R&D Solutions Architect, Associate Director

About the Role

The Associate Director, Solution Architecture plays a key role in defining and advancing end-to-end solution architecture for cross-functional research and development initiatives, with a focus on clinical development, regulatory, and safety-related domains. This role translates business needs into secure, scalable, and interoperable technology solutions that support study execution, evidence generation, regulatory submissions, and safety operations. Working closely with enterprise architecture, product, and technology teams, the position helps align solutions with organizational standards and long-term technology strategies. The role also strengthens the broader data ecosystem by promoting data quality, traceability, governance, and integration across critical business domains. As a senior individual contributor, this position influences architecture decisions, supports complex programs in regulated environments, and helps elevate technical capability across teams through guidance and mentorship.

How You Will Contribute

• Define and champion solution architecture strategies across clinical development, regulatory, and safety-focused initiatives.
• Lead solution evaluations and technology selections, including build-versus-buy assessments and early sizing activities.
• Drive end-to-end solution design from discovery through delivery, ensuring alignment with business and technical objectives.
• Develop and maintain architecture artifacts including solution designs, integration patterns, and data flow models.
• Ensure alignment with architecture standards by promoting reusable platforms, shared services, and consistent design patterns.
• Provide architecture guidance and consulting to delivery teams to address technical risks, debt, and design challenges.
• Collaborate with product managers and technical leaders to optimize solutions and enable cross-functional capabilities.
• Promote secure, compliant, and auditable solutions while incorporating emerging technologies and industry trends into architecture recommendations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field.
• Ten or more years of experience in technology roles with progressively increasing responsibility.
• Strong solution architecture experience delivering cross-functional technology capabilities in regulated environments.
• Expertise in integration and middleware technologies, including application interfaces, event-driven solutions, and data integration patterns.
• Experience translating business requirements into technical designs, non-functional requirements, and implementation roadmaps.
• Knowledge of data architecture and governance practices, including data quality, metadata management, lineage, and traceability.
• Strong communication, stakeholder management, and collaboration skills, with the ability to explain complex concepts to diverse audiences.
• Experience supporting compliance, privacy, security, and data governance requirements within regulated industries.