JMIR Publications Job Board
Manager of Data & AI
Description
Job Title: Manager of Data & AI
Job Type: Permanent, full time
Salary range: CAD $135,000 - $155,000
Reports to: VP, Product and Engineering
About JMIR Publications
JMIR Publications is a rapidly growing open access publisher of peer-reviewed STEM journals, with an emphasis on medicine, health, and technology titles. The ambitious vision of JMIR Publications is to lead the transformation to open science and to contribute to a world where people are empowered by health research and technology to make effective and informed decisions.
Come help us make a real difference in open science!
The Opportunity
As Manager of Data & AI, reporting to the VP Product and Engineering you will be a key leader driving the execution of our company’s data initiatives. In this role, you won’t just oversee data—you will lead the charge in integrating Generative AI, Machine Learning (ML), and automated workflows into the fabric of our business.
As a “player-coach,” you will balance high-level strategic roadmap planning with hands-on technical contributions. You will ensure our AI implementations are scalable, secure, and impactful, and mentor a multidisciplinary team to shift from descriptive analytics toward predictive and prescriptive capabilities.
Key Responsibilities
Execution & Delivery
- Own the day-to-day operations and delivery of the data team.
- Translate the broader corporate data strategy into a manageable, prioritized roadmap with clear milestones and accountability.
Team Leadership & Mentorship
- Manage, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of data analysts, engineers, and scientists.
- Foster a culture of technical excellence, psychological safety, collaboration, and continuous learning.
- Support career development through regular coaching, feedback, and growth opportunities.
Hands-On Architecture & MLOps
- Act as a technical leader across the end-to-end lifecycle of AI/ML models—from prototyping and experimentation to production deployment and ongoing monitoring.
- Remain hands-on with the codebase and architecture to guide the team through complex technical blockers.
- Champion engineering best practices: code reviews, documentation, testing, and reproducibility.
Generative AI Integration
- Drive the pragmatic integration of Generative AI and LLMs into existing workflows to solve tangible business problems and improve operational efficiency.
- Identify high-value use cases (e.g., intelligent document processing, content recommendations, internal knowledge retrieval) and shepherd them from proof-of-concept to production.
Data Governance & Security
- Enforce data governance frameworks to ensure data quality, integrity, security, and privacy compliance (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) in daily operations.
- Partner with Legal, Compliance, and Security teams to embed responsible AI practices across all initiatives.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner closely with stakeholders in Product, Engineering, Marketing, Finance, and Operations to understand their needs, scope data projects, and deliver actionable insights.
- Translate complex technical constraints and trade-offs into clear ROI narratives for non-technical leadership.
Qualifications & Experience
Required
- 7+ years of progressive experience in data science, data engineering, or advanced analytics.
- 3+ years in a team lead or people management role, with demonstrated ability to develop technical talent.
- Deep, hands-on experience with modern data architectures and cloud-based data warehouses (e.g., Snowflake, BigQuery, or Redshift).
- Proven experience deploying machine learning models into production and managing their lifecycle (MLOps).
- Hands-on experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure) and their associated data and ML services.
- Advanced proficiency in Python and SQL, along with standard data science libraries (e.g., Pandas, Scikit-learn, PyTorch or TensorFlow).
Preferred
- Degree in a quantitative field such as Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Engineering, or a related discipline.
- Familiarity with the latest advancements in Generative AI and experience integrating LLMs into production workflows.
- Experience within the scientific publishing industry or adjacent knowledge-intensive sectors.
Core Competencies
- Communication: Ability to adapt communication style across audiences - translating complex technical concepts, model limitations, and data trade-offs into clear business language for executives and non-technical stakeholders, while maintaining credibility and depth in technical conversations with engineers and data scientists.
- Technical Leadership: Ability to set architectural direction, make pragmatic trade-offs, and remain credible as a hands-on contributor.
- Mentorship & Talent Development: Track record of growing junior and mid-level talent into more senior contributors.
- Strategic Thinking: Capacity to connect day-to-day data work to broader business objectives and long-term roadmap planning.
- Stakeholder Management: Skilled at aligning cross-functional partners around priorities, timelines, and trade-offs.
- Data Storytelling: Ability to translate complex analyses and model outputs into compelling narratives for executive audiences.
- Adaptability: Comfortable operating with ambiguity and guiding a team through evolving priorities and technologies.
- Project Management: Experienced managing parallel workstreams, dependencies, and competing deadlines across a team.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary and benefits including fully paid monthly premiums for Canadian Extended Health Care and Dental Coverage, Wellness Days and Life insurance.
- A beautiful office space near the harbourfront, with free snacks and beverages, and organized social events as a company such as BBQs.
- Flexible remote work environment.
- Work with a leading publisher in the field of digital health and open access research.
- A dynamic and innovative work environment.
Application Process:
Interested candidates should submit the following documents:
1. A current CV and/or resume
2. A cover letter describing why you are a match for this position.
Shortlisted applicants will be contacted regarding the subsequent steps in our recruitment process. This process includes a phone interview with HR, and two video interviews with the hiring team.
We wish to thank all those who apply, however, only those individuals whose skills and experience most closely match our requirements will be contacted by a member of our team. All interviews will be held via video conference.
JMIR Publications is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to a diverse workforce and maintaining a learning and working environment that is welcoming to all. We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process
Application Privacy Commitment;
By submitting your application to JMIR Publications, you acknowledge and agree to the following:
The personal information and resume you provide will be collected and used solely for the purposes of assessing your candidacy for the position applied for, as well as for any other suitable roles within JMIR Publications that may arise. We are committed to safeguarding your personal information in accordance with applicable privacy laws and company policies.
Your information will be handled with strict confidentiality and will only be shared with those directly involved in the recruitment and hiring process. JMIR Publications will not disclose, share, or sell your personal data to any third parties without your explicit consent.
If your application is not successful, JMIR Publications may retain your information for up to 3 years for future opportunities, unless you request its removal.
By applying, you consent to this collection, use, and retention of your personal data as outlined above.
Compensation
$135,000.00 - $155,000.00 per year