Data Annotation Manager

Spore.Bio is a deeptech start-up born in 2023, building a new paradigm in the quality control systems in Food&Beverage, Cosmetics, and Pharmaceutics factories.

After spending a lot of time in factories environments, we saw the pain it was to make sure products were safe. Traditional quality control has heavy constraints and long waiting times. To change that, we decided to build Spore.Bio, a new generation of microbiological testing.

Our team is dedicated to bringing technology and developing a cutting-edge solution, based on advanced optical and deep-learning technologies, to detect bacterial contamination within seconds.

Spore Bio is seeking an experienced, rigorous and driven Data Annotation Manager to scale and own the annotation engine at the heart of our AI pipeline. In this role, you will be the operational backbone of how we turn raw optical imaging data into high-quality training data for our microbiological detection models. You will bridge the gap between scientific domain knowledge and ML production requirements designing the workflows and systems that determine the quality of every model we train and the reliability of what we deliver. Join our team of R&D experts, engineers, and data scientists, and play a foundational role in building the future of industrial microbiology.

About the role

Our core mission is to develop AI-powered detection of microbiological entities on optical data. High-quality, reproducible annotations are the foundational input to every model we train. The annotation guidelines and long-term labelling strategy are owned by our R&D team. The Data Annotation Manager's job is to carry that vision to the ground: representing it to internal and external labelling teams, ensuring it's applied consistently, and running a well‑organised, well‑monitored workflow day to day as the team and scope grow.

Key Responsibilities

Demand & Project Management

• Intake and prioritise annotation demand from ML and R&D teams; translate into sprint‑level plans
• Own end‑to‑end annotation workflows: task scoping, assignment, QC checkpoints, and delivery
• Own relationships with external annotation vendors; ensure quality and delivery stay on track
• Chase down and elevate when deliverables slip; keep the process moving

Representing the Standards

• Carry and represent the annotation guidelines and strategy defined by R&D to the teams doing the labelling
• Flag ambiguity or edge cases back to R&D rather than resolving them unilaterally
• Own and maintain the annotation dashboard and KPI tracking
• Escalate quality or capacity risks proactively

Team Coordination

• Work closely with internal and external labelling teams
• Build simple tools to streamline requests when needed (e.g. Google Forms)

About you

• Master's degree in Bioinformatics, Biotechnology, Data Science, or a related field or a Bachelor's with strong, demonstrated motivation and relevant experience
• 5+ years in project management with a data or technical component, including at least 3 years running data annotation / labelling operations (required)
• Comfortable operating in a scientific or biological environment, without needing deep technical expertise
• Highly organised and rigorous, the kind of person who takes notes in meetings and sends a recap without being asked
• Resourceful and comfortable with everyday office and productivity tools (e.g. able to put together a simple form or tracker); no need for advanced technical skills
• Strong communicator, able to bridge scientific and technical teams
• Comfortable with ambiguity in an early‑stage, fast‑growing environment
• Assertive enough to push back and hold teams accountable when deliverables slip

Soft Skills & Mindset

• Strong project management capabilities; able to handle multiple concurrent workstreams
• Excellent communicator bridging scientific domain experts and ML engineers
• Systematic thinker with a continuous‑improvement mindset
• Comfortable with ambiguity in early‑stage, research‑driven environments
• Work in an innovative and rapidly growing startup.
• Participate in exciting and impactful projects.
• Evolve in a collaborative and stimulating work environment.
• Opportunities for professional development and continuous training.

What we offer

We believe that flexibility and trust are important parts of a company. Our work environment reflects this thanks to:

Flexible remote: If you live in Paris, you can work from our office or from your place with no constraints.

On top of that, we offer many perks such as:

• A budget for remote work equipment
• A Gymlib subscription for you to stay in shape wh