Senior Director, Head of Engineering
- United States - Illinois - Lake Forest
- United States - California - La Jolla
- United States - Washington – Bothell
- United States - Missouri - St. Louis
- United States - New York - New York City
- United States - Pennsylvania - Collegeville
- United States - Florida - Tampa
- United States - Massachusetts - Cambridge
- United States - Connecticut - Groton
- United States - California - South San Francisco
Pfizer Digital & Technology’s R&D Forward Impact Engineering & Engagement Team (FIEET) will work with R&D to transform how AI, data, and digital technologies are designed, built, and delivered in partnership with the broader organization.
We are seeking a Head of Engineering to lead a global team of Forward Deployed Engineers, Full-Stack Developers, Data Engineers, and AI Engineers who co-create solutions that help R&D scientists, clinicians, and operations teams harness the power of AI and data.
As part of Pfizer Digital & Technology’s R&D FIEET, this leader will ensure that rapid prototyping and enterprise delivery move in sync—balancing innovation velocity with integration, governance, and operational excellence. You’ll partner closely with R&D leaders, as well as Enterprise Architecture, Creation Centers, Platform Engineering, and Data Management teams, to ensure every prototype and MVP contributes to a sustainable, scalable digital ecosystem.
Your mandate is to accelerate experimentation without creating fragmentation, ensuring the Forward Deployed Engineering model works with existing R&D and Digital & Technology teams—not around them—to deliver business value and advance science.
What you’ll bring
Enterprise-Scale Leadership: 12+ years leading large, distributed software, data, or AI engineering teams; experience in a matrixed, global environment required.
Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., Computer Science, Data Science, Bioinformatics, Engineering, or related discipline)
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Proven ability to align innovation teams with enterprise architecture, platform, and application groups to deliver cohesive solutions.
Technical Credibility: Strong grounding in cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), data pipelines, AI/ML architectures, and modern application frameworks. Capable of engaging deeply with technical teams while operating at an executive level.
AI and Data Fluency: Understanding of machine learning, large language models, NLP, and generative AI, with the ability to translate these technologies into practical R&D use cases.
Operational Maturity: Appreciation for the responsibilities of production systems—security, scalability, maintainability—and experience guiding prototypes into sustainable enterprise solutions.
Strategic Communication: Exceptional ability to convey technical vision to R&D and business executives; skilled at aligning stakeholders with differing incentives.
Talent Development: Demonstrated success building high-performing, inclusive teams and developing next-generation engineering leaders.
Business Orientation: Track record of delivering measurable business outcomes—cycle-time reduction, insight acceleration, or cost optimization—through digital solutions.
(Preferred): Experience within pharma, biotech, or life sciences R&D, with familiarity in regulated environments (GxP, clinical, regulatory).
Leadership Competencies
Integrator: Bridges innovation and operations, ensuring R&D and Digital move in rhythm.
Architect of Trust: Builds shared frameworks that allow multiple teams to innovate confidently together.
Strategic Technologist: Combines deep engineering acumen with vision for how AI and data transform science.
Servant Leader: Elevates others through empowerment, empathy, and clarity of purpose.
Outcome Catalyst: Defines success in terms of impact on science, patients, and the enterprise.
Success Looks Like
Forward Deployed Engineers and enterprise teams co-develop solutions that move seamlessly from concept to scale.
R&D and Digital organizations collaborate fluidly, with clear ownership and mutual respect.
AI and data capabilities are adopted widely because they are built with, not for, their stakeholders.
The Engineering organization becomes a model for federated innovation—fast, responsible, and deeply collaborative.
Candidate demonstrates a breadth of diverse leadership experiences and capabilities including: the ability to influence and collaborate with peers, develop and coach others, oversee and guide the work of other colleagues to achieve meaningful outcomes and create business impact.
Work Location Assignment: Hybrid
Last Date to Apply for Job: 12/25/2025
The annual base salary for this position ranges from $219,800.00 to $366,400.00.* In addition, this position is eligible for participation in Pfizer’s Global Performance Plan with a bonus target of 25.0% of the base salary and eligibility to participate in our share based long term incentive program. We offer comprehensive and generous benefits and programs to help our colleagues lead healthy lives and to support each of life’s moments. Benefits offered include a 401(k) plan with Pfizer Matching Contributions and an additional Pfizer Retirement Savings Contribution, paid vacation, holiday and personal days, paid caregiver/parental and medical leave, and health benefits to include medical, prescription drug, dental and vision coverage. Learn more at Pfizer Candidate Site – U.S. Benefits | (uscandidates.mypfizerbenefits.com). Pfizer compensation structures and benefit packages are aligned based on the location of hire. The United States salary range provided does not apply to Tampa, FL or any location outside of the United States.* The annual base salary for this position in Tampa, FL ranges from $197,900.00 to $329,800.00.Relocation assistance may be available based on business needs and/or eligibility.
Sunshine Act
Pfizer reports payments and other transfers of value to health care providers as required by federal and state transparency laws and implementing regulations. These laws and regulations require Pfizer to provide government agencies with information such as a health care provider’s name, address and the type of payments or other value received, generally for public disclosure. Subject to further legal review and statutory or regulatory clarification, which Pfizer intends to pursue, reimbursement of recruiting expenses for licensed physicians may constitute a reportable transfer of value under the federal transparency law commonly known as the Sunshine Act. Therefore, if you are a licensed physician who incurs recruiting expenses as a result of interviewing with Pfizer that we pay or reimburse, your name, address and the amount of payments made currently will be reported to the government. If you have questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact your Talent Acquisition representative.
EEO & Employment Eligibility
Pfizer is committed to equal opportunity in the terms and conditions of employment for all employees and job applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or gender expression, national origin, disability or veteran status. Pfizer also complies with all applicable national, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act and IRCA. Pfizer is an E-Verify employer. This position requires permanent work authorization in the United States.
Pfizer endeavors to make www.pfizer.com/careers accessible to all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process and/or interviewing, please email disabilityrecruitment@pfizer.com. This is to be used solely for accommodation requests with respect to the accessibility of our website, online application process and/or interviewing. Requests for any other reason will not be returned.
Breakthroughs that change patients’ lives
Research confirms what intuition tells us: that purpose-driven companies perform better, are more innovative, attract and retain the best people, and know how to unleash the power of those people. Pfizer’s purpose—Breakthroughs that change patients' lives—fuels everything we do and reflects our passion for building on our legacy as one of the greatest contributors of good to the world.
Each word in our purpose has meaning and reflects the value we strive to bring to patients and society:
“Breakthroughs” - These are the innovations, scientific and commercial, that we seek to deliver every day. All colleagues, regardless of role, level or location, strive for breakthroughs every day.
“Change” - We want to do more than simply improve patients’ medical conditions; we want to dramatically change their lives for the better.
“Patients’ lives” - We consider not only patients, but everyone they touch—including their families, caregivers, and friends—and everything they love to do. It’s an intentionally holistic view.
Our purpose ensures that patients remain at the center of all we do. We live our purpose by sourcing the best science in the world; partnering with others in the healthcare system to improve access to our medicines; using digital technologies to enhance our drug discovery and development, as well as patient outcomes; and leading the conversation to advocate for pro-innovation/pro-patient policies.
Every decision we make and every action we take is done with the patient in mind—and to nurture an environment where breakthroughs can thrive.
Our Values
To fully realize Pfizer’s purpose, we have established a clear set of expectations regarding “what” we need to achieve for patients and “how” we will go about achieving those goals.
The “how” is represented by four simple, powerful values—courage, excellence, equity, and joy—that define our company and our culture.
Courage: Breakthroughs start by challenging convention, especially in the face of uncertainty or adversity. This happens when we think big, speak up, and are decisive.
Excellence: We can only change patients’ lives when we perform at our best together. This happens when we focus on what matters, agree who does what, and measure our outcomes.
Equity: We believe that every person deserves to be seen, heard, and cared for. This happens when we are inclusive, act with integrity, and reduce healthcare disparities.
Joy: We give ourselves to our work, but it also gives to us. We find joy when we take pride, recognize one another, and have fun.
Pfizer Digital
Pfizer Digital takes immense pride in being at the forefront of innovation, harnessing cutting-edge smart technology that profoundly impacts the lives of our patients.
With the transformative potential of digital solutions, we revolutionize how we discover, develop, and deliver medicines, enabling us to achieve breakthroughs faster and more efficiently.
By streamlining and automating transactional processes, we create valuable time and resources, empowering our talented team to focus on meaningful work that truly makes a difference in healthcare and beyond.
Benefits at Pfizer
Pfizer offers competitive compensation and benefits programs designed to meet the diverse needs of our colleagues. Our Pay for Performance Philosophy and Practices reward colleagues based on the contributions they make to our business.
Our Competitive Benefits Programs help our colleagues by:
- Promoting Health and Wellness to help colleagues maintain and improve their physical and mental wellbeing. Pfizer offerings include health and disability insurance, preventative health programs, medical screenings, free or reduced-cost vaccinations, discounts on Pfizer products, mental health support, nutrition and fitness counseling and more.
- Strengthening Colleagues’ Financial Security by providing company contributions to retirement plans, life insurance and financial planning education to help colleagues achieve their financial goals.
- Providing Benefits and Time off for the Moments that Matter to ensure Pfizer colleagues have the time away from the office to recharge, recover and return to work as the best version of themselves. Vacation, Holiday time and Sick time are just the beginning, with a 12 week parental leave policy for both parents of a new born, 10 day of caregiver leave for those times when your family needs you whether it’s a child, spouse or parent, bereavement leave, and additional country-specific programs.
- And so much more, depending on your country and site, Pfizer offers childcare facilities or discount programs, on-site health and/or fitness centers, movement and mindfulness solutions, “Log in for your Day” work flexibility and so much more.
For U.S. based jobs, view an overview of Pfizer’s U.S. benefits program (opens in a new window)