Director, Research Systems (United States - California - Foster City)

This job is with Gilead Sciences Inc., an inclusive employer and a member of myGwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community. Please do not contact the recruiter directly.

At Gilead, we're creating a healthier world for all people. For more than 35 years, we've tackled diseases such as HIV, viral hepatitis, COVID-19 and cancer - working relentlessly to develop therapies that help improve lives and to ensure access to these therapies across the globe. We continue to fight against the world's biggest health challenges, and our mission requires collaboration, determination and a relentless drive to make a difference.

 

Every member of Gilead's team plays a critical role in the discovery and development of life-changing scientific innovations. Our employees are our greatest asset as we work to achieve our bold ambitions, and we're looking for the next wave of passionate and ambitious people ready to make a direct impact.

 

We believe every employee deserves a great leader. People Leaders are the cornerstone to the employee experience at Gilead and Kite. As a people leader now or in the future, you are the key driver in evolving our culture and creating an environment where every employee feels included, developed and empowered to fulfil their aspirations. Join Gilead and help create possible, together.

Job Description

 

(Director‑level Technical Leader | Principal‑Engineer Profile | 30-50% Hands‑On Coding)

Gilead's mission is to discover, develop, and deliver therapies that will improve the lives of patients with life-threatening illnesses worldwide. The Director, Research Systems provides strategic, operational, and hands‑on technical leadership for Research Informatics systems that support drug discovery at Gilead. This role is accountable for both people leadership and direct technical contribution , and is expected to remain deeply engaged in the design, development, and delivery of production software .

This position is intentionally scoped for a principal‑engineer‑style leader -someone who leads through technical ownership, code authorship, and scientific understanding , not solely through delegation or architectural oversight.

Key Responsibilities:

Scientific and Business Impact

• Accountable for the impact of Research Informatics systems on the end‑to‑end drug discovery lifecycle, including scientific insight, data quality, and research productivity.

• Applies deep understanding of drug discovery workflows and scientific decision‑making to define informatics strategies and solutions.

• Establishes priorities based on scientific value, patient impact, and enterprise benefit, with clear accountability for outcomes.

Hands‑On Technical Leadership (Director‑Level Expectation)

• Devotes approximately 30-50% of time to hands‑on software development , including writing, reviewing, and maintaining production code.

• Regularly authors core services, shared libraries, and foundational components that are critical to Research Informatics platforms.

• Actively reviews pull requests and technical designs , providing detailed, code‑level feedback and architectural guidance.

• Maintains direct ownership of technical quality, system reliability, and long‑term maintainability.

• Serves as the senior technical escalation point for complex scientific and engineering challenges.

This role is not suited for leaders who prefer to operate solely through management layers or high‑level architecture without direct code ownership.

Software Design, Development, and Architecture

• Independently designs and implements software solutions from concept through deployment and adoption.

• Writes production‑quality code in C#, MVC, ASP.NET, and SQL , and integrates in‑house systems with vendor‑based biological‑ and chemical‑informatics scientific tools .

• Produces and maintains architecture documentation and technical standards that guide team development.

• Makes pragmatic engineering decisions appropriate for a regulated pharmaceutical environment.

Leadership and Team Development

• Leads and develops a high‑performing team through technical mentorship, code reviews, and hands‑on guidance , alongside traditional people leadership.

• Sets clear expectations for engineering rigor, scientific understanding, and accountability.

• Develops talent by modeling best practices in both software engineering and applied scientific informatics.

Delivery and Operational Excellence

• Oversees and participates directly in the full software lifecycle: requirements definition, design, development, testing, deployment, and change management.

• Drives Agile delivery of high‑impact tools while remaining personally engaged in implementation.

• Identifies gaps in informatics capabilities and translates scientific needs into actionable technical solutions.

• Contributes to continuous improvement of Research Informatics processes and operational maturity.

Enterprise Contribution

• Partners with peers across Research, IT, and other functions to shape informatics strategy across multiple programs and therapeutic areas.

• Influences department‑level decisions related to infrastructure, digital innovation, and emerging technologies through demonstrated technical credibility.

• Represents Gilead externally through scientific or technical publications, presentations, and professional engagement.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

• Demonstrated success as a senior technical leader who remains actively hands‑on in production code .

• Proven ability to lead through direct technical contribution, architectural ownership, and engineering judgment .

• Strong proficiency in C#, MVC, ASP.NET, SQL , and integration with scientific informatics platforms and vendor solutions.

• Deep understanding of drug discovery processes and research informatics.

• Broad familiarity with modern informatics technologies, including data systems and hybrid cloud/on‑premises architectures.

Required Qualifications:

• Degree in Computer Science or related discipline with pharmaceutical or life sciences industry experience

• Bachelor's degree and 12+ years of relevant experience; OR

• Masters' degree and 10+ years of relevant experience; OR

• PhD and 8+ years of relevant experience

Preferred Qualifications:

• PhD in Chemistry, Biology, or a closely related scientific discipline is strongly preferred.

• First‑hand experience as a researcher in drug discovery within the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry is highly valued.

• Demonstrated ability to translate personal scientific research experience into scalable, production‑grade informatics solutions.

People Leader Accountabilities:

• Create Inclusion - knowing the business value of diverse teams, modeling inclusion, and embedding the value of diversity in the way they manage their teams.

• Develop Talent - understand the skills, experience, aspirations and potential of their employees and coach them on current performance and future potential. They ensure employees are receiving the feedback and insight needed to grow, develop and realize their purpose.

• Empower Teams - connect the team to the organization by aligning goals, purpose, and organizational objectives, and holding them to account. They provide the support needed to remove barriers and connect their team to the broader ecosystem.

 

The salary range for this position is: $226,185.00 - $292,710.00. Gilead considers a variety of factors when determining base compensation, including experience, qualifications, and geographic location. These considerations mean actual compensation will vary. 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:

* Eligible employees may participate in benefit plans, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans.

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