Manager - Platform Engineer, R&D DP&TS Platform and Data Engineering

Pfizer • San Diego, CA

23h • Hybrid

About The Position

Pfizer’s mission to deliver breakthroughs that change patients’ lives is rooted in our commitment to science and innovation. Within Discovery, Preclinical, and Translational Solutions (DP&TS), we accelerate the journey from target identification to clinical translation by leveraging advanced digital technologies, AI, and data-driven insights. We are building a high-impact, outcome-oriented platform engineering team focused on enabling scalable, secure, and resilient infrastructure and developer experiences. As a Platform Engineer, you will be part of a team of well-rounded generalists who thrive on solving complex problems, automating everything, and driving innovation across cloud-native environments. We’re looking for high-caliber engineers who bring initiative, adaptability, and a broad technical skill set. You’ll be joining a team that values curiosity, collaboration, and continuous learning. While we expect you to take ownership and solve meaningful problems, you’ll be supported by a friendly, inclusive environment with clear goals, strong mentorship, and a culture of shared success. We believe in setting our team up to thrive—not just deliver. Each day brings a mix of routine and challenge. You’ll start your day by checking system health dashboards and reviewing assigned tasks. You’ll participate in team stand-ups, ask questions, and learn from peers as you help deploy infrastructure, automate routine tasks, and resolve technical issues. You’ll gain hands-on experience with tools like Terraform, Kubernetes, and GitHub Actions, and gradually take on more complex challenges as your skills develop. The team values curiosity, collaboration, and continuous learning, and you’ll be encouraged to contribute ideas and seek mentorship. The environment is fast-paced but supportive, and your contributions will directly impact the reliability, scalability, and security of the platform.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., Computer Science, Data Science, Bioinformatics, Engineering, or related discipline)
• 4+ years of experience in platform engineering, DevOps, or infrastructure roles
• Familiarity and experience with AWS or Azure
• Familiarity and experience with Terraform, Ansible, and GitHub
• Understanding of Kubernetes, Docker, and container orchestration
• Strong software development skills
• Strong scripting skills (e.g., Bash, Python, Typescript)
• Familiarity and experience with Linux/Unix system administration
• Familiarity with networking, security, and database administration
• Basic understanding of infrastructure security best practices, including IAM, secrets management, and secure configuration
• Strong problem-solving skills and eagerness to learn in a collaborative environment
• Fluent in English; capable of clear technical communication across scientific and engineering disciplines

Nice To Haves

• Experience with observability tools (e.g., OpenTelemetry, Prometheus, Grafana, ELK)
• Knowledge of secrets management (e.g., HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager)
• Experience implementing encryption at rest and in transit using cloud-native tools (e.g., AWS KMS, Azure Key Vault, TLS)
• Experience working in regulated environments or with compliance frameworks (e.g., GxP, SOC2, HIPAA)
• Experience with and strong understanding of the software development lifecycle
• Experience working in team-based environments, either professionally or academically

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain AWS and Azure cloud infrastructure ensuring reliability and scalability under the guidance of senior engineers
• Support the development and maintenance of CI/CD pipelines using tools like GitHub Actions
• Automate operational tasks and improve system reliability through scripting and tooling
• Collaborate with developers, data scientists, and other stakeholders to understand platform needs and deliver solutions
• Manage containerized workloads using Docker and Kubernetes
• Administer systems, databases, and networks with a focus on scalability, resilience, and security working with senior engineers to ensure best practices
• Participate in incident response activities and root cause analysis to resolve issues and implement improvements with support from the team
• Stay current with new technologies and best practices, proactively seeking opportunities for skill development and knowledge sharing

Benefits

• participation in Pfizer’s Global Performance Plan with a bonus target of 12.5% of the base salary and eligibility to participate in our share based long term incentive program
• 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

What This Job Offers

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