Sr Director, Applied AI Engineering

Overview

The Senior Director of Applied AI Engineering has a critical leadership role within Team ARC (AI Research Center), Gilead’s Center of Excellence for AI and advanced analytics. ARC operates within the Clinical Data Science (CDS) organization, which is part of the broader Drug Development organization led by the Chief Medical Officer. The Senior Director of Applied AI Engineering will lead the development and deployment of advanced AI applications within Gilead’s drug development portfolio.

This leader will focus on translating AI research—particularly in generative AI, LLMs, and autonomous agents—into scalable, production-ready tools. They will drive collaboration across clinical operations, regulatory, medical writing, and RWE, working closely with peers in AI Acceleration (AIx), Delivery & Product Management Experiences (DPMx), IT, and Development Systems (Dev Sys).

• Design, deploy, and maintain machine learning and generative AI systems that address real-world challenges in drug development (e.g., trial optimization, regulatory authoring, medical review automation).
• Translate cutting-edge research into practical tools that impact the business.
• Partner with AIx and DPMx to define, build, and integrate AI-powered solutions into key processes.
• Engage with IT and Dev Sys to ensure secure, scalable infrastructure and seamless handoffs from prototyping to production.
• Architect and optimize AI/ML pipelines across model training, inference, and monitoring.
• Define engineering best practices for LLMOps and applied AI across therapeutic areas.
• Build and lead a team of applied AI engineers; foster a culture of ownership, speed, and continuous learning; mentor engineers and champion coding, testing, and documentation standards.
• Track usage, performance, and business impact of deployed AI systems; calibrate model outputs with domain experts for continuous improvement.

• Advanced degree (MS/PhD) in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Data Science, or related field
• 14+ years of experience in AI/ML engineering, with at least 5 years in leadership roles
• Proven track record of deploying AI systems at scale in high-stakes domains (life sciences, healthcare, finance)
• Expertise in deep learning and large language models (e.g., transformers, RAG, distillation)
• Proficiency in frameworks such as PyTorch or Tensor Flow
• Strong engineering foundation (data structures, architecture, testing, CI/CD)
• Excellent communicator with the ability to navigate ambiguity and drive alignment across science, engineering, and operations

• Experience working in or alongside clinical, regulatory, or medical affairs functions
• Familiarity with GxP, 21 CFR Part 11, and other relevant compliance frameworks
• Experience with AI agents, model evaluation for healthcare, and multimodal data integration

• The opportunity to define the engineering blueprint for applied AI in drug development
• Direct impact on how generative AI and automation can transform how trials are designed, conducted, and reviewed
• A collaborative environment where research and application meet to deliver innovation at scale

The salary range for this position is: $ - $. Gilead considers a variety of factors when determining base compensation, including experience, qualifications, and geographic location. This position may also be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, discretionary stock-based long-term incentives (eligibility may vary based on role), paid time off, and a benefits package. Benefits include company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans.

For additional benefits information, visit:

Gilead Sciences Inc. is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and fostering an inclusive work environment. Employment decisions are made without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, gender identity, veteran status, or other non-job related characteristics or prohibited grounds by applicable laws. Reasonable accommodations are available for individuals protected by applicable laws.

Please apply via the Internal Career Opportunities portal in Workday if you are a current Gilead employee or contractor.