McKesson

Principal AI Architect

McKesson$225K — $375K *
Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 13+ years of experience in AI/ML engineering or applied research, with 8+ years dedicated to AI governance.
  • Expertise in bias measurement, explainability methods (SHAP, LIME), adversarial robustness, or AI safety alignment.
  • Proven track record in creating enterprise-level AI standards and reference architectures.
  • Strong knowledge of regulatory frameworks including NIST AI RMF and EU AI Act.
  • Experience presenting complex governance topics to executive leadership.

Responsibilities

  • Define and uphold enterprise Responsible AI standards and guidelines for AI/ML systems.
  • Establish risk tiering frameworks compliant with regulatory requirements.
  • Lead reviews of AI/ML solutions to ensure adherence to responsible AI standards.
  • Collaborate with Legal and Compliance to transform regulatory obligations into technical requirements.
  • Create and promote an AI ethics review process involving impact assessments and escalation criteria.
  • Mentor data and ML professionals on responsible AI patterns and practices.
  • Advise on the evolving responsible AI landscape and emerging capabilities.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health insurance packages.
  • Retirement savings plans with company matching.
  • Career development programs and resources.
  • Flexible working arrangements.
  • Wellness programs and employee assistance programs.
Full Job Description
Position Summary:

The Principal AI Architect, Responsible AI is the enterprise's chief technical authority on responsible AI design and governance-by-architecture. This individual defines the standards, reference architectures, and technical guardrails that ensure every AI/ML system, from classical ML to agentic AI, meets regulatory, ethical, and quality thresholds before reaching production. The role bridges deep technical fluency with enterprise strategy, translating board-level risk appetite into enforceable architectural patterns across the full AI lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities:
  • Define and maintain enterprise Responsible AI standards, policies, and technical guidelines covering fairness, explainability, robustness, privacy, and safety across all AI/ML modalities (predictive, generative, agentic).
  • Establish model risk tiering frameworks aligned with regulatory requirements (e.g., EU AI Act risk categories, NIST AI RMF, FDA/SaMD where applicable) and map technical controls to each tier.
  • Lead Enterprise Architecture Review Board (EARB) reviews for AI/ML solutions, ensuring compliance with responsible AI standards before production deployment.
  • Partner with Legal, Compliance, Privacy, and InfoSec to translate regulatory and contractual obligations into testable technical requirements.
  • Develop and evangelize an enterprise AI ethics review process including impact assessments, red-teaming protocols, and human-in-the-loop escalation criteria for high-risk use cases.
  • Mentor and coach ML Engineers, Data Scientists, and Platform Engineers on responsible AI patterns and anti-patterns; create reusable design patterns, templates, and decision frameworks.
  • Represent the enterprise's responsible AI posture to external auditors, regulators, customers, and industry working groups.
  • Track the evolving responsible AI landscape (tooling, regulation, academic research) and recommend adoption of emerging capabilities.


Minimum Qualifications:
  • Degree or equivalent and typically requires 13+ years, with 8+ years, of direct work related experience. Less years required if has relevant Master's or Doctorate qualifications.


Critical Experience/Skills:
  • Extensive experience in AI/ML engineering, architecture, or applied research with at least 3 years focused on AI governance, fairness, or safety.
  • Deep expertise in at least two: bias/fairness measurement, explainability methods (SHAP, LIME, counterfactual), adversarial robustness, differential privacy, or AI safety alignment.
  • Demonstrated experience authoring enterprise-level AI standards, policies, or reference architectures adopted across multiple business units.
  • Strong working knowledge of regulatory frameworks: NIST AI RMF, EU AI Act, ISO 42001, SOC 2 AI considerations, and sector-specific requirements (healthcare, financial services).
  • Experience presenting technical governance topics to executive leadership and board-level audiences.


Preferred Experience/Skills:
  • Experience with agentic AI architectures and the unique governance challenges they present (tool-use authorization, multi-agent orchestration, autonomous decision boundaries).
  • Contributions to responsible AI open-source projects, publications, or industry standards bodies.
  • Healthcare or pharmaceutical industry experience.
  • Master's degree (in Computer Science, AI/ML, Statistics, or related quantitative field) or PhD preferred.


We are proud to offer a competitive compensation package at McKesson as part of our Total Rewards. This is determined by several factors, including performance, experience and skills, equity, regular job market evaluations, and geographical markets. The pay range shown below is aligned with McKesson's pay philosophy, and pay will always be compliant with any applicable regulations. In addition to base pay, other compensation, such as an annual bonus or long-term incentive opportunities may be offered. For more information regarding benefits at McKesson, please click here.

Our Base Pay Range for this position

$225,200 - $375,400

McKesson has become aware of online recruiting-related scams in which individuals who are not affiliated with or authorized by McKesson are using McKesson's (or affiliated entities, like CoverMyMeds or RxCrossroads) name in fraudulent emails, job postings or social media messages. In light of these scams, please bear the following in mind:

McKesson Talent Advisors will never solicit money or credit card information in connection with a McKesson job application.

McKesson Talent Advisors do not communicate with candidates via online chatrooms or using email accounts such as Gmail or Hotmail. Note that McKesson does rely on a virtual assistant (Gia) for certain recruiting-related communications with candidates.

McKesson job postings are posted on our career site: careers.mckesson.com.

About McKesson

McKesson Corporation provides medicines, pharmaceutical supplies, information and care management products and services across the healthcare industry. The Company operates in two segments. The McKesson Distribution Solutions segment delivers ethical drugs, medical-surgical supplies and equipment and health and beauty care products throughout North America. This segment also provides specialty pharmaceutical solutions for biotech and pharmaceutical manufacturers, sells financial, operational and clinical solutions for pharmacies (retail, hospital, long-term care) and provides consulting, outsourcing and other services. The McKesson Technology Solutions segment delivers enterprise-wide clinical, patient care, financial, supply chain, strategic management and software solutions. In July 2011, the Company acquired Portico Systems from Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. On March 25, 2012, it acquired the independent banner and franchise businesses of Katz Group Canada Inc. McKesson Distribution Solutions delivers pharmaceuticals to retail pharmacies and institutional providers like hospitals and health systems. They operate pharmaceutical distribution centers across the country, serving customers in all 50 states. They also deliver a comprehensive offering of health care products, technology, equipment and related services to the alternate site market, including physician offices, surgery centers, long-term care facilities and home care businesses across the country. McKesson is currently the largest pharmaceutical distributor in North America. McKesson also operates McKesson Canada and has an equity holding in Nadro, a leading distributor in Mexico.

McKesson Careers

Join McKesson, a leading global healthcare company, and be part of a team that is redefining the future of healthcare. With a variety of job opportunities available, McKesson is the perfect place to advance your career, whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out. Work You’ll Do At McKesson, we are committed to improving care in every setting—one product, one partner, one patient at a time. We’re seeking talented professionals to join our team and contribute to a culture of innovation, diversity, and leadership. Our employees are driven by a deep sense of purpose and a desire for continuous growth and improvement. Empower Your Future in Healthcare With positions ranging from internships to leadership roles, McKesson offers unparalleled employment opportunities to develop your skills and advance your career. Our commitment to diversity training ensures that all team members have the opportunity to thrive. Join a team where your skills will be honed, your professional growth will be supported, and where you can genuinely see the difference you make in the lives of patients around the world. Innovative Work Environment McKesson is at the forefront of healthcare innovation. Our team is constantly exploring new ways to improve patient outcomes and streamline care processes. This commitment to innovation is what sets us apart and what makes McKesson an exciting place to work. Career Development and Benefits McKesson believes in nurturing the potential of its employees through robust career development programs and comprehensive benefits designed to support your life and well-being. From leadership training to health and wellness benefits, we ensure our team members are equipped to meet their professional and personal goals. Explore Job Opportunities Whether you’re looking for an internship to kickstart your career, or a senior position to utilize your extensive experience, McKesson offers a range of opportunities. Explore our open positions and find where you can make a difference at McKesson. Stay Connected Join Our Team Search for open positions that match your skills and interests. We are looking for passionate, curious, and solution-driven team players who are ready to take the next step in their careers. Keep Up to Date Stay ahead with career tips, insider perspectives, and industry-leading insights you can put to use today—all from the people who work here. Networking and Professional Growth At McKesson, networking and professional growth are part of our everyday environment. We encourage our employees to connect, share, and learn from each other to foster personal and professional development. Job Alert Emails Personalize your subscription to receive job alerts, latest news, and insider tips tailored to your preferences. Discover the exciting and rewarding career opportunities that await you at McKesson. Join McKesson today and be part of a team that is dedicated to shaping the future of healthcare.
Learn more about McKesson
Size
58,000 employees
Market Cap
$53.7 billion
Industry
Net Income
-$4.1 billion
Founded
1833
5 Year Trend
+5.9%
Revenue
$237.6 billion
NASDAQ

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