Director, GBS, Forward Deployed Engineer

Role Summary

The Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) is a hands-on technologist and trusted innovation partner to Global Business Services (GBS) embedded at the intersection of global business processes, transactional data, and enterprise technology. This role translates bold ideas into AI- and data-driven prototypes that accelerate discovery, development, and delivery of innovative solutions, operating within Pfizer Digital & Technology’s Enabling Functions Forward Impact Engineering team. FDEs work in small, mission-focused Pods aligned to EF domains and co-own a domain’s innovation backlog—from idea intake through proof-of-concept delivery and transition to enterprise scale.

Responsibilities

• Rapidly design and build AI- and data-driven prototypes addressing high-value GBS use cases (e.g., predictive modeling, scientific data integration, knowledge assistants, document intelligence, or lab automation).
• Collaborate with enterprise data, platform, and engineering teams to ensure scalability and secure handoff of validated solutions.
• Apply best practices in software development, data science, and MLOps to deliver maintainable, well-documented prototypes.

• Serve as the primary AI and technology thought partner for senior GBS leaders (VP/SVP level).
• Translate scientific and operational pain points into technical opportunities with clear business value.
• Influence decision-makers through demonstrations, storytelling, and measurable outcomes.

• Work with Product Managers to source, assess, and prioritize ideas in the GBS Innovation Backlog.
• Conduct feasibility assessments and align solutions to enterprise architecture, data governance, and AI safety standards.
• Help define success metrics, business cases, and transition plans for scaled adoption.

• Build bridges between research scientists, enterprise Digital & Technology, data engineering, and AI platform teams.
• Share learnings and reusable assets across Pods to accelerate innovation velocity.
• Mentor emerging technical talent and help establish the culture of AI in service of science.

Qualifications

• Required: Bachelor's degree and 8+ years of experience in software engineering, data science, or applied AI, including 3+ years in a lead technical or product innovation role; or Master’s Degree with 7+ years of experience; or PhD with 5+ years of experience.
• Required: Proven ability to build working prototypes and AI applications using modern languages and frameworks (e.g., Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow, LangChain, FastAPI).
• Required: Deep understanding of data platforms, APIs, and cloud ecosystems (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Required: Strong grasp of machine learning and generative AI concepts, including LLMs, NLP, and multimodal systems.
• Required: Excellent communication and storytelling skills; capable of translating complex ideas to non-technical audiences.
• Required: Demonstrated success influencing senior stakeholders and driving alignment in a matrixed, global organization.

• Preferred: Experience in pharma or corporate finance computing environments.
• Preferred: Familiarity with regulated domains (e.g., GxP, SOX).
• Preferred: Track record of leading cross-functional innovation initiatives from ideation to adoption.
• Preferred: Contributions to open-source projects, technical publications, or patents in AI/ML.

Additional Requirements

• Travel up to 25% may be required for business activities.
• Work Location Assignment: Hybrid