Data Scientist Segment Lead

As the Data Science Practice Lead within PPG's Digital Organization, this role is responsible for leading and shaping PPG's enterprise Data Science capability, with a primary emphasis on materials science, formulation, and processcentric applied data science.

The individual will bring deep hands-on expertise in materials and chemical data science-including formulation optimization, experimental design, structure-property modeling, and scaleup analytics-while also providing technical leadership and architectural guidance for data science applications across manufacturing, supply chain, commercial, and customer-facing functions.

This role bridges science, data, and digital product delivery, ensuring that advanced analytics and AI are best suited to the underlying physical, chemical, and operational realities of PPG's businesses.

This role will sit at our headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA on a hybrid schedule. If not local - we will provide relocation benefits.

Key Responsibilities

• Practice & Technical Leadership (Primary)
  • Lead the PPG Data Science practice, setting technical standards, methodologies, and best practices for applied data science across the enterprise.
  • Serve as the senior technical authority for materialssciencedriven data science, including formulation development, DOEbased modeling, hybrid physics/ML approaches, and experimental data analytics.
  • Define and evolve domainappropriate modeling approaches (e.g., surrogate models, Bayesian optimization, multiobjective optimization, structure-property relationships) aligned to scientific workflows in S&T and formulation teams.
• Model Development & Deployment
  • Lead the design, development, and deployment of advanced AI/ML and statistical models that solve complex, realworld problems rooted in chemistry, materials, and processes.
  • Guide teams from problem framing through deployment, ensuring models are scientifically sound, interpretable where required, and operationally robust.
  • Establish clear model performance, adoption, and valuecapture metrics tied to business and scientific outcomes.
• CrossFunctional & Enterprise Enablement
  • Partner closely with S&T, formulation, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, commercial, and digital product teams to ensure data science solutions are embedded into real workflows.
  • Act as a technical translator across domains-helping nonscience functions understand how advanced data science applies to their problems and helping scientists leverage modern analytics effectively.
  • Ensure consistency and reuse of data science assets, patterns, and platforms across functions.
• Data & Analytics Strategy
  • Define and influence data strategies and architectures that support scientific and operational analytics, including experimental data, lab systems, process data, and enterprise data platforms.
  • Ensure data quality, lineage, and integrity standards appropriate for scientific decisionmaking and regulated environments.
  • Collaborate with data engineering and platform teams to ensure scalable, productionready analytics infrastructure.
• Monitoring, Governance & Continuous Improvement
  • Establish best practices for model monitoring, validation, lifecycle management, and continuous improvement, particularly for models supporting scientific and operational decisions.
  • Promote responsible, transparent, and fitforpurpose use of AI/ML across domains.
• Leadership & People Management
  • Lead, mentor, and develop senior and midlevel data scientists, with an emphasis on building domainaware data science talent.
  • Drive hiring, onboarding, and capability development for the Data Science practice, balancing deep domain expertise with modern ML skills.
  • Foster a culture of scientific rigor, experimentation, collaboration, and practical impact.
• Executive Communication & Influence
  • Communicate complex analytical concepts, results, and tradeoffs clearly to senior technical and business stakeholders.
  • Influence strategy by articulating where advanced data science is best suited to deliver differentiation and measurable value for PPG.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in data science, applied analytics, or related fields, with a bachelor's degree or higher in data science, materials science, chemical engineering, statistics, physics, or a related discipline (or equivalent experience).
• Deep, demonstrated expertise in materials or chemistryadjacent applied data science, including experimental data analysis, DOE, formulation or process modeling, and optimization.
• Proven experience leading and deploying advanced analytics and AI/ML solutions into production environments.
• Strong foundation in statistical modeling, machine learning, and modern data science tooling.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, mentor senior talent, and set technical direction.
• Preferred:
  • Advanced degree (Master's or PhD) in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Applied Statistics, or related field.
  • Experience with hybrid physicsbased + ML models, Bayesian methods, or scientific computing.
  • Experience in applying data science across multiple enterprise functions
  • Strong executive communication skills and experience influencing senior leaders.

#LI-Hybrid

About us:

PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD

Through leadership in innovation, sustainability and color, PPG helps customers in industrial, transportation, consumer products, and construction markets and aftermarkets to enhance more surfaces in more ways thandoes any other company. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com and follow @PPG onX.

The PPG Way 2030

We are customer champions

Proactive. Bold. Trustworthy. Everything we do starts with our customers. We listen, movefastanddon'tstop until we solve their biggest challenges. When our customers win, we all grow.

We act with purpose and speed

Agile. Data-driven. Empowered. We take smart risks to stay ahead of the competition. We work proactively with agility, using quality data to develop solutions that create value.

We are excellentoperators

Productive. Collaborative. Accountable. No matter our role, weidentifyproblems, takeownershipand always bring solutions. We are both proactive and responsive to drive continuous improvement and deliver results. We support ourfrontline,the faces of PPG to our customers.

We compete to win

Future-focused. Driven. Ambitious. We are passionate about growing our business and winning with our customers. We deliver results, embrace newtechnologiesand leverage agility and speed as strengths.

We are PPG proud

Strong. United. Passionate. We work safely, act withintegrityand value our diverse perspectives. We celebrate achievements and take pride in the positive impact we create together to protect and beautify the world.

At PPG we use AI in the hiring process to make the process more efficient. AI tools do not make hiring decisions. You can learn more by going tohttps://careers.ppg.com/us/en/candidate-resources.

PPGprovidesequal opportunity to all candidates and employees. We offer an opportunity to grow and develop your career in an environment that provides a fulfilling workplace for employees, creates an environment for continuous learning, and embraces the ideas and diversity of others. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, pregnancy, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, disability status, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, genderidentityor expression.

If you need an adjustment due to a disability, please emailrecruiting@ppg.com.

PPG pay ranges and benefits can vary bylocationwhich allows us to compensate employees competitively in different geographic markets. PPG considers several factors in making compensation decisions including, but not limited to, skill sets, experience and training, qualifications and education, licensure and certifications, and other organizational needs. Other incentives may apply.
Our employee benefits programs are designed to support the health and well-being of our employees. Any insurancecoveragesand benefits will bein accordance withthe terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents.Benefits will be discussed with you by your recruiter during the hiring process.

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