Director, Senior Technical Architect

Pfizer • New York City, NY

3d • Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a Director, Senior Technical Architect to serve as the technical leader accountable for shaping the architecture and technology strategy for key Executive Leadership Team (ELT)-level AI programs at Pfizer. This leader will define the architecture and technical direction for these high-priority AI programs, ensuring they are modern, secure, scalable, reusable, and aligned to Pfizer’s enterprise architecture standards and Digital platform strategy. The role is accountable for translating ambiguous, high-priority ELT-level AI ambitions into a clear architecture and technology strategy, and for connecting these programs to Pfizer’s enterprise platforms and standards. This leader will work as a trusted technical advisor to senior business and Digital leaders, enterprise architects, and platform teams to ensure the AI programs’ architecture is coherent, well-governed, and delivers measurable value. This position requires a senior, hands-on technical architect who can operate at the intersection of enterprise AI strategy, technology strategy, modern engineering, AI-enabled delivery, and architectural governance. As a technical authority, the Director will create clarity from complexity, make sound architecture and technology choices, guide teams through influence, and set the technical direction that helps these AI programs deliver faster, safer, and more reusable capabilities at enterprise scale.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree with at least 8 years of experience; OR a master's degree with at least 7 years of experience; OR a PhD with 5+ years of experience
• Demonstrated experience defining the architecture and technology strategy for significant programs, products, or technology domains — ideally AI or data-intensive.
• Deep, hands-on technical expertise in modern engineering practices, cloud platforms, data and integration patterns, APIs, AI/ML services, security, and reliability.
• Experience acting as a technical advisor or design authority, guiding teams and stakeholders through influence rather than direct authority.
• Experience partnering with senior business and Digital stakeholders on high-visibility programs to shape technical direction and measurable outcomes.
• Permanent work authorization in the United States.

Nice To Haves

• Degree in a technology, engineering, or related discipline preferred.
• Experience operating in a highly regulated, global enterprise environment with complex compliance, privacy, security, and risk expectations.
• Experience architecting AI, agentic, or automation solutions and applying platform reuse to improve speed and quality.
• Track record of influencing senior stakeholders, building trusted partnerships, and creating clarity in ambiguous situations.
• Recognized technical depth in AI and modern architecture (e.g., agentic platforms, LLMs, data platforms, cloud, and enterprise integration).

Responsibilities

• Shape the architecture and technology strategy for key ELT-level AI programs, connecting program ambitions, enterprise architecture standards, and emerging AI capabilities into a clear, actionable roadmap and target-state architecture.
• Define the target and reference architectures for the AI programs, establishing key technical standards, integration patterns, and guardrails, and ensuring architecture decisions are sound, sustainable, and fit for enterprise scale.
• Connect the AI programs’ architecture to Pfizer’s enterprise platforms and standards, ensuring they reuse shared capabilities (agent, data, memory, and security platforms) and integrate cleanly into the broader platform spine.
• Partner with senior business and Digital leaders and ELT sponsors as a trusted advisor, translating ambiguous AI ambitions into practical architecture choices, delivery models, and measurable outcomes.
• Define how AI, automation, and modern engineering practices are responsibly architected across the programs to increase speed, improve quality, strengthen decision-making, and maintain appropriate governance, controls, and verification.
• Provide architectural leadership and mentorship to the AI program engineering and delivery teams, raising technical standards and building capability through influence rather than direct authority.
• Establish and uphold expectations for reliability, security, documentation, and operational excellence across the AI programs’ architecture, ensuring it is compliant, observable, and resilient.

Benefits

• 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
• Health benefits to include medical, prescription drug, dental and vision coverage
• Relocation assistance may be available based on business needs and/or eligibility.

What This Job Offers

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