Data & AI V&V Leader

Job description

Req ID: 528338 At Alstom, we understand transport networks and what moves people. From high-speed trains, metros, monorails, and trams, to turnkey systems, services, infrastructure, signalling and digital mobility, we offer our diverse customers the broadest portfolio in the industry. Every day, more than 80 000 colleagues lead the way to greener and smarter mobility worldwide, connecting cities as we reduce carbon and replace cars. Purpose of the Job Lead the Data & AI Verification & Validation (V&V) function to ensure all Data & AI solutions delivered by the organization are reliable, secure, scalable, and compliant with Alstom engineering and quality standards. The Data & AI V&V Leader is accountable for defining and deploying the V&V strategy, governance, methodologies, tools, and organization across the complete Data & AI governance scope. The role works closely with Agile squads to embed quality engineering practices throughout the software development lifecycle, promoting a "quality built-in" culture rather than end-of-cycle validation. As the Software Quality Engineering leader within the Data & AI Governance organization, the Data & AI V&V Leader ensures every Agile squad delivers production-ready, secure, and reliable solutions while continuously improving engineering excellence. The mission starts with a comprehensive assessment of the current V&V maturity and continues through the execution of a transformation roadmap including best practice deployment, organizational evolution, and staffing plan execution. Organization Organization: Digital Services / Data & AI Governance Reports to: Data & AI Performance Director Direct Reports: Data & AI V&V Engineers Data & AI V&V Architects Key Stakeholders Internal Product Owners / Program Managers Data Engineers ML Engineers Data Scientists Data & Software Architects Heads of Data & AI Delivery Teams External Technology Partners Software Vendors Engineering Partners Main Responsibilities Define the Data & AI V&V Strategy Perform a comprehensive audit of the current V&V organization, processes, tools, and maturity. Identify risks, technical debt, and improvement opportunities. Define and execute the Data & AI V&V transformation roadmap. Establish quality KPIs and reporting. Deploy Software Quality Engineering Best Practices Define and standardize verification and validation methodologies across the Data & AI technology landscape. Promote and deploy: Automated testing CI/CD quality gates Unit, integration, and end-to-end testing Regression testing Performance testing Organization & People Management Build and develop the Data & AI V&V organization. Build and execute the staffing plan. Recruit, onboard, and develop V&V engineers. Provide hierarchical management, coaching, and career development. Foster a strong software engineering and quality culture. Governance Establish Data & AI V&V governance across all Data & AI products. Define mandatory software quality gates before production deployment. Ensure compliance with Alstom engineering standards. Support executive reviews through quality reporting and risk assessment. Agile Quality Leadership Define and promote V&V practices adapted to Agile delivery. Embed V&V engineers within Agile squads. Ensure verification and validation activities are integrated into sprint planning, refinement, development, and release cycles. Required Qualifications Education Mandatory Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Engineering, or equivalent. Preferred Cloud, Kubernetes, DevOps, or MLOps certifications. Experience Mandatory 10+ years of experience in Software Engineering, Data Engineering, AI Engineering, or Quality Engineering. Significant experience managing engineering teams. Proven experience defining and deploying enterprise-scale V&V strategies. Experience leading organizational transformation. Experience with modern Data & AI platforms and cloud-native technologies. Proven experience working within Agile software delivery organizations. Experience collaborating with cross-functional Agile squads. Experience implementing Software Quality Engineering practices in Agile and DevOps environments. Preferred Experience in railway, industrial, or safety-critical environments. Competencies & Skills Strong leadership and people management Technical credibility Software Quality Engineering Test Automation AI/ML Solution Validation Python Containerization CI/CD DevOps Risk Management Excellent communication and stakeholder management Continuous improvement mindset Strong execution and delivery focus Agile methodologies You don’t need to be a train enthusiast to thrive with us. We guarantee that when you step onto one of our trains with your friends or family, you’ll be proud. If you’re up for the challenge, we’d love to hear from you! Important to note As a global business, we’re an equal-opportunity employer that celebrates diversity across the 63 countries we operate in. We’re committed to creating an inclusive workplace for everyone. Job Type:​Experienced​