Associate Director - Infrastructure Architect

Initial Therapeutics, Inc.; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 124,500 - 182,600; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

Pension

Vacation

Medical/Dental/Vision Benefits

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Initial Therapeutics, Inc. is seeking an Infrastructure Architect to drive IT infrastructure strategy for the new manufacturing site in Houston, Texas. The ideal candidate will have over 10 years of IT infrastructure experience in a regulated environment and possess strong leadership skills.

This role involves leading design and deployment for GMP operations, ensuring readiness of IT systems, and maintaining compliance with regulatory standards. Competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits program are offered.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in IT, Computer Science, Engineering, or related technical field.
• 10+ years of IT infrastructure experience, preferably in a regulated manufacturing or pharmaceutical environment (GxP/GMP).
• 5+ years of people-leadership experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, deployment, and qualification of site IT/OT infrastructure ensuring readiness for GMP operations.
• Drive site start-up and integration of IT systems across various operations.
• Monitor data center and virtual server environments.
• Manage backup and disaster recovery systems.
• Lead lifecycle of manufacturing computers under GxP and data-integrity standards.
• Ensure network security and reliability across environments.
• Collaborate with teams to integrate OT systems with enterprise IT layers.
• Coordinate with facilities and vendors for infrastructure installation and testing.
• Direct daily work priorities of Infrastructure Analysts.
• Maintain compliance with cybersecurity policies and guidelines.

Job description

Infrastructure Architect – Tech@Lilly

Join Lilly’s Technology at LillyMQ organization as an Infrastructure Architect for the new manufacturing site in Houston, Texas, driving IT infrastructure strategy and lifecycle management for GMP‑compliant manufacturing operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, deployment, and qualification of site IT/OT infrastructure ensuring readiness for GMP operations across small molecule, oligonucleotide, and warehouse areas.
• Drive site start‑up and integration of IT systems (Infrastructure, MES, Data Historian, Real‑Time Floor Tracking, Data Integration and Analytics, Data Integrity, LIMS, CAPA, ERP, WMS, Access Security, Building Monitoring, Risk Management).
• Monitor data center and virtual server environments for high availability, performance, and preventive maintenance.
• Manage backup and disaster recovery systems to safeguard data integrity and system resilience.
• Lead lifecycle of manufacturing computers, including procurement, qualification, patching, and decommissioning under GxP and data‑integrity standards.
• Ensure network security and reliability across IT and OT environments, coordinating upgrades and troubleshooting.
• Collaborate with Automation and Engineering teams to integrate OT systems with enterprise IT layers, ensuring secure data flows aligned to ISA/IEC 62443 and Lilly standards.
• Coordinate with facilities, construction, and vendors to install, test, and qualify infrastructure in step with construction phases.
• Direct daily work priorities of Infrastructure Analysts, assign tasks, and adjust workload allocation as site priorities evolve.
• Serve as technical point of contact for the analyst team.
• Maintain compliance with Lilly cybersecurity policies, GxP data‑integrity requirements, FDA/EMA guidelines.
• Oversee IT vendors to meet SLAs and drive continuous improvement.
• Develop runbooks, escalation paths, and support models for production ramp‑up through steady‑state operations.
• Establish monitoring, alerting, and capacity‑planning processes to meet manufacturing uptime requirements.
• Partner with local and global teams to define and execute the site IT infrastructure roadmap.
• Support site and enterprise initiatives focused on digital transformation, modernization, and operational efficiency.
• Maintain a safe work environment.

Basic Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in IT, Computer Science, Engineering, or related technical field.
• 10+ years of IT infrastructure experience, preferably in a regulated manufacturing or pharmaceutical environment (GxP/GMP).
• 5+ years of people‑leadership experience.

Additional Preferences

• Experience supporting process automation infrastructure.
• Preferred certifications: ITIL, VMware VCP, Microsoft Azure Administrator, CompTIA Security+, or GICSP.
• Technical knowledge of OT/IT convergence, industrial control systems (ICS/SCADA/DCS), OT security frameworks (ISA/IEC 62443), and manufacturing systems such as Emerson DeltaV, OSIsoft PI Historian, Citrix, or equivalent.

Other Information

• Role based Monday through Friday on site at the Lilly Houston Manufacturing Facility; flexible support for production schedules, shutdowns, and occasional extended or off‑hour work may be required.
• 5–10% business travel.

Compensation and Benefits

Actual compensation will depend on education, experience, skills, and geographic location. Anticipated wage: $124,500 – $182,600 per year. Full‑time employees eligible for company bonus (subject to performance). Lilly offers a comprehensive benefits program including 401(k), pension, vacation, medical/dental/vision/ prescription drug benefits, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, leave benefits, employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs.

About the Organization

Lilly is a global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to making life better by discovering and delivering life‑changing medicines. The Technology at LillyMQ organization drives manufacturing operational excellence and productivity through the use of state‑of‑the‑art technology.

EEO Statement

Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Accessibility

Lilly is dedicated to providing accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Please submit an accommodation request for further assistance.