R&D Data Science Group Leader M/F

Verkor is a French industrial company founded in 2020 that specializes in the production of low-carbon lithium-ion battery cells for electric mobility and energy storage applications. The company is headquartered in Grenoble and has developed its first Gigafactory in Bourbourg, near Dunkirk, which was officially inaugurated in December 2025 under the patronage of French President Emmanuel Macron. With an initial production capacity of 16 GWh per year, the facility represents a major step toward large-scale industrial battery manufacturing in Europe. Verkor's core mission is to produce low-carbon batteries in Europe while contributing to industrial sovereignty and decarbonization. The company positions itself as a key player in the European energy transition, addressing the dual challenge of reducing dependence on non-European battery supply chains and accelerating the shift to electric mobility. Its Gigafactory is expected to create 1,200 direct jobs and approximately 3,000 indirect jobs in the region. What sets Verkor apart is its 'digital by design' industrial model, which integrates digital technologies throughout its manufacturing processes to optimize ramp-up speed and production efficiency. The company has progressed rapidly through commissioning and line balancing phases, moving toward full-scale serial production. Backed by prominent industrial and financial partners, Verkor is establishing itself as a fully-fledged European battery manufacturer in a strategically critical sector.

About this role :

The group leader oversees:

This role focuses on innovation, feasibility, and validation, not long-term production ownership.

Main responsibilities :

Leadership & Team Management

Lead, mentor, and grow a team of data scientists, data analysts, and R&D/prototyping engineers

Set technical direction, priorities and ways of working

Foster collaboration between analytical and engineering profiles ·

Foster collaboration with CAE team by giving them inputs to build reduced order models for process

Ensure high standards of quality, rigor and documentation

Strategy & Prioritization

Define and manage the R&D and analytics roadmap aligned with business objectives

Prioritize initiatives based on, business value, technical feasibility and time to impact

Balance exploratory research with delivery of concrete outcomes

Data Science & Analytics Oversight

Data Exploration and Analysis

Predictive & statistical modelling

Ensure insights and models are actionable and decision-oriented.

R&D Software Prototyping Oversight

Oversee development of working prototypes that demonstrate feasibility and validate technical approaches

Ensures prototypes are reproducible, well documented, and sharable with digital/IT teams

Cross-Functional collaboration

Act as a key interlocutor with business stakeholders, the product and process R&D team, and the digital/IT teams.

Ensure smooth handover of validated concepts to production teams

Requirements :

Masters or PhD in Data Science/Applied mathematics/Statistics

Minimum of 8 years of experience

Prior experience in leading multidisciplinary technical teams

Strong understanding of statistical and machine learning models

Large-scale data analytics

Familiarity with modern analytics and prototyping stacks

Ability to assess technical feasibility and risks

Ability to align diverse profiles towards shared goals

Strong ability to translate complex findings into business insights

Comfortable communicating with senior stakeholders

Strategic mindset with a focus on impact