Senior Director, Applied Intelligence
- United States - Pennsylvania - Collegeville
- United States - New York - New York City
As Senior Director of Applied Intelligence, you will lead a high-velocity, elite team purpose-built to do one thing exceptionally well: take the hardest, most ambiguous AI/ML problems and rapidly determine whether they are solvable, how they should be solved, and what it will take to make them real at scale. This role will be focused on Commercial use cases and will sit on the Data Science Leadership Team within Global Commercial Analytics.
You will build and lead an internal team that de-risks high-impact AI/ML investments through fast, disciplined experimentation. This is not a sandbox. Every proof of concept your team produces will be built with the engineering hygiene of production code, because the best prototypes become the foundation of enterprise systems. Your work will directly shape what gets scaled, what gets killed, and where the organization invests next.
You will operate at the intersection of AI innovation, engineering discipline, and business urgency. Your team will be the first call when something matters and nobody knows the answer yet.
Role Responsibilities
Technical Leadership and Hands-On Delivery
Serve as the technical anchor of the team by actively contributing to architecture, code, and experimental design; you model the standard, not just set it
Remain deeply hands-on in AI/ML and software engineering, ensuring your leadership is grounded in the reality of the work
Attract, develop, and retain a focused team of exceptional applied AI engineers and data scientists who thrive in ambiguous, fast-moving environments
Rapid Prototyping and Experimentation
Own a 2 to 6 week rapid prototype cycle framework: scope decisively, experiment fast, validate against clear success criteria, and surface actionable go/no-go recommendations
Serve as the organization's go-to group for rapid AI/ML prototyping, the team senior leaders call when they have a high-value problem and no clear path forward
Design and run structured experimentation that converts ambiguous business questions into testable hypotheses and validated AI/ML approaches
De-risk high-impact, high-ambiguity problems through fast, disciplined iteration before committing to large-scale investment
Engineering Excellence
Enforce strict engineering hygiene in every prototype: version control, GitHub-based workflows, CI/CD practices, reproducibility, modular code, automated testing, and documentation are non-negotiable standards regardless of stage
Champion containerization and MLOps frameworks as foundational elements of even early-stage work
Ensure every prototype is built to be understood, reproduced, and extended by teams who did not build it
Balance execution speed with engineering discipline, shipping fast without creating technical debt that forecloses future scaling
Organizational Leverage and Standards
Extract reusable patterns, templates, and best practices from successful prototypes and codify them into shared assets accessible to the broader Data Science organization
Lead the responsible and effective adoption of Generative AI tools, building internal capability at scale while establishing guardrails appropriate for a regulated pharmaceutical environment
In collaboration with partner Analytics, Data Science, AI and Digital teams, define, publish, and champion engineering and MLOps standards that elevate technical maturity across the organization
Promote reusable, modular, testable code as the cultural and operating standard for AI/ML development
Partnership
Partner closely with broader Data Science teams and industrialization teams to execute structured, well-documented handoffs of validated solutions ready for scaling, operationalization, and ongoing maintenance
Design prototypes with the downstream consumer in mind; success is defined by a downstream team's ability to own and scale the solution, not simply by prototype functionality
Collaborate constructively with Digital without creating shadow infrastructure or parallel processes, and ensure prototype environments are designed for eventual enterprise integration
Executive Communication and Strategic Influence
Translate complex AI/ML prototype outcomes into clear, actionable narratives for senior leadership and executive stakeholders
Provide honest, evidence-based recommendations on scaling decisions, including when not to scale
Represent the AI Solutions function as a strategic voice in Data Science leadership, helping shape the long-term AI/ML agenda for the organization
Basic Qualifications
12+ years of progressive experience in AI/ML, data science, or applied research, with a demonstrated track record of technical leadership,11+ years with an MS/MBA or 9 years with a PhD
Active, hands-on technical proficiency in Python and modern ML frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, scikit-learn, TensorFlow, LangChain); you write code regularly and intend to keep doing so
Deep expertise in MLOps frameworks, ML lifecycle management, and production-grade model development practices
Strong command of software engineering fundamentals including CI/CD pipelines, containerization (Docker/Kubernetes), Git-based workflows, testing frameworks, and reproducibility tooling
Demonstrated experience designing scalable AI/ML architectures while operating effectively in lean, fast-moving prototype environments
Proven ability to lead through ambiguity by taking ill-defined problems, defining the right question, and structuring a disciplined path to an answer quickly
Experience building and deploying Generative AI applications, including LLM-based systems, prompt engineering, and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) architectures
Strong executive communication skills, with the ability to write a concise one-pager that drives C-suite decisions and present prototype outcomes with clarity and conviction
Experience working in or with regulated industries such as pharmaceutical, biotech, medical devices, or financial services
Preferred Qualifications
Advanced degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in Computer Science, Statistics, Computational Biology, Engineering, or a related quantitative discipline
Proven track record applying AI/ML to commercial functions in pharmaceutical or life sciences organizations, delivering measurable business impact (for example: forecasting, customer segmentation, pricing, or real world evidence analytics).
Prior experience structuring and leading a rapid prototyping, innovation lab, or AI center of excellence function within a large enterprise
Experience with cloud based machine learning and enterprise data architectures, including model deployment, monitoring, containerization, and data governance in regulated environments.
Experience authoring or contributing to internal engineering standards, best practice guides, or center of excellence frameworks
Track record of hiring, developing, and retaining exceptional senior individual contributors
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.
Relocation support available
Work Location Assignment: Hybrid
Last Date to Apply for Job: 5/8/2026

The annual base salary for this position ranges from $230,900.00 to $384,800.00. 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.



Relocation assistance may be available based on business needs and/or eligibility.

Candidates must be authorized to be employed in the U.S. by any employer.
U.S. work visa sponsorship (such as TN, O-1, H-1B, etc.) is not available for this role now or in the future.

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.
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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.
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)