Director of R&D, Artificial Intelligence

Work Schedule

Standard (Mon-Fri)

Environmental Conditions

Office

Job Description

About Thermo Fisher Scientific:
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue of approximately $50 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, increasing productivity in their laboratories, improving patient health through diagnostics or the development and manufacture of lifechanging therapies, we are here to support them. Our global team delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services, Patheon and PPD.

How will you make an impact?
We are seeking a strategic and hands-on Director of AI in R&D to lead the integration of advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities into our life science research and product development pipelines. This role sits at the intersection of science, data, and innovation, driving the development of AI-powered solutions that will help accelerate the pace of discovery, improve decision-making, and create competitive advantages. This role operates as a hands-on leader working across a matrixed organization to guide and deliver impactful AI/ML initiatives. The successful candidate will partner with cross-functional teams of scientists, software engineers, and domain experts to shape and execute an AI-driven informatics vision that accelerates scientific discovery.

What will you do?
• Help to define and execute the AI strategy for R&D, aligned with organizational goals and innovation priorities
• Partner with R&D domain experts to identify high-value use cases and translate them into technical solutions
• Serve as a technical thought leader in applying AI/ML to life sciences, guiding project design, methodology, and implementation
• Lead complex, cross-functional initiatives by influencing and coordinating teams across organizational boundaries
• Drive adoption of AI tools and methodologies across R&D teams
• Partner with stakeholders to identify high-impact opportunities and translate them into scalable computational strategies and solutions
• Contribute directly to model development, data analysis, and algorithm design where appropriate, maintaining a hands-on technical presence
• Champion the integration of generative AI, large language models (LLMs), and foundation models into scientific workflows
• Establish best practices for data quality, model validation, reproducibility, and responsible AI use
• Influence the design of data architecture and pipelines to support robust AI/ML applications
• Evaluate emerging technologies and external collaborations to accelerate innovation
• Stay current with emerging AI technologies and assess their applicability to the organization and non-technical stakeholders
• Communicate complex technical concepts and insights clearly to diverse audiences, including senior leadership
• Represent the organization through scientific publications, conference presentations, and external partnerships

How will you get here?

Education

Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Data Science, AI, Engineering, or a related field preferred
Advanced degree (PhD preferred) in Computer Science, Data Science, AI, Engineering, or a related field

Experience
• 5-10 years of experience in computational life sciences, including strong experience applying AI/ML to R&D processes in innovation driven environments.
• Demonstrated expertise in managing complex informatics projects and teams in the life sciences research industry
• Proven ability to translate scientific problems into computational and AI-driven solutions at scale
• Experience with data architecture and cloud platforms
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate complex technical concepts to diverse stakeholders
• May require occasional travel (up to 20%)

We Offer:
• Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits package
• Career development opportunities within a global organization
• Collaborative and innovative work environment
• Opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge scientific advances that impact human health
• Flexible work arrangements

Thermo Fisher Scientific is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range estimated for this position based in Massachusetts is $176,000.00–$264,050.00.

This position may also be eligible to receive a variable annual bonus based on company, team, and/or individual performance results in accordance with company policy. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package that our U.S. colleagues and their families can count on, which includes:

• A choice of national medical and dental plans, and a national vision plan, including health incentive programs

• Employee assistance and family support programs, including commuter benefits and tuition reimbursement

• At least 120 hours paid time off (PTO), 10 paid holidays annually, paid parental leave (3 weeks for bonding and 8 weeks for caregiver leave), accident and life insurance, and short- and long-term disability in accordance with company policy

• Retirement and savings programs, such as our competitive 401(k) U.S. retirement savings plan

• Employees’ Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) offers eligible colleagues the opportunity to purchase company stock at a discount

For more information on our benefits, please visit: https://jobs.thermofisher.com/global/en/total-rewards