Laboratory Data Strategy & Architecture Lead

FormativGroup; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); Remote; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

FormativGroup is seeking a Laboratory Data Strategy & Architecture Lead to guide data strategy, governance, and migrations across regulated laboratory systems. You will own roadmaps, define data models, and partner with IT, business, and lab teams in a complex pharmaceutical transformation.

The role emphasizes building scalable data architectures, ensuring data quality and traceability, and enabling connected analytics and cloud initiatives within GxP-regulated environments.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience with laboratory data in pharma or life sciences.
• Ownership of data strategy, roadmaps, and cross-system migration planning.
• Experience with data mapping, conversion, migration, reconciliation, and data-quality controls.
• Strong knowledge of data governance, metadata, and master/reference data practices.
• Ability to translate complex requirements into actionable plans with stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead laboratory data strategies, roadmaps, mapping approaches, and conversion plans aligned to business and technology objectives.
• Define data reconciliation processes, quality standards, validation rules, and controls for data migration.
• Establish data ownership, governance, metadata management, and handover requirements.
• Define laboratory data architecture, models, integration patterns, interfaces, and cross-platform migration requirements.
• Partner with laboratory systems teams, data architects, business stakeholders, and delivery teams to identify risks and remediation plans.
• Provide SME guidance on laboratory data structures, workflows, and system transitions in regulated environments.
• Support analytics, reporting, and cloud data initiatives while complying with regulatory requirements.

Skills

Lab data strategy

Roadmap ownership

Data architecture

Data mapping & migration

Data governance & stewardship

Cross-system collaboration

Cloud data platforms

Tools

LIMS

Job description

Lead laboratory data strategy, architecture, and migration planning for a complex pharmaceutical transformation.

FormativGroup partners with organizations to solve complex business and technology challenges through modern application, cloud, data, AI, and digital transformation solutions.

As a Laboratory Data Strategy & Architecture Lead, you will provide strategic and technical guidance for laboratory data across systems and platforms in a regulated pharmaceutical environment. You will own data strategy and roadmaps, guide mapping and conversion planning, and establish governance, quality, and integration requirements in partnership with laboratory, business, and technology stakeholders.

What You'll Work On

As Laboratory Data Strategy & Architecture Lead, you will:

• Develop and lead laboratory data strategies, roadmaps, mapping approaches, and conversion plans aligned to business and technology objectives.
• Define data reconciliation processes, quality standards, validation rules, and controls to support accurate and complete data migration.
• Establish data ownership, stewardship, governance, metadata, master/reference data, and operational handover requirements.
• Define laboratory data architecture, data models, integration patterns, interfaces, and cross-platform migration requirements.
• Partner with laboratory systems teams, data architects, business stakeholders, and delivery teams to identify dependencies, risks, gaps, and remediation plans.
• Provide subject matter guidance on laboratory data structures, workflows, and system transitions in regulated pharmaceutical environments.
• Support connected analytics, reporting, and cloud data initiatives while aligning practices with applicable regulatory and compliance requirements.

What You'll Bring

You will likely be successful in this role if you have:

• Extensive experience with laboratory systems and data in pharmaceutical or life sciences environments.
• Demonstrated ownership of laboratory data strategy, roadmaps, data architecture, and cross-system transformation planning.
• Direct experience with data mapping, conversion, migration planning, reconciliation, and data-quality controls.
• Strong knowledge of data governance, stewardship, metadata management, and master/reference data practices.
• Experience defining data models, system interfaces, integration requirements, and migration or validation standards.
• Ability to work directly with business, laboratory, IT, and architecture stakeholders and turn complex requirements into actionable plans.
• Working familiarity with cloud data platforms, analytics, and enterprise reporting environments.

How You Work

• Take ownership of ambiguous data challenges and translate them into pragmatic strategies, standards, and delivery plans.
• Communicate clearly with scientific, business, and technical stakeholders across a complex client program.
• Balance strategic direction with hands-on analysis and careful attention to data quality, traceability, and delivery risk.

Bonus Points If You Have

• Experience supporting large-scale laboratory system transformation or pharmaceutical data modernization programs.
• Familiarity with GxP requirements and regulated laboratory data practices.
• Experience with Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), scientific data management, or cloud migration initiatives.

What Success Looks Like

• A clear, stakeholder-aligned laboratory data strategy and practical roadmap are established.
• Data ownership, architecture, mapping, conversion, reconciliation, and governance requirements are documented and actionable.
• Migration dependencies and data-quality risks are identified early, with clear remediation and validation approaches.
• Business, laboratory, and technical teams share a consistent understanding of data requirements and handover responsibilities.

Why Join FormativGroup

FormativGroup is a PE-backed technology consulting and implementation partner helping organizations modernize complex business platforms, improve delivery outcomes, and scale technology solutions that support long-term growth. We partner with clients across strategy, solution design, implementation, and ongoing support to help move critical initiatives from vision to execution. Our teams bring deep technical expertise, delivery discipline, and a collaborative approach to every engagement.

At FormativGroup, you'll work with people who are practical, collaborative, and focused on solving meaningful business and technology problems. We're growing, which means you'll have opportunities to contribute ideas, work closely with experienced leaders, and help shape how we deliver for clients.

• This role is a client-facing assignment remote in the United States requiring travel to Philadelphia approximately twice a month. Candidates based in New Jersey or Pennsylvania are preferred.
• Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa now or in the future.