Gilead Sciences Inc

Assoc Director, IT Systems Engineering

Gilead Sciences Inc • $168K — $218K *
Raleigh, NC 27610In-Person
Information Technology
8 - 10 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 10+ years in platform engineering, data engineering, or enterprise data/AI platform architecture
  • 3+ years leading engineering teams or major platform programs
  • Hands-on expertise with AWS data services: S3, Lake Formation, Glue, EKS, and Terraform
  • Production experience with Databricks: Unity Catalog, Delta Lake, and MLflow
  • Experience designing or building agentic AI or LLM-powered systems
  • Proven ability to build resilient, scalable data pipelines with proficiency in SQL and Python
  • Strong understanding of distributed systems and event-driven architecture

Responsibilities

  • Define the architecture for self-serve data and AI platforms aligned to enterprise strategy
  • Establish enterprise standards for data products and gateway services
  • Architect platform layers for AI systems to interact with enterprise data
  • Define governance patterns to build trust in data products
  • Implement foundational patterns for real-time decision-making use cases
  • Lead engineering of scalable cloud infrastructure on AWS and Databricks
  • Drive delivery across teams to uphold quality and operational standards

Benefits

  • Company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans
  • Discretionary annual bonus
  • Discretionary stock-based incentives
  • Paid time off
  • Additional benefits information available on the company careers page
Full Job Description
Job Description

Architecture & Platform Strategy
  • Define and evolve the target-state architecture for the self-serve data, AI, and agentic AI platform, aligned to enterprise strategy, data mesh principles, and regulatory requirements
  • Establish enterprise standards and reference architectures for data products, semantic layer services, AI/LLM gateways, agent orchestration, and API- and MCP-based data access
  • Architect the platform layers that let AI systems and agents find, trust, ask, and act on enterprise data - including data product interfaces, semantic context services, and governed write/action patterns
  • Define tiered certification and governance patterns that scale data product trust from registered assets to autonomous-grade, AI-ready products
  • Establish foundational patterns for retrieval, context enrichment, grounding, and tool exposure (RAG, semantic layer, MCP tool surfaces) to support agentic and real-time decisioning use cases


Engineering & Infrastructure
  • Lead engineering of scalable, secure platform infrastructure on AWS (S3, Lake Formation, Glue, EKS, Bedrock, IAM, networking) and Databricks (Unity Catalog, Delta Lake, Delta Live Tables, Databricks SQL, MLflow, Mosaic AI)
  • Engineer the agentic AI platform stack: agent runtimes, orchestration, agent identity and access management, action/write contracts, evaluation harnesses, and observability
  • Implement platform engineering best practices: infrastructure-as-code (Terraform), CI/CD, automated testing, environment promotion, and GxP/Part 11-compliant change management
  • Drive operational excellence across reliability, cost management (FinOps for data and AI workloads), observability, and incident response, grounded in SRE and Well-Architected practices
  • Ensure security, data protection, and access governance patterns (fine-grained entitlements, row/column-level controls, audit lineage) meet regulated-industry requirements


Delivery Leadership & Product Management
  • Contribute to the platform product roadmap: define outcomes, prioritize the backlog, and sequence capability delivery against enterprise AI adoption goals
  • Lead delivery across a team of vendor partners, holding the team to clear standards for quality, velocity, and operability
  • Drive build/buy/adopt decisions with rigor - vendor evaluation, kill criteria, and total-cost analysis - and integrate acquired capabilities into a coherent platform experience
  • Define and track platform health and adoption metrics (DORA, reliability SLOs, self-serve adoption, time-to-data-product) and report progress to senior leadership
  • Serve as a trusted advisor and technical leader: mentor engineers, run architecture reviews, and partner with business domains to identify and enable high-value data and AI use cases
  • Communicate architecture and trade-offs crisply to audiences from engineers to Director/VP. stakeholders, simplifying complexity without losing rigor


Basic Qualifications
  • 10+ years in platform engineering, data engineering, or enterprise data/AI platform architecture, including 3+ years leading engineering teams or major platform programs
  • Deep hands-on expertise with AWS data and AI services, including S3, Lake Formation, Glue, EKS, Bedrock, Kinesis/MSK, IAM, and Terraform-based infrastructure automation
  • Strong production experience with Databricks: Unity Catalog, Delta Lake, Delta Live Tables, Databricks SQL, MLflow, and workspace/governance administration at enterprise scale
  • Demonstrated experience designing or building agentic AI or LLM-powered systems: agent orchestration, RAG pipelines, LLM gateways, tool/function calling, MCP or comparable protocols, and AI evaluation/observability
  • Proven ability to build resilient, scalable pipelines for high-volume batch and streaming data, with proficiency in SQL and Python (or Scala/Java)
  • Strong understanding of distributed systems, event-driven architecture, workflow orchestration, and API-first integration patterns
  • Experience designing secure, governed, production-grade cloud architectures, including fine-grained access control, lineage, and auditability
  • Track record of delivery leadership: roadmap ownership, backlog management, cross-functional coordination, and shipping platform capabilities that achieve measured adoption
  • Excellent communication skills with the ability to simplify complexity and influence senior decision-makers


Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience in biopharma, life sciences, or other heavily regulated domains, with working knowledge of GxP, 21 CFR Part 11, and computer system validation
  • Background in data mesh or federated data architectures, data product operating models, and domain enablement at enterprise scale
  • Experience with semantic layer technologies, knowledge graphs, metadata/catalog platforms, and data contract frameworks
  • Familiarity with FinOps for data and AI workloads, including cost attribution, chargeback/showback, and LLM token economics
  • Experience managing large vendor/partner ecosystems and running structured vendor evaluations with defined success and kill criteria
  • Product management experience or certification; familiarity with DORA metrics, SPACE framework, and platform-as-a-product operating models
  • AWS Professional (Solutions Architect or Data Analytics) and/or Databricks certifications


The salary range for this position is: $168,980.00 - $218,680.00. Gilead considers a variety of factors when determining base compensation, including experience, qualifications, and geographic location. These considerations mean actual compensation will vary. This position may also be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, discretionary stock-based long-term incentives (eligibility may vary based on role), paid time off, and a benefits package. Benefits include company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans*.

For additional benefits information, visit:

https://www.gilead.com/careers/compensation-benefits-and-wellbeing

* Eligible employees may participate in benefit plans, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans.

About Gilead Sciences Inc

Gilead Sciences is a research-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and commercializes innovative medicines in areas of unmet need. With each new discovery and experimental drug candidate, they seek to improve the care of patients suffering from life-threatening diseases. Gilead's primary areas of focus include HIV/AIDS, liver disease, and serious cardiovascular and respiratory conditions.

Gilead Sciences Inc Careers

Join the vibrant team at Gilead Sciences Inc, a leader in the biopharmaceutical industry known for its innovative approach to healthcare. At Gilead, we are committed to advancing the care of patients around the globe through rigorous science and research.

Work You’ll Do

Embark on a career journey with Gilead Sciences Inc, where job opportunities abound in a variety of fields, from scientific research to marketing and sales. Our team is dedicated to fostering an environment of diversity and inclusion, where every employee can thrive.

Innovate and Lead

At Gilead, innovation is at the core of everything we do. Join us and contribute to our mission of saving lives through advanced treatments and cutting-edge medicine. Our leadership is committed to nurturing professional growth, making Gilead an ideal place for those who aim to lead and innovate in the healthcare industry.

Grow Your Career

Gilead Sciences Inc offers a wealth of career advancement opportunities. With personalized career development programs, employees are encouraged to pursue their professional interests and expand their skills. Whether through on-the-job learning, formal training, or leadership development, we provide the tools necessary for long-term career growth.

Be Part of Our Team

Our team at Gilead Sciences Inc is composed of passionate, curious, and solution-driven professionals. By joining us, you’ll collaborate with some of the brightest minds in the industry. Our culture promotes teamwork and an interdisciplinary approach to problem-solving, making our workplace dynamic and innovative.

Internship and Employment Opportunities

Start your career with Gilead through our internship programs, which offer hands-on experience in biopharmaceutical development and business operations. For seasoned professionals, our employment opportunities span across various disciplines, inviting you to bring your valuable skills to our team.

Benefits and Culture

Gilead Sciences Inc is not only a great place to work but also offers competitive benefits designed to support the health, well-being, and financial security of our employees and their families. From health insurance to retirement plans and wellness programs, we ensure our team members are taken care of.

Networking and Professional Development

We emphasize the importance of networking and professional development within the company. Regular workshops, seminars, and training sessions are held to enhance your skills and knowledge. Additionally, Gilead’s strong emphasis on internal networking allows for cross-departmental collaboration and innovation.

Join Our Hiring Events

Stay connected with Gilead by joining our hiring events and exploring open positions that match your skills and interests. We are always on the lookout for dedicated, creative, and driven team players. Prepare your resume, ace the interview, and take the first step towards a fulfilling career at Gilead Sciences Inc.

Explore Jobs at Gilead Sciences Inc

Discover the exciting career opportunities waiting for you at Gilead Sciences Inc. Visit our careers page to search for open positions, read about our company culture, and learn how you can make a difference in the global healthcare landscape.

Stay Up to Date

Keep informed with the latest company news, career tips, and industry insights—all from the people who work at Gilead Sciences Inc. Subscribe to our job alert emails and personalize your experience to receive updates that align with your career preferences. Join Gilead Sciences Inc today and be part of a team that values innovation, leadership, and a commitment to diversity and employee growth.
Learn more about Gilead Sciences Inc
Size
14,400 employees
Market Cap
$107.2 billion
Industry
Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
Net Income
$123 million
Founded
1987
5 Year Trend
-2.1%
Revenue
$24.6 billion
NASDAQ
GILD
* Ladders Estimates
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