Associate Director, Data Science & AI Solutions

Job Description

The mission of the Analytics & Technology Systems QA group is to provide the foundation to identify, explore, and efficiently develop solutions to enhance our quality oversight activities. Under the direction of the Senior Director, Analytics & Technology Systems of our Research & Development Division QA, we are seeking an Associate Director, Data Science & AI Solutions, to join our R&D Quality Assurance Analytics & Tech Systems team.

In this role, you will bridge the gap between hands-on advanced software development and strategic business partnership. You will lead the design, deployment, and long-term lifecycle of our next-generation AI and data science solutions—ranging from traditional machine learning and simulations to custom generative AI applications (such as RAG and agentic workflows). As a technical and strategic leader, you will collaborate with business stakeholders to identify high-value opportunities, translate complex technical concepts for different audiences, and partner with governance bodies to ensure all advanced analytics tools are robust, compliant, and scalable.

• 1. AI Development & System Lifecycle Technical Delivery:
  Build, deploy, and maintain advanced AI applications (including custom RAG pipelines and agentic systems) alongside traditional analytics solutions (forecasts, simulations, and optimizations) to solve critical research & development quality business challenges.
  Environment Management:
  Work within enterprise analytics platforms (e.g., Dataiku, Posit Workbench) to monitor, enhance, and scale existing operational analytics systems.
• 2. GxP AI Governance & Compliance Regulatory Alignment:
  Collaborate with the GxP AI Governance Program to develop frameworks that ensure AI solutions adhere to regulatory requirements, validation playbooks, and standardized monitoring protocols.
• 3. Business Partnership & Technical Translation Translational Communication:
  Act as the primary technical translator, explaining complex AI algorithms, models, and limitations to non-technical stakeholders and leadership in a clear, business-friendly manner.
  Demand Intake:
  Collaborate with business leaders to identify operational challenges and propose high-value data science and AI use cases.
  Business Acumen:
  Demonstrates a strong willingness to learn and understand business processes, priorities, and stakeholder’s needs to drive meaningful outcomes.
• 4. Leadership & Upskilling Team Mentorship:
  Educate and upskill QA team members on modern tech stacks, Large Language Models (LLMs), and general data literacy.
  External Representation:
  Represent our company in cross-functional forums, such as IMPALA (Intercompany Quality Analytics).

• Educations/
  
  Experience:
  
  BS/BA degree in relevant area and 5+ years of experience in the pharmaceutical, biotech or technology related industry.
• Analytical & Programming Core:
  Minimum 5 years of professional experience using Python, R, and advanced SQL to design and deploy machine learning, forecasting, or optimization models.
• Modern AI Engineering:
  Hands-on experience developing custom RAG architectures, working with LLM APIs, and utilizing core MLOps practices (version control/Git, monitoring, and model maintenance).
• Data Engineering & Visualization:
  Proficiency in designing user-friendly dashboards (PowerBI or Spotfire) and a foundational understanding of Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) pipelines and data structures.
• Cloud & Architecture:
  Familiarity with hosting and deploying AI solutions or agentic pipelines in cloud environments (AWS, Azure, or GCP).
• Regulated Industry
  
  Experience:
  
  Prior experience in a regulated pharmaceutical (GxP) environment, with exposure to software validation or AI governance frameworks.
• Communication & Influence:
  Exceptional communication skills with a proven ability to distill complex technical terminology into actionable insights for non-technical business partners.
• Global
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Experience working with and supporting different, cross-functional teams in a global, matrixed organization.
• Passionate Learner:
  Continuously explores emerging technologies, including generative AI, and identifies opportunities to apply them to drive innovation and business value.

• AI Programming
• Audience View
• Biopharmaceutical Industry
• Business Acumen
• Business Intelligence (BI)
• Business Processes
• Business Process Modeling
• Database Design
• Data Engineering
• Data Literacy
• Data Modeling
• Data Science
• Data Visualization
• Extract Transform Load (ETL)
• Generative AI
• Git Version Control System
• Large Language Models (LLMs)
• Machine Learning (ML)
• Python (Programming Language)
• Software Development
• Stakeholder Relationship Management
• Version Control

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:
Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit…