BTS Operations M&A Architect

Cognizant; Waukegan (IL); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance

Paid holidays

401(k) plan

Disability coverage

Parental Leave

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Job summary

Cognizant is hiring an Architect, Manufacturing Technology (BTS) to lead IT/OT architecture for manufacturing site lifecycle initiatives, including acquisitions, divestitures, new builds, and expansions. You will define Day-1 readiness and hypercare plans, ensuring security, compliance, and operational supportability across sites.

Ideal candidates have strong manufacturing IT background, experience with MES/ERP/SCADA, and proven leadership in complex project delivery within regulated

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 7 years of IT systems architecture experience.
• Master’s degree with 6 years, or PhD with 2 years in related field.
• Manufacturing or pharmaceutical industry experience strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical vision and architecture for IT/OT systems across M&A, site lifecycle.
• Define Day-1 to Day-100 technology readiness plans and stabilization architecture.
• Produce and maintain a repeatable Site Integration Playbook with reference patterns.

Skills

Manufacturing IT

Enterprise integrations

Regulatory compliance

Communication skills

Risk assessment

MES

ERP

SCADA

Networking

Project management

Problem solving

Policy knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s Degree +7 years in IT architecture

Master’s Degree +6 years

PhD +2 years

Tools

MES

ERP

SCADA

Networking

Job description

Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) is a leading provider of information technology, consulting, and business process outsourcing services, dedicated to helping the world's leading companies build stronger businesses. Headquartered in Teaneck, New Jersey (U.S.). Cognizant is a member of the NASDAQ-100, the S&P 500, the Forbes Global 1000, and the Fortune 500 and we are among the top performing and fastest growing companies in the world.

This position is open only to visa-independent candidates and will not support visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Location: Remote or Chicago, IL

Employment Type: Full-Time
Domain: Life Science

Job Title:

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Architect, Manufacturing Technology (BTS)

Proposed Job Title: BTS Operations M&A Architect

PURPOSE:

Serve as the architect and technology strategist for manufacturing site lifecycle initiatives—including acquisitions, divestitures/separations (as applicable), new builds, and expansions. Lead end-to-end architecture from IT due diligence through Day-1 readiness, stabilization, and integration to AbbVie target standards—ensuring solutions are secure, scalable, compliant (GxP/CSV/Part 11 as applicable), and operationally supportable. Partner with BTS Ops delivery teams and cross-functional stakeholders to deliver repeatable, high-confidence site integrations that enable business growth and operational excellence.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

M&A / Site Lifecycle Architecture Leadership

• Lead technical visioning and architecture for IT/OT systems supporting plant acquisitions, separations, new construction, and expansions, including transition-state and target-state architectures.
• Define Day-1 / Day-30 / Day-100 technology readiness plans, cutover approach, and stabilization (“hypercare”) architecture for acquired/expanded sites.
• Produce and maintain a repeatable Site Integration Playbook (reference architectures, approved patterns, checklists, standard bills of material, and evidence templates).

IT Due Diligence & Integration Strategy

• Own the IT due diligence architecture assessment for target sites: current state inventories (apps/integration/data/infrastructure), IT/OT connectivity, vendor dependencies, obsolescence/EOL, licensing/contracts, support model, and integration complexity.
• Assess cybersecurity posture and third-party risk in coordination with InfoSec, including segmentation, remote access, endpoint posture, asset discovery, identity onboarding, and remediation planning.
• Develop integration options and recommendations (e.g., retain vs. standardize vs. replace) using agreed criteria (risk, compliance, speed, cost, sustainability, architectural fit).

Compliance, Risk, and Governance

• Ensure architectures align to AbbVie standards for security, data privacy, GxP/CSV expectations, and technology governance, with audit-ready traceability.
• Drive architecture decisioning through governance forums (e.g., ARB or equivalent): maintain architecture decision logs/records, exception/risk acceptance documentation, and standards conformance evidence.
• Identify and proactively manage cross-site risks (schedule, cyber, validation, operational readiness), escalating tradeoffs and decisions early.

Solution & Integration Architecture (IT + OT)

• Architect manufacturing technology stacks spanning MES, SCADA/automation interfaces, historians, plant connectivity, ERP integrations, and core infrastructure platforms.
• Define integration patterns and interface inventories: data flows, API/event/file interfaces where applicable, master data alignment, and operational reporting.
• Establish site connectivity and operating model requirements: monitoring, backup/recovery, patching, incident response, and support handoffs.

Delivery Partnership & Leadership

• Partner with BTS Ops program/project managers and implementation teams to guide execution and ensure delivered solutions match architecture intent, quality, compliance, and operational supportability.
• Lead cross-functional workshops with Engineering, Operations, Quality, Procurement, and key vendors to align requirements, validate designs, and resolve tradeoffs.
• Mentor solution architects & project technical leads; set expectation and raise architectural maturity across site deployment teams.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s Degree with 7 years of experience, Master’s Degree with 6 years, or PhD with 2 years in IT systems architecture or a related applied discipline; manufacturing or pharmaceutical industry experience strongly preferred.

• Strong background in manufacturing IT, including understanding of plant floor systems, enterprise integrations, and regulatory compliance (GxP, FDA, etc.).

• Proven experience leading IT projects for new site builds, plant expansions, or acquisition integrations.

• Excellent communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills.

• Ability to assess risk, think strategically, and deliver high-quality solutions in dynamic environments.

• Experience with relevant technology platforms (MES, ERP, Automation/SCADA, network infrastructure, etc.).

• Strong analytic, problem-solving, and project management skills.

• Knowledge of applicable corporate and divisional policies and project management methodologies.

Application Accepted: 9/31/2026

The annual salary for this position is between $150,000 - $165,000 depending on experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate.

This position is also eligible for Cognizant’s discretionary annual incentive program, based on performance and subject to the terms of Cognizant’s applicable plans.

Benefits: Cognizant offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:

• Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance
• Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off
• 401(k) plan and contributions
• Long-term/Short-term Disability
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Disclaimer: The salary, other compensation, and benefits information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable language

Our strength is built on our ability to work together. Our diverse backgrounds offer different perspectives and new ways of thinking. It encourages lively discussions, creativity, productivity, and helps us build better solutions for our clients. We want someone who thrives in this setting and is inspired to craft meaningful solutions through true collaboration.

If you are content with ambiguity, excited by change, and excel through autonomy, we’d love to hear from you!