Senior Director - Autonomous Labs Architect

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Senior Director - Autonomous Labs Architect based in the United States.

This senior leadership role will define the architecture and technology strategy needed to scale autonomous laboratories across a global life sciences environment.
You will establish enterprise standards, reusable patterns, and governance models that connect laboratory automation, robotics, AI, data, software, and scientific instruments.
The role is highly strategic, translating emerging autonomous-lab technologies into scalable enterprise capabilities and future customer-facing solutions.
You will work across business units and with technology partners, scientific organizations, customers, and industry ecosystems to drive alignment and adoption.
Success requires balancing scientific workflows, technical feasibility, interoperability, enterprise scalability, and commercial impact.
As a thought leader in autonomous laboratories, you will influence long-term technology direction and help shape the future of AI-enabled scientific discovery.
The position is fully remote in the U.S., reports to the enterprise leader for Autonomous and Intelligent Labs, and requires approximately 40% travel.

Accountabilities:

• Define and govern the enterprise architecture, technology standards, and reusable design patterns for autonomous and AI-enabled laboratory systems.
• Establish clear architectural requirements and governance frameworks that promote consistency, interoperability, scalability, and long-term technology sustainability.
• Develop and influence multi-year strategies for autonomous laboratories, ensuring emerging technologies are translated into practical enterprise capabilities.
• Architect interoperability and integration across scientific instruments, laboratory automation, robotics, informatics platforms, AI agents, data layers, software systems, and external technologies.
• Guide system, software, workflow, and data architecture decisions across complex, mixed-vendor laboratory environments.
• Ensure internal autonomous-lab initiatives become reusable enterprise capabilities, standards, and reference architectures rather than isolated implementations.
• Partner with operating companies, enterprise functions, customers, strategic technology partners, industry consortia, and scientific organizations to drive alignment and adoption.
• Translate enterprise strategy into scalable execution while connecting technical architecture decisions to measurable business outcomes.
• Influence product strategy and potential commercial offerings across multiple operating companies.
• Serve as a senior internal and external thought leader on autonomous laboratories, AI-enabled experimentation, laboratory architecture, and technology strategy.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and ecosystem developments to inform long-term architecture and investment decisions.
• Build strong relationships across scientific, engineering, technology, and business communities while promoting continuous improvement and scalable innovation.
• Travel approximately 40% to support strategic partnerships, business initiatives, customer engagement, and ecosystem activities.

Requirements:

• Advanced degree in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Robotics, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, or a related discipline.
• 7+ years of experience in systems architecture, digital laboratories, laboratory automation, scientific instrumentation, platform architecture, or closely related fields.
• Proven experience defining and implementing enterprise architecture, technology standards, and governance models across products, platforms, workflows, or complex enterprise environments.
• Demonstrated success working across multiple business units or enterprise functions and translating strategic objectives into scalable execution and measurable outcomes.
• Strong understanding of architecture across scientific instruments, AI, data platforms, automation, scientific software, laboratory workflows, and technology ecosystems.
• Experience collaborating with external ecosystem participants such as automation vendors, scientific software providers, AI and computing platforms, data-platform providers, and strategic technology partners.
• Product, platform, or architecture leadership experience with the ability to balance customer needs, scientific workflows, technical feasibility, enterprise scalability, and business impact.
• Strong strategic thinking and systems-level problem-solving skills, with the ability to connect complex technical decisions to organizational objectives.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder-influence skills, including the ability to engage senior executives, technical leaders, scientists, customers, and external partners.
• Experience with autonomous labs, self-driving laboratories, autonomous instruments, or AI-driven experimental workflows is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with laboratory informatics and digital laboratory platforms, including LIMS, ELN, scientific data platforms, and instrument connectivity solutions is a plus.
• Experience with life sciences workflows such as flow cytometry, antibody discovery, cell biology, assay development, or bioprocessing is advantageous.
• Experience translating scientific AI concepts into practical laboratory products, workflows, or customer-facing solutions is preferred.
• Familiarity with continuous improvement methodologies and operating systems is a plus.

Benefits:

• Annual salary: $230,000–$290,000, with the potential for the range to change in the future.
• Eligibility for bonus/incentive compensation.
• Fully remote work arrangement from a home office within the United States.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance for eligible employees.
• 401(k) retirement benefits.
• Paid time off and other comprehensive employee benefits.
• Flexible working arrangements designed to support different work environments and employee needs.
• Opportunity to shape enterprise-scale autonomous laboratory capabilities at the intersection of AI, robotics, scientific computing, and life sciences.
• High-impact leadership role with exposure to senior stakeholders, customers, technology partners, and scientific ecosystems.
• Opportunity to influence future products, platforms, and customer-facing solutions across a complex global organization.
• Supportive environment focused on continuous improvement, innovation, professional development, and meaningful scientific impact.

How Jobgether works:

We use an AI-powered matching process to ensure your application is reviewed quickly, objectively, and fairly against the role's core requirements. Our system identifies the top-fitting candidates, and this shortlist is then shared directly with the hiring company. The final decision and next steps (interviews, assessments) are managed by their internal team.

We appreciate your interest and wish you the best!

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