Purpose
The Director, Automation & Digital Transformation will lead the Automation and Digital Transformation organization within Biologics Drug Substance Development and serve as the strategic leader for AbbVie's Lab-in-a-Loop vision. This role is responsible for defining and executing the long-term automation, data, AI, digital, and modeling strategy to accelerate process development, enhance scientific decision-making, and transform the way biologics processes are developed.
The leader will establish and drive an integrated digital ecosystem that connects laboratory automation, data infrastructure, advanced analytics, process modeling, machine learning, knowledge management, and AI-enabled workflows across Drug Substance Development. Working across Process Development, Analytical Development, Manufacturing Sciences, Quality, BTS, and enterprise digital organizations, this individual will drive adoption of scalable digital capabilities that increase development speed, improve process understanding, enhance productivity, and enable data-driven decision making.
This role will lead a multidisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, automation specialists, and digital experts while influencing senior leaders across R&D, Operations, and Information Technology to establish industry-leading capabilities that position AbbVie at the forefront of digital biologics development.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership
- Develop and execute a comprehensive automation, data, AI, and digital transformation roadmap for Biologics Drug Substance Development.
- Define and advance the organizational vision for Lab-in-a-Loop, integrating experimental automation, predictive modeling, digital twins, and AI-enabled decision support.
- Establish a future-state digital architecture that enables seamless connectivity of scientific workflows, instrumentation, laboratory systems, manufacturing systems, and knowledge repositories.
- Ensure alignment of automation and digital initiatives with biologics development priorities and enterprise digital strategies.
- Benchmark emerging technologies, industry best practices, and competitive capabilities to maintain AbbVie's leadership position in digital biologics development.
Organizational Leadership
- Lead and develop a high-performing Automation & Digital Transformation team consisting of automation engineers, digital scientists, data scientists, software developers, and technology specialists.
- Establish talent and capability strategies to build critical future skills in AI, advanced analytics, process modeling, laboratory automation, and data engineering.
- Foster a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, collaboration, and data-driven decision making.
- Mentor leaders and technical experts while ensuring sustainable organizational growth and succession planning.
Lab-in-a-Loop and Advanced Technologies
- Drive implementation of closed-loop experimental platforms integrating automation, high-throughput experimentation, mechanistic modeling, machine learning, and process optimization.
- Champion adoption of digital twins, predictive analytics, advanced process control concepts, and AI-enabled scientific workflows.
- Identify and prioritize high-value use cases that accelerate development timelines and improve process robustness.
- Partner with scientific teams to translate emerging technologies into scalable business capabilities.
Enterprise Collaboration and Influence
- Serve as the primary business leader representing Biologics Drug Substance Development in partnerships with BTS, Information Research, Data & Digital Science, Manufacturing, Quality, Operations, and external technology partners.
- Influence senior leadership investment decisions and develop business cases supporting strategic digital and automation initiatives.
- Drive governance processes for digital investments, technology prioritization, data standards, and capability deployment.
- Represent AbbVie externally through industry consortia, conferences, collaborations, and strategic partnerships.
Data and Digital Ecosystem
- Lead development of integrated data platforms supporting end-to-end data capture, contextualization, visualization, analytics, and knowledge management.
- Establish data governance, standards, and business processes that ensure high-quality, reusable scientific data.
- Enable scalable deployment of AI and machine learning technologies across biologics development workflows.
- Partner with enterprise teams to ensure secure, compliant, and sustainable digital solutions.
Portfolio Management and Business Impact
- Establish prioritization frameworks and governance processes to maximize value delivery from automation and digital investments.
- Define and track key performance indicators demonstrating business impact, adoption, operational efficiency, and scientific productivity improvements.
- Manage technology roadmaps, budgets, resource allocation, and multi-year investment strategies.
- Deliver measurable improvements in development speed, process understanding, productivity, decision quality, and organizational effectiveness.
- M.S or PhD in Chemical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, Biotechnology, Data Science, Computer Science, Life Sciences, or related scientific discipline.
- 15+ years of pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or advanced technology industry experience, including significant experience in biologics process development, manufacturing sciences, digital transformation, or related functions.
- Demonstrated leadership experience managing multidisciplinary scientific and technical organizations.
- Proven success leading large-scale digital transformation, automation, data science, or technology-enabled business initiatives.
Preferred Qualifications
- Deep understanding of biologics drug substance development, manufacturing processes, analytical workflows, and CMC development.
- Experience implementing laboratory automation, robotics, automated experimentation, and digital laboratory solutions.
- Strong knowledge of AI/ML methodologies, advanced analytics, cloud computing, and model-based development approaches.
- Experience developing and deploying enterprise data platforms and digital ecosystems.
- Demonstrated success leading organizational change and driving adoption of new technologies.
- Knowledge of process modeling, digital twins, advanced process control, and model-informed development approaches.
- Experience managing complex portfolios, budgets, and strategic investments.
Critical Success Factors
- Visionary leader capable of defining and executing transformational strategies that deliver measurable business outcomes.
- Strong executive presence with demonstrated ability to influence senior leaders across multiple organizations.
- Ability to translate emerging technologies into practical and scalable scientific solutions.
- Exceptional leadership, talent development, and organizational management capabilities.
- Strong business acumen with experience developing investment strategies and business cases.
- Proven ability to lead in matrixed environments and build alignment across diverse stakeholders.
- Demonstrated expertise in change management and adoption of transformational technologies.
- Ability to balance long-term strategic objectives with near-term business delivery.
- Passion for innovation and advancing the future of biologics development through automation, digital technologies, and AI.
About AbbVie
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of thisposting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location,and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs.
Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission,incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless anduntil paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.
AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.
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