Associate Director, Data Science & AI Solutions

MSD•Rahway, NJ

2d•$156,900 - $247,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The mission of the Analytics & Technology Systems QA group is to provide the foundation to identify, explore, and efficiently develop solutions to enhance our quality oversight activities. Under the direction of the Senior Director, Analytics & Technology Systems of our Research & Development Division QA, we are seeking an Associate Director, Data Science & AI Solutions, to join our R&D Quality Assurance Analytics & Tech Systems team. In this role, you will bridge the gap between hands-on advanced software development and strategic business partnership. You will lead the design, deployment, and long-term lifecycle of our next-generation AI and data science solutions—ranging from traditional machine learning and simulations to custom generative AI applications (such as RAG and agentic workflows). As a technical and strategic leader, you will collaborate with business stakeholders to identify high-value opportunities, translate complex technical concepts for different audiences, and partner with governance bodies to ensure all advanced analytics tools are robust, compliant, and scalable.

Requirements

BS/BA degree in relevant area and 5+ years of experience in the pharmaceutical, biotech or technology related industry.
Minimum 5 years of professional experience using Python, R, and advanced SQL to design and deploy machine learning, forecasting, or optimization models.
Hands-on experience developing custom RAG architectures, working with LLM APIs, and utilizing core MLOps practices (version control/Git, monitoring, and model maintenance).
Proficiency in designing user-friendly dashboards (PowerBI or Spotfire) and a foundational understanding of Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) pipelines and data structures.
Familiarity with hosting and deploying AI solutions or agentic pipelines in cloud environments (AWS, Azure, or GCP).
Prior experience in a regulated pharmaceutical (GxP) environment, with exposure to software validation or AI governance frameworks.
Exceptional communication skills with a proven ability to distill complex technical terminology into actionable insights for non-technical business partners.
Experience working with and supporting different, cross-functional teams in a global, matrixed organization.
Continuously explores emerging technologies, including generative AI, and identifies opportunities to apply them to drive innovation and business value.

Responsibilities

Build, deploy, and maintain advanced AI applications (including custom RAG pipelines and agentic systems) alongside traditional analytics solutions (forecasts, simulations, and optimizations) to solve critical research & development quality business challenges.
Work within enterprise analytics platforms (e.g., Dataiku, Posit Workbench) to monitor, enhance, and scale existing operational analytics systems.
Collaborate with the GxP AI Governance Program to develop frameworks that ensure AI solutions adhere to regulatory requirements, validation playbooks, and standardized monitoring protocols.
Act as the primary technical translator, explaining complex AI algorithms, models, and limitations to non-technical stakeholders and leadership in a clear, business-friendly manner.
Collaborate with business leaders to identify operational challenges and propose high-value data science and AI use cases.
Demonstrates a strong willingness to learn and understand business processes, priorities, and stakeholder’s needs to drive meaningful outcomes.
Educate and upskill QA team members on modern tech stacks, Large Language Models (LLMs), and general data literacy.
Represent our company in cross-functional forums, such as IMPALA (Intercompany Quality Analytics).