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Principal Software Engineer – Forward Deployed

Pfizer
On-site
Lake Forest, IL
$141,000 - $261,000 USD yearly
IT

Role Summary

We are seeking a skilled Software Engineer who will design, build, and maintain software systems that deliver business value. In this role, you will focus on code quality, architecture decisions, and reliable delivery while leveraging AI tools to enhance productivity. You will verify and review AI-generated code to ensure it meets our quality standards.

In this forward-deployed role, you will be embedded directly in strategic areas across Pfizer Global Supply (PGS). You will operate like a "startup CTO," bridging the gap between building products and solving real business problems through rapid solution delivery and deep domain expertise. As part of the discovery-to-scale pipeline, you will identify recurring patterns and hand off validated solutions to Platform Engineers for generalization into enterprise capabilities.

This role encompasses organization-wide technical strategy and architectural direction. You will define strategic direction and be accountable for outcomes, shape organizational practices and maintain external industry visibility. You will handle organizational-scale complexity creating clarity from chaos.

Responsibilities

  • Delivery: Drive delivery of the most critical technical initiatives, establish engineering delivery practices across the business unit, and be the technical authority on high-stakes projects
  • People: Develop technical leaders, shape engineering talent strategy across the business unit, and build high-performing engineering teams
  • Business: Shape technology-driven business strategy, represent technical perspective at executive level, and be recognized as a bridge between engineering and business
  • AI: Design AI-augmented engineering workflows for your area, evaluate new AI tools, train engineers on effective AI usage, and balance speed with verification
  • Reliability: Establish SLOs/SLIs across teams, build resilient systems, lead reliability initiatives for your area, mentor engineers on reliability practices, and drive reliability culture
  • Documentation: Establish documentation standards across teams in your area, build knowledge management systems, and mentor engineers on effective technical writing
  • Process: Drive process efficiency within your team, coordinate cross-functional technical work, and lead retrospectives

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field with 8+ years of relevant experience.
  • Experience in across Life Sciences, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Quality or other Global Supply organizations.