Senior AI Scientist

IQVIA • Durham, NC

2d • $108,000 - $270,000

About The Position

As an AI Scientist, you will work hands‑on with Generative AI, Large Language Models (LLMs), and agent‑based systems to design and deliver bespoke AI solutions for pharmaceutical and life sciences customers. You will collaborate with cross‑functional teams and clients to take ideas from use‑case discovery and proof‑of‑concept through scalable production deployment. This role combines deep technical expertise, innovative problem solving, and consultative delivery in a highly collaborative environment.

Requirements

• PhD in Computer Science or a closely related field.
• Proven experience fine‑tuning and/or distilling Large Language Models.
• Deep understanding and hands‑on experience with:
• Supervised Fine‑Tuning (SFT)
• Direct Preference Optimization (DPO)
• Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO)
• Reward modeling
• Strong programming skills in Python.
• Hands‑on experience with the LangChain / LangGraph ecosystem.
• Experience deploying machine learning models at scale on cloud platforms (e.g., Azure, Databricks), including Azure OpenAI Services.
• Excellent analytical and problem‑solving skills with the ability to think creatively and critically.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to non‑technical audiences.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast‑paced, client‑focused environment.
• A strong desire to work in a collaborative, team‑oriented culture.

Nice To Haves

• Publications in top‑tier AI conferences are a strong plus.

Responsibilities

• Fine‑tune and distill Large Language Models (LLMs) for a variety of customer use cases.
• Transform raw structured and unstructured data into high‑quality, trainable datasets for LLM fine‑tuning and distillation.
• Design and implement AI agents within IQVIA’s Agentic AI framework.
• Build proof‑of‑concepts (PoCs) that demonstrate the potential and value of Generative AI solutions.
• Stay current with the latest advancements in Generative AI and Machine Learning, and apply them to real‑world business challenges.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to team members.
• Present and clearly explain AI solutions to non‑technical stakeholders in customer‑facing engagements.
• Apply consulting principles to deliver tailored AI solutions aligned with customer needs.
• Collaborate with internal teams and directly with pharmaceutical and life sciences clients to address business challenges using Generative AI.
• Partner with multidisciplinary teams to build, deploy, and scale AI/ML solutions in production environments.

Benefits

• you’ll have the opportunity to apply advanced AI technologies to some of the most impactful challenges in global healthcare and life sciences—working with world‑class talent, industry‑leading data, and innovative platforms to drive real outcomes.
• IQVIA is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by applicable law.
• The potential base pay range for this role, when annualized, is $108,000.00 - $270,000.00. The actual base pay offered may vary based on a number of factors including job-related qualifications such as knowledge, skills, education, and experience; location; and/or schedule (full or part-time). Dependent on the position offered, incentive plans, bonuses, and/or other forms of compensation may be offered, in addition to a range of health and welfare and/or other benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees