Director, R&D Information Systems

Biopharma Careers; Foster City (CA); On-site; USD 210,000 - 272,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Stock-based incentives

Job summary

Gilead Sciences is seeking a Director of R&D Information Systems to lead clinical data and analytics strategy, oversee multiple high‑impact projects, and build a high‑performing team across R&D IT. The role focuses on scalable architectures, data governance, and regulatory compliance to support global clinical operations.

You will partner with stakeholders to align technology with business objectives, manage budgets, and drive end‑to‑end SDLC delivery, ensuring quality, security, and audit

Qualifications

• 12+ Years with BS/BA
• 10+ Years with MS/MA or MBA

Responsibilities

• Define and oversee the clinical operational data and analytics strategy for clinical systems.
• Provide strategic leadership across multiple concurrent projects and teams.
• Lead and develop a high-performing organization with diverse top talent.
• Shape and drive short- and long-range Clinical Systems strategies and infrastructure plans.
• Oversee design of scalable data architectures across clinical platforms, including data pipelines, APIs, and ETL.

Job description

At Gilead, we’re creating a healthier world for all people. For more than 35 years, we’ve tackled diseases such as HIV, viral hepatitis, COVID-19 and cancer – working relentlessly to develop therapies that help improve lives and to ensure access to these therapies across the globe. We continue to fight against the world’s biggest health challenges, and our mission requires collaboration, determination and a relentless drive to make a difference.

Every member of Gilead’s team plays a critical role in the discovery and development of life-changing scientific innovations. Our employees are our greatest asset as we work to achieve our bold ambitions, and we’re looking for the next wave of passionate and ambitious people ready to make a direct impact.

We believe every employee deserves a great leader. People Leaders are the cornerstone to the employee experience at Gilead and Kite. As a people leader now or in the future, you are the key driver in evolving our culture and creating an environment where every employee feels included, developed and empowered to fulfil their aspirations. Join Gilead and help create possible, together.

Job Description

This position in Clinical Systems provides technical solutions, data, and analytics to support business needs. This includes leading strategy and/or overseeing the systems delivery, enhancing and maintaining information systems architecture, applications and functionalities. Clinical Systems designs, develops, tests, validates, maintains and improves Clinical Systems, which involves additional responsibilities for preparing and delivering operating instructions and user training, compiling and managing other technical documentation, analyzing and evolving systems capabilities, and partnering with cross functional teams to enhance and improve R&D systems and related technical infrastructure. Good Practice quality guidelines and regulations (GxP) systems validation and user acceptance testing is also a specific responsibility of Clinical Systems. Clinical Systems may also provide technical support during regulatory inspections and internal audits.You will work directly with internal and external customers to fully diagnose their technical needs. You will provide technical support for business applications or systems and may lead others in the development and / or maintenance of business applications and systems. You will typically oversee and manage multiple projects and teams supporting multiple business areas. You will also make broader contributions to the overall Clinical Systems strategies, plans, and infrastructure development.

Initially, the role will involve hands‑on work, establishing teams, assessing business needs, and aligning them with technical tasks and long‑term vision. As the groundwork is laid, the role will take on the end‑to‑end task of forming and overseeing an effective team. Duties include data expertise, industry expertise, designing analytics solutions, setting structures, and providing complete solutions that are scalable and futuristic. The focus is on making an impact through technical skills, influence, and knowledge, with leadership demonstrated through vision and results.

As a Director, R&D Information Systems, at Gilead you will…

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Define and oversee the clinical operational data and analytics strategy for clinical systems (e.g., Veeva, Salesforce, Medidata, custom applications), ensuring alignment with R&D and business objectives.
• Provide strategic leadership across multiple concurrent projects and teams, guiding execution of large-scale, high‑complexity technical workstreams that span multiple business areas.
• Lead and develop a high‑performing organization, including direct people leaders; recruit, grow, and retain diverse top talent; set ambitious goals; and coach individuals on performance, leadership, and career development.
• Shape and drive short‑and long‑range Clinical Systems strategies and infrastructure plans through deep business, technology, and data expertise.
• Partner with business stakeholders and IT leadership to shape a shared long‑term technical strategy and roadmap for priority capabilities, ensuring strong alignment and coordinated execution across the enterprise.
• Lead solution design and oversee execution of major programs and projects, including assignment of project teams and direction of project leaders; step in as project leader for critical initiatives when needed.
• Ensure on‑time, high‑quality, and within‑budget delivery of the technical roadmap, leveraging strong program governance and proactive risk management.
• Serve as a primary technical and data strategy spokesperson to Clinical Systems, cross‑functional partners, and IT teams, influencing direction and accelerating decision‑making.
• Oversee the design of scalable data architectures across clinical platforms, including data pipelines, APIs, and ETL processes, ensuring secure, interoperable, and analytics‑ready data integration with enterprise systems.
• Partner with Validation and Quality teams to provide oversight for testing, process optimization, and system enhancements, ensuring solutions are aligned with business needs and compliant with GxP and other regulatory requirements.
• Work with business partners and IT teams to optimize R&D applications and clinical systems, driving efficiency, reducing cycle times, and improving overall system performance.
• Provide oversight to ensure timely and accurate delivery of end‑to‑end SDLC project deliverables
• Safeguard data integrity, audit readiness, and compliance across all clinical data and analytics environments.
• Independently create program‑level budgets and resource plans; identify cross‑project synergies to enhance efficiency, reduce redundancy, and scale best practices.
• Ensure all work adheres to established policies, processes, and regulatory requirements while driving continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Basic Qualifications

• 12+ Years with BS/BA
• 10+ Years with MS/MA or MBA

Preferred qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive experience in IT data analytics, business intelligence, or related fields, with proven end‑to‑end ownership of complex analytics solutions.
• Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, Data Analytics, or related discipline (or equivalent experience).
• 6+ years of technical project management or relevant leadership experience in a business environment, including multi‑year experience managing project teams.
• Demonstrated excellence in managing complex technical projects and balancing multiple priorities effectively.
• 8+ years of direct people‑management experience.
• 10+ years of experience in the pharmaceutical or healthcare industry, with a deep understanding of data and analytics operations.
• Experience with modern analytics tools, technologies, and cloud‑based platforms, including AWS, AI/ML frameworks, serverless computing, data lakes, and data marts.
• Strong technical expertise in analytics and visualization tools such as Tableau, Power BI, Looker, Qlik, and ThoughtSpot.
• Working knowledge of cloud ecosystems (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) and modern data platforms (data lakes, data warehouses).
• Experience developing and operationalizing standards, critical metrics, and advanced methodologies across analytics programs.
• Exceptional executive
• Exceptional executive‑level communication and influencing skills, combined with a track record of strong project leadership and independent execution.
• Has advanced business knowledge, as evidenced by independence in designing, implementing and managing execution against short‑and long‑range technical strategies and roadmaps.
• Demonstrates expertise in developing and managing project scope, deliverables, risks and resource requirements.
• High degree of organizational awareness and knowledge of change management with the ability to help teams anticipate, plan, and adapt to an evolving environment.
• Strong leadership presence with demonstrated ability to lead without authority and influence programs, projects and/or initiatives.
• Ability to understand and communicate technical and/or business elements in a clear and concise manner.
• Strong interpersonal skills and understanding of team dynamics.
• Strong negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
• Strong coaching capabilities to mentor/develop staff.
• Strong quality orientation and attention to detail and accuracy.

When needed, the ability to travel and freedom to use his/her skills to run their own department, and to contribute to the Business group as a whole.

People Leader Accountabilities

• Create Inclusion - knowing the business value of diverse teams, modeling inclusion, and embedding the value of diversity in the way they manage their teams.
• Develop Talent - understand the skills, experience, aspirations and potential of their employees and coach them on current performance and future potential. They ensure employees are receiving the feedback and insight needed to grow, develop and realize their purpose.
• Empower Teams - connect the team to the organization by aligning goals, purpose, and organizational objectives, and holding them to account. They provide the support needed to remove barriers and connect their team to the broader ecosystem

The salary range for this position is: $210,375.00 - $272,250.00. Gilead considers a variety of factors when determining base compensation, including experience, qualifications, and geographic location. These considerations mean actual compensation will vary. This position may also be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, discretionary stock-based long-term incentives (eligibility may vary based on role), paid time off, and a benefits package. Benefits include company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans*.

For additional benefits information, visit: https://www.gilead.com/careers/compensation-benefits-and-wellbeing

* Eligible employees may participate in benefit plans, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans.

For jobs in the United States: Gilead Sciences Inc. is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment, and is dedicated to fostering an inclusive work environment comprised of diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. Employment decisions regarding recruitment and selection will be made without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex , age, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability,genetic information or characteristic, gender identity and expression, veteran status, or other non-job related characteristics or other prohibited grounds specified in applicable federal, state and local laws. In order to ensure reasonable accommodation for individuals protected by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Act of 1974, and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, applicants who require accommodation in the job application process may contact [e-mail] for assistance.

For more information about equal employment opportunity protections, please view the 'Know Your Rights' poster.

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Gilead Sciences will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, (c) consistent with the legal duty to furnish information; or (d) otherwise protected by law.

Our environment respects individual differences and recognizes each employee as an integral member of our company. Our workforce reflects these values and celebrates the individuals who make up our growing team.

Gilead provides a work environment free of harassment and prohibited conduct. We promote and support individual differences and diversity of thoughts and opinion.