.

At Elanco, we pride ourselves on fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We believe that diversity is the driving force behind innovation, creativity, and overall business success. Here, you’ll be part of a company that values and champions new ways of thinking, work with dynamic individuals, and acquire new skills and experiences that will propel your career to new heights.

Making animals’ lives better makes life better – join our team today!

Why Elanco?

Purpose-Driven Work: Your work directly contributes to the health and well-being of pets and livestock globally.

Innovation at Scale: Be part of a digital transformation where your ideas can change the trajectory of a global company.

Inclusive Culture: We value diversity of thought and are committed to an environment where everyone can "Involve Purposefully."

Job Description: Senior Director, Data Science

The Senior Director, Data Science is a pivotal leadership role responsible for defining and driving Elanco’s global data science strategy. You will lead a high-performing team of data scientists and will collaborate with architects and engineers in Elanco's IT department to deliver long-term business value across our value chain—from R&D and manufacturing to commercial operations.

The focus will be enhancing decision-making though data, optimizing processes, and create competitive advantages. You will be a champion for a data-driven culture, ensuring that data science is not just a technical function but a core driver of Elanco’s business outcomes.

Your Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Define the Vision: Develop and execute a multi-year data science roadmap that aligns with the Elanco 2030 strategic plan.
• Drive Value: Identify and prioritize high-impact use cases where AI and machine learning can deliver measurable ROI and long-term value.
• AI & Automation Advocacy: Lead the adoption of Generative AI, predictive modeling, and intelligent automation across the enterprise.

Team Management & Development

• Build & Lead: Recruit, mentor, and retain a world-class team of data scientists, fostering a culture of bold innovation and purposeful involvement.
• Empowerment: Provide professional development opportunities, build leadership capabilities and ensure the team stays at the cutting edge of industry trends.
• Operational Excellence
• Scalable Solutions: Drive the development and deployment of production-grade AI models and automated workflows, in partnership with IT Data Product Teams, Engineers and Architects
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with IT, R&D, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Commercial, and Finance to integrate data science solutions into core business processes.
• Governance: Ensure all data science activities comply with the Elanco AI Policy, ethics, and data privacy standards.

Innovation & Influence

• External Engagement: Stay connected with the broader tech and animal health ecosystem to bring outside-in innovation to Elanco.
• Executive Communication: Translate complex technical concepts into compelling business narratives for senior leadership and stakeholders.

What You Need to Succeed (Minimum Qualifications):

• Education: Master’s or equivalent in business or data management
• Required Experience: Minimum of 10-12 years of experience in data science or advanced analytics, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
• DAMA Graduate Certificate, Data Science & Business Intelligence, Rockhurst University
• Certified Chief Data Officer Professional (CCDOP), MIT CDOIQ, 2025
• Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP), 2026
• Proven track record of delivering large-scale data and AI/ML projects that resulted in significant business impact.

What Will Give You the Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications):

• Experience in the Life Sciences or Pharmaceutical industry.
• Strong understanding of Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs).
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills.
•  A "Founder’s Mentality"—the ability to own outcomes and drive results in a fast-paced environment.
• Graduate work or additional certifications in Data Science and/or certifications in line with DAMA/DMBOK
• Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP), 2026

Additional Information:

• Location: Indianapolis, US (Global Headquarters) / Hybrid 
• Reports to: Executive Director, Data & Analytics
• Travel: Up to 10%

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown underrecognized groups are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Elanco we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive work environment. If you think you might be a good fit for a role but don't necessarily meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply. You may be the right candidate for this role or other roles!

Elanco Benefits and Perks:

We offer a comprehensive benefits package focusing on financial, physical, and mental well-being while encouraging our employees to pursue our purpose! Some highlights include:

• Multiple relocation packages
• Two weeklong shutdowns (mid-summer and year-end) in the US (in addition to PTO)
• 8-week parental leave
• 9 Employee Resource Groups
• Annual bonus offering
• Flexible work arrangements
• Up to 6% 401K matching

Elanco is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status

Elanco may use automated tools, including AI, to support parts of our recruitment process, such as reviewing applications against job‑related criteria and/or transferrable skills. These tools help ensure a consistent, structured evaluation, but they do not make hiring decisions. All decisions involve a human reviewer. For more information on how we handle personal data, please see our Elanco Workforce Privacy Notice.