Director of Data Science and Engineering

Director of Data Science and Engineering

Cooley is seeking a Director of Data Science and Engineering to join the Knowledge Management & Innovation team.

Position summary: As the leading technology law firm in the world, Cooley takes a comprehensive and modern approach to data. The Director of Data Science and Engineering is responsible for developing, leading and implementing the technology-aspects of Cooley’s data function, which is a part of an Innovation department that is responsible for collecting, developing, analyzing, presenting, and deploying data assets enterprise-wide.  Specific duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Position responsibilities:

Data science leadership and strategy:

• Help define the vision and roadmap for the firm’s data initiatives in conjunction with the innovation leadership team
• Establish and lead a high-performing data science team to support business goals
• Develop data-driven strategies to enhance decision-making, enable the application of AI solutions, and increase operational efficiencies

Data infrastructure and engineering:

• Build and scale the firm’s data infrastructure into a modern, flexible, best-in-industry capability
• Oversee the implementation of robust data pipelines and workflows for efficient data collection, storage, and analysis
• Collaborate with IS teams to ensure proper data governance, security, and privacy protocols
• In collaboration with the data discovery team, identify, acquire, and integrate data sources (internal and external) to support analytics and other firm use-cases

Operationalization of data science solutions:

• Design and implement data insight products and services that can be operationalized at scale
• Ensure that data science outputs (models, dashboards, insights) are actionable and integrate seamlessly into day-to-day business operations
• Partner with cross-functional teams (E-Discovery, legal operations, business development, business strategy, digital platforms) to embed data-driven practices into business processes
• Drive innovation by supporting the product team in incorporating AI and machine learning in a data-first manner to automate legal processes and improve efficiency

Collaboration and stakeholder engagement:

• Collaborate with the other elements of the firm’s data function, including data discovery, knowledge, and data services to drive the firm’s data initiatives
• Serve as the primary liaison between business units and other technical teams to ensure the data strategy aligns with enterprise goals across the entire enterprise
• Communicate complex data science concepts and insights to non-technical stakeholders in a clear and actionable manner

Data ownership and integration:

• Serve as technical data owner for all of the firm’s data assets and coordinate with responsible parties to establish a one-firm data approach
• Lead efforts to integrate various data systems and platforms to create a unified data ecosystem
• Implement data automation and analytics pipelines for continuous updates and analysis
• Facilitate the enforcement of the firm’s data governance by designing systems and procedures to ensure enterprise-level compliance with data strategy

Legal and compliance awareness:

• Familiarity with legal industry-specific data requirements, such as E-Discovery processes, and compliance with regulatory standards (GDPR, HIPAA, etc.)
• International operational experience across geographic and regulatory environments for data

Team building and mentorship:

• Define team roles and responsibilities, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives
• Recruit, train, and mentor a diverse data science team, including data engineers, data analysts, and other roles as deemed appropriate
• Serve as direct supervisor and mentor to direct reports
• Provide day-to-day supervision of direct reports, ensure compliance with assigned work hours and monitor for compliance with all firm and department policies. Manage staffing coverage, review and process time logs/time off requests
• Support business professional development and continued educational opportunities
• In collaboration with immediate supervisor and CN HR, participate in hiring, performance appraisals, counseling, termination and other employee lifecycle events
• All other duties as assigned or required
• Foster a collaborative, innovative, and results-driven team culture
• All other duties as assigned or required

Skills and experience:

Required:

• After orient