Application Architect

AbbVie • Chicago, IL

13h • Hybrid

About The Position

As an Application Architect in the BTS IR GTP Architecture & Platforms team, you'll serve as the primary technology partner for two critical R&D domains. You'll own end-to-end solution architecture across these domains — translating complex business needs into scalable, compliant, and AI-ready technology solutions that directly impact financial stewardship, operational efficiency, and patient safety outcomes. This is a domain-embedded role. You sit with the business, understand their priorities deeply, and serve as their trusted technology advisor — not a back-office support function. Based onsite in Lake County, IL with flexibility to work from home 2 days/week.

Requirements

• Bachelor's + 7 years, Master's + 6 years, or PhD + 2 years of relevant experience.
• Proven experience designing and delivering scalable, production-grade application architecture in complex enterprise environments — including integration patterns, cloud platforms, and data architecture.
• Strong working knowledge of GenAI, LLMs, agentic workflows, and automation technologies — with the ability to assess fit, evaluate risks, and guide adoption without necessarily building these systems from scratch.
• Hands-on experience with at least one major cloud platform (AWS, Azure, or GCP) for enterprise application and AI/ML workloads.
• Experience with enterprise integration platforms, API management, and data architecture — including connecting SaaS, cloud, and on-premise systems.
• Track record of making and defending sound technology decisions — balancing cost, scalability, compliance, and time-to-value.
• You translate architecture complexity into clear business value — securing buy-in from domain leaders, project teams, and senior stakeholders.
• Proven track record delivering architecture solutions with measurable business outcomes — efficiency gains, cost reduction, or capability advancement.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in pharma or life sciences, with familiarity with Patient Safety, Pharmacovigilance, or R&D Finance business processes and supporting platforms.
• Demonstrated experience delivering architecture in GxP, HIPAA, or equivalent regulated environments — with strong understanding of compliance, validation, and audit requirements.
• Hands-on experience with agentic AI frameworks (LangChain, LangGraph, AutoGen) or AI safety and traceability patterns for regulated environments.
• Background in application portfolio management, business capability mapping, or the TIME rationalization model.
• Familiarity with enterprise integration platforms and API management.
• Background in Lean, Six Sigma, or design thinking.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary Application Architect for R&D Domains — owning solution architecture across the full application portfolio for both domains.
• Engage deeply with domain stakeholders to understand current-state processes, business requirements, compliance constraints, and success metrics — translating them into architecture designs that deliver measurable value.
• Lead end-to-end solution design: evaluating technology options, defining integration patterns, assessing build-vs-buy tradeoffs, and ensuring alignment with AbbVie architecture standards and review process.
• Identify and proactively address technical debt, application rationalization opportunities, and capability gaps within your domain portfolio.
• Assess and guide the adoption of GenAI, agentic workflows, and automation technologies within your domains — ensuring solutions are secure, auditable, GxP-compliant, and aligned to GTP's agentic AI standards.
• Partner with the Applied AI & Technologies horizontal team to evaluate AI feasibility for domain-specific use cases, contribute to PoCs, and drive GenAI adoption in a standards-aligned manner.
• Serve as a domain-embedded AI advisor — helping business stakeholders understand what AI can and cannot do, and translating opportunity into actionable, fundable initiatives.
• Participate in and support the IR Architecture Review (IR-DRB) process — ensuring domain projects meet architecture standards, leverage reusable patterns, and avoid introducing unnecessary complexity or technical debt.
• Maintain architecture documentation, application tiering, and capability mapping for your domain portfolio in alignment with GTP standards.
• Adhere to and enforce GxP compliance, data security requirements, SDLC standards, and applicable AbbVie corporate policies — with particular rigor given the Patient Safety domain context.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with R&D Finance, Operations, and Patient Safety domain leaders — acting as a strategic technology partner, not just a delivery resource.
• Communicate architecture decisions, technology tradeoffs, and AI opportunities clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences — securing buy-in through demonstrated business value.
• Contribute to GTP team knowledge sharing through the AI CoI, architecture forums, and cross-pod collaboration.
• Mentor peers and junior engineers in architecture best practices, AI application, and domain-specific compliance requirements.

Benefits

• paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick)
• medical/dental/vision insurance
• 401(k)
• long-term incentive programs

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior