Associate Vice President - Architecture4Insight, Data Foundry

Company: Eli Lilly and Company
Location: San Francisco
Posted on: February 20, 2026

Job Description:

At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We are a global healthcare leader headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our employees around the world work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. We give our best effort to our work, and we put people first. We’re looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world. Position: Associate Vice President of Architecture4Insight, Data Foundry Reports to: Head of Data Foundry, Discovery Technology and Platforms, LSMD Overview: At Lilly, we serve an extraordinary purpose. We make a difference for people around the globe by discovering, developing and delivering medicines that help them live longer, healthier, more active lives. Not only do we deliver breakthrough medications, but you also can count on us to develop creative solutions to support communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. Lilly Small Molecule Discovery is an organization purpose-built to create molecules that make life better for people. We focus on using cutting edge science to unlock new approaches that can treat people suffering from diseases with poor treatment options. We continually challenge ourselves to deliver molecules that can provide breakthrough efficacy with the highest possible safety margins. We are dedicated to optimizing our mindset, technology, and processes for faster, more nimble execution. Our success is built on a culture that empowers innovative problem solving through open collaboration and individual accountability. Discovery Technology and Platforms is a newly established function within this organization. Its mission is to accelerate molecule discovery by building highly optimized foundational platforms, streamlining lab operations through advanced technologies and data connectivity, and intentionally investing in novel technologies and capabilities. About Data Foundry: Data Foundry is a multidisciplinary team dedicated to enabling and accelerating molecule discovery through scalable and reproducible data generation, fueled by advanced scientific computing, informatics, and automation solutions. Data Foundry operates through four integrated pillars: Architecture4Insight (data infrastructure and scientific software), Methods4Insight (analytical and computational methods), Automation & Scale4Insight (lab automation and agentic workflows), and Preparedness4Insight (data governance and readiness). Together, these pillars empower every Lilly scientist to make optimal decisions by providing seamless access to data, insights, and AI-driven capabilities at scale. Position Summary: The AVP of Architecture4Insight will lead the data architecture and scientific software infrastructure pillar within Data Foundry, directing a team of data architects, data engineers, and scientific software developers. This leader will build the foundational systems that enable AI-native molecule discovery for both human scientists and autonomous AI agents. This role combines strategic vision with hands-on technical leadership. You will own the enterprise data architecture strategy for small molecule discovery—including ontologies, schema design, APIs, metadata frameworks, FAIR-compliant data infrastructure, and data capture workflows—while working closely with all Data Foundry pillars to enable their success. You will partner with Methods4Insight to ensure data and software systems support cutting-edge analytical methods, with Automation & Scale4Insight to integrate real-time data capture from laboratory automation, and with Preparedness4Insight to embed data governance and quality standards into systems by design. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in data architecture and governance, proven success building enterprise data platforms in pharma/biotech, and the ability to translate complex scientific needs into scalable technical solutions. Responsibilities: Lead the Architecture4Insight team, including data architects, data engineers, scientific software developers, and data integration specialists. Define and implement the enterprise data architecture strategy for small molecule discovery, ensuring data is FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) and AI/ML-ready. Establish and own critical architectural components: ontologies, schema design, metadata frameworks, controlled vocabularies, and data models for chemical, biological, and automation-generated data. Lead strategy for evolving data capture systems (LIMS, ELNs, instrumentation integration) to support AI-native discovery workflows with real-time, machine-actionable data. Lead a scientific software engineering team that rapidly prototypes custom applications, workflow tools, and interfaces to support discovery scientists’ evolving needs. Collaborate closely with Methods4Insight, Automation & Scale4Insight, and Preparedness4Insight to ensure Architecture4Insight serves as the enabling foundation across all Data Foundry pillars. Establish and maintain a clear operating model with Tech@Lilly defining roles, responsibilities, and handoff criteria for transitioning prototypes to production-grade enterprise systems. Partner with the Frontier AI team to ensure data infrastructure and APIs robustly support autonomous agent workflows and laboratory automation control. Champion a culture of data quality, integrity, and continuous improvement across all systems and workflows. Build and develop a world-class team, fostering innovation, technical excellence, and career development. Basic Requirements: Bachelor degree in Computer Science, Bioinformatics, Data Science, Biomedical Engineering, or related STEM field 15 years of progressive experience in data architecture, scientific software development, or research informatics, with significant pharma/biotech industry experience. Additional Preferences: Experience deploying AI/ML solutions or supporting AI agent workflows in a discovery or research setting. Experience building or implementing LIMS, ELN, or enterprise data ecosystems in biotech/pharma. Demonstrated success leading large, multidisciplinary teams in a matrixed, global organization. Deep expertise in data modeling, data governance frameworks, FAIR principles, metadata management, and modern data integration patterns. Proven ability to translate scientific needs into data and informatics strategies. Strong communication and collaboration skills across scientific, technical, and executive stakeholders. Track record of driving innovation in data infrastructure and enabling new scientific capabilities. Strategic thinking with demonstrated ability to balance long-term architecture vision with pragmatic, iterative delivery. Passion for mentoring and empowering teams in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment. Additional Information: Physical Demands/Travel: The physical demands of this job are consistent with an office environment. This position will require travel. The physical demands here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Work Environment: This position’s work environment is in an office. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. *To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the role and responsibilities satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 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 Network, Black Employees at Lilly, Chinese Culture Network, Japanese International Leadership Network (JILN), Lilly India Network, Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), PRIDE (LGBTQ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN), Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL), enAble (for people with disabilities). Learn more about all of our groups. Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is $259,500 - $380,600 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

Keywords: Eli Lilly and Company, San Francisco , Associate Vice President - Architecture4Insight, Data Foundry, IT / Software / Systems , San Francisco, California