Director - Scientific Data Preparedness, Data Foundry

100 Eli Lilly and Company; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 177,000 - 282,000; Full time

Job summary

Lilly, a global leader in biopharma, seeks a Senior Director, Scientific Data Preparedness to drive data harmonization, metadata standards, and AI-readiness across scientific workflows. This player-coach role blends hands-on delivery with strategic leadership across Architecture4Insight and Scale4Insight.

You'll build teams, set capability roadmaps, and partner with enterprise data and research teams to ensure trusted, interoperable data for computational and AI-enabled discovery in a complex

Qualifications

• BS or higher degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Information Science, or related STEM field.
• Ph.D. with 6+ years, M.S. with 8+ years, or B.S. with 10+ years of relevant experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex scientific data, information management, data integration, or digital transformation initiatives.
• Demonstrated leadership in defining and delivering AI-ready scientific data products, with hands-on experience applying ontologies, metadata standards, and data governance policies to make data trusted, interoperable, and reusable.

Responsibilities

• Capability & Team Leadership: Build, develop, and coach the team responsible for Scientific Data Preparedness. Establish capability roadmaps, investment priorities, and operating mechanisms.
• Scientific Data Harmonization: Define the strategy for harmonizing scientific data and metadata across Molecular Discovery. Establish standards that improve interoperability, data quality, and reuse.
• Information Flow & AI Readiness: Define end-to-end information flow models across scientific processes, systems, and data products.
• Enterprise Integration & Stewardship: Shape and advance integration of discovery data assets with Lilly’s enterprise data environment.
• Player-Coach Leadership: Provide hands-on leadership for strategic Scientific Data Preparedness initiatives and guide technical leaders.

Skills

Leadership

AI readiness

Data harmonization

Metadata standards

Information architecture

Stakeholder collaboration

Education

PhD with 6+ years

MS with 8+ years

BS with 10+ years

Job description

Overview

At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life-changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve. This is hard, urgent, selfless work—but it’s work worth doing. If you’re driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us.

At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world.

Position Summary

We are seeking a Senior Director, Scientific Data Preparedness to lead efforts to strengthen the foundations that enable effective use and reuse of scientific data across scientific workflows. The role will establish strategies and practices for data harmonization, metadata and semantic standards, information flow modeling, AI readiness, and integration with Lilly’s enterprise data ecosystem. As part of Architecture4Insight, this leader will partner closely with Methods4Insight and Scale4Insight and engage broadly across Lilly’s scientific and technology organizations to ensure scientific data is prepared to support computational, analytical, and AI-enabled discovery. This role combines team and capability leadership with hands‑on technical engagement and requires a player‑coach who can build and develop teams, influence strategy, and drive execution across a complex scientific and technology landscape.

Key Responsibilities

• Capability & Team Leadership Build, develop, and coach the team responsible for Scientific Data Preparedness. Establish capability roadmaps, investment priorities, and operating mechanisms. Serve as a senior member of the Architecture4Insight leadership team.
• Scientific Data Harmonization Define the strategy for harmonizing scientific data and metadata across Molecular Discovery. Establish standards that improve interoperability, data quality, and reuse. Partner with data architecture and platform teams to enable a consistent scientific information ecosystem.
• Information Flow & AI Readiness Define end-to-end information flow models across scientific processes, systems, and data products. Develop frameworks and assessment approaches for scientific data and AI readiness. Identify and prioritize opportunities to improve data accessibility and readiness for AI-enabled use.
• Enterprise Integration & Stewardship Shape and advance integration of discovery data assets with Lilly’s enterprise data environment. Establish stewardship practices and accountability models for critical scientific information. Partner with enterprise technology and data organizations to align standards, platforms, and governance processes.
• Player-Coach Leadership Provide hands‑on leadership for strategic Scientific Data Preparedness initiatives. Guide and develop teams and technical leaders through complex scientific data and information challenges. Serve as a trusted advisor to scientific, technical, and business stakeholders.

Basic Requirements

• BS or higher degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Information Science, or related STEM field.
• Ph.D. with 6+ years, M.S. with 8+ years, or B.S. with 10+ years of relevant experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex scientific data, information management, data integration, or digital transformation initiatives.
• Demonstrated leadership in defining and delivering AI-ready scientific data products, with hands‑on experience applying ontologies, metadata standards, and data governance policies to make data trusted, interoperable, and reusable.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, life sciences, or research-intensive environments.
• Expertise in scientific data management, harmonization, metadata, governance, information architecture, or AI/data readiness.
• Demonstrated success building, leading, and developing high‑performing technical teams.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and organizational influence skills.

Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form (https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation) for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.

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. Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and are open to all employees. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia (AMECA), Black Employees at Lilly (BE@Lilly), Chinese Culture Network (CCN), EnAble, Evolve, Lilly Indian Network (LIN), Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), Pride (LGBTQ+ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN) and Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL).

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is $177,000 - $281,600 Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); pension; vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities).

Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees.

#WeAreLilly At Lilly we strive to ensure our employees are part of a team that cares about them and our shared purpose of making life better for those around the world. How do we do this? We continue to look for ways to include, innovate, accelerate and deliver while maintaining integrity, excellence and respect for people. We hope that you seek to join us on our journey as we create medicine and deliver improved outcomes for patients across the globe! #WeAreLilly