Principal Fellow, Data Engineering

Parexel International; India; Remote; INR 3,000,000 - 6,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Parexel International seeks a Principal Fellow, Data Engineering to drive enterprise data architecture modernization and AI innovation across the organization. You will define standards, mentor teams, and collaborate with cross-functional leadership to enable data-driven clinical research.

The role emphasizes scalable analytics, data governance, and adoption of advanced technologies, with opportunities to shape enterprise strategy and technology direction within Parexel.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in CS, Engineering, Data Science, or related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 12+ years of experience in enterprise data architecture, data engineering, cloud platform design, or related technical leadership roles.
• Demonstrated expertise in designing and implementing data platforms, data warehouses, or data lakes at enterprise scale.
• Strong knowledge of cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and modern data technologies.
• Experience with governance frameworks, data quality standards, and regulatory compliance in healthcare or regulated industries.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams, influence organizational strategy, and drive technology adoption.
• Excellent communication, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute enterprise-wide data platform strategy and architecture roadmap.
• Design secure, high-performance data platforms with compliance to HIPAA, GDPR, SOC2, and enterprise security standards.
• Lead enterprise adoption of AI technologies including data lakehouse, catalogs, SQL analytics, and AI/ML frameworks.
• Establish data governance strategy with data lineage, quality standards, and access controls.
• Lead implementation of generative AI, RAG, and agentic AI to unlock business value.
• Design AI architecture using LLMs, vector databases, AI agents, and model governance.
• Establish DataOps, DevOps, and MLOps frameworks with CI/CD pipelines.
• Partner with leadership to develop roadmaps, business cases, and transformation strategies.
• Mentor architects and build a Center of Excellence for data, analytics, and AI.
• Lead strategic vendor partnerships and technology evaluations.

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

Communication

Strategic thinking

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, or related field

Advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in Computer Science, Data Science, or related field

Tools

AWS

Azure

GCP

Databricks

Snowflake

Job description

About Parexel

Parexel is a leading global clinical development partner delivering insights-driven clinical and consulting solutions to the life sciences industry. With 22,000+ employees worldwide, we partner with biopharmaceutical companies and research sites to design and deliver patient-focused clinical trials that broaden access and make research a care option for anyone, anywhere.

We work with focus, agility, and shared purpose - moving with urgency to address patient needs and accelerate the delivery of new therapies. We embrace bold thinking, adapt quickly to change, and continually raise the bar for the speed and quality of clinical research. We are expanding our team and seeking talented individuals to help drive industry leading innovation, With Heart.

About the Role

We are seeking a Principal Fellow, Data Engineering (Enterprise Data Architecture Leader) to join our team. As a Principal Fellow, you will drive strategic data platform modernization and AI innovation that accelerates clinical research operations and business intelligence across Parexel. This position plays a key role in establishing enterprise-wide data governance, architecting scalable analytics solutions, and leading the adoption of advanced technologies that enable faster, more efficient clinical trials. You'll collaborate with cross-functional leadership teams, define technology standards and best practices, and contribute to transformational initiatives from conception through enterprise-wide implementation. Responsibilities include designing enterprise data platforms, leading AI and analytics strategy, establishing governance frameworks, and mentoring technical teams, with opportunities to shape the future of clinical research technology and influence organizational strategy.

You'll join a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment focused on making a meaningful impact through modernizing legacy systems, enabling data-driven decision making, and accelerating innovation. With diverse teams and continuous learning opportunities, the Enterprise Data Architecture Leader can explore emerging technologies, expand expertise in AI and cloud platforms, and advance into strategic leadership roles across the organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and execute enterprise-wide data platform strategy and architecture roadmap, establishing the vision for modernizing legacy systems to cloud-native, scalable solutions
• Design secure, high-performance data platforms using industry-leading technologies, ensuring compliance with HIPAA, GDPR, SOC2, and enterprise security standards
• Lead enterprise adoption of advanced data and AI technologies including data Lakehouse architecture, unified data catalogs, SQL analytics, and AI/ML frameworks
• Establish comprehensive data governance strategy and implement governance frameworks including data lineage, quality standards, and role-based access controls
• Lead implementation of generative AI, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and agentic AI solutions to unlock business value and accelerate clinical research operations
• Design enterprise AI architecture leveraging large language models, vector databases, AI agents, and model governance to drive innovation
• Establish DataOps, DevOps, and MLOps frameworks, creating reusable architecture patterns and CI/CD pipelines for rapid, reliable deployments
• Partners with executive leadership to develop architecture roadmaps, business cases, and transformation strategies aligned with organizational objectives
• Mentor architects, engineering managers, and technical leads; build and grow a Center of Excellence for data, analytics, and AI technologies
• Lead strategic vendor partnerships and technology evaluations to ensure optimal platform selection and implementation

You'll thrive in this role if you bring:

• Strengths in enterprise architecture, cloud platform design, and data engineering
• Experience working in healthcare, life sciences, regulated environments, or large-scale enterprise settings
• The ability to collaborate across executive teams, influence organizational strategy, and communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders
• A patient-focused mindset and commitment to using technology to advance clinical research and patient outcomes
• Comfort working with modern cloud platforms, distributed systems, and emerging AI/ML technologies

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Engineering, Data Science, or related field, or equivalent professional experience
• 12+ years of experience in enterprise data architecture, data engineering, cloud platform design, or related technical leadership roles
• Demonstrated expertise in designing and implementing data platforms, data warehouses, or data lakes at enterprise scale
• Strong knowledge of cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and modern data technologies
• Experience with governance frameworks, data quality standards, and regulatory compliance in healthcare or regulated industries
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams, influence organizational strategy, and drive technology adoption
• Excellent communication, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree (master’s or PhD) in Computer Science, Data Science, or related field
• Experience in clinical research, biopharmaceutical, or life sciences organizations
• Expertise in AI/ML architecture, generative AI, or advanced analytics
• Certification in cloud architecture (AWS Solutions Architect, Azure Solutions Architect, or equivalent)
• Experience with Databricks, Snowflake, or similar modern data platforms

We believe in flexibility, growth, and creating space for people to do their best work. Join us and be part of a team where your contributions help shape the future of clinical research.