Principal Fellow, Data Engineering

Overview

We are seeking a Principal Fellow, Data Engineering (Enterprise Data Architecture Leader) to drive strategic data platform modernization and AI innovation across Parexel. The role establishes enterprise-wide data governance, architects scalable analytics solutions, and leads advanced technology adoption to support clinical research operations and business intelligence.

What you'll do

• Define and execute the enterprise-wide data platform strategy and architecture roadmap, establishing the vision for modernizing legacy systems to cloud-native, scalable solutions.
• Design secure, high-performance data platforms using industry-leading technologies while ensuring compliance with HIPAA, GDPR, SOC2, and enterprise security standards.
• Lead enterprise adoption of advanced data and AI technologies, including data Lakehouse architecture, unified data catalogs, SQL analytics, and AI/ML frameworks.
• Establish the comprehensive data governance strategy and implement governance frameworks, including data lineage, quality standards, and role-based access controls.
• Lead implementation of generative AI, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and agentic AI solutions to unlock business value and accelerate clinical research operations.
• Design enterprise AI architecture leveraging large language models, vector databases, AI agents, and model governance to drive innovation.
• Establish DataOps, DevOps, and MLOps frameworks, creating reusable architecture patterns and CI/CD pipelines for rapid, reliable deployments.
• Partner with executive leadership to develop architecture roadmaps, business cases, and transformation strategies aligned with organizational objectives.
• Mentor architects, engineering managers, and technical leads, and build and grow a Center of Excellence for data, analytics, and AI technologies.
• Lead strategic vendor partnerships and technology evaluations to ensure optimal platform selection and implementation.

What you'll need

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Engineering, Data Science, or related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 12+ years of experience in enterprise data architecture, data engineering, cloud platform design, or related technical leadership roles.
• Demonstrated expertise in designing and implementing data platforms, data warehouses, or data lakes at enterprise scale.
• Strong knowledge of cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and modern data technologies.
• Experience with governance frameworks, data quality standards, and regulatory compliance in healthcare or regulated industries.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams, influence organizational strategy, and drive technology adoption.
• Excellent communication, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Strengths in enterprise architecture, cloud platform design, and data engineering.
• Experience working in healthcare, life sciences, regulated environments, or large-scale enterprise settings.
• Ability to collaborate across executive teams, influence organizational strategy, and communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• A patient-focused mindset and commitment to using technology to advance clinical research and patient outcomes.
• Comfort working with modern cloud platforms, distributed systems, and emerging AI/ML technologies.

Nice to have

• Advanced degree (master’s or PhD) in Computer Science, Data Science, or related field.
• Experience in clinical research, biopharmaceutical, or life sciences organizations.
• Expertise in AI/ML architecture, generative AI, or advanced analytics.
• Certification in cloud architecture (AWS Solutions Architect, Azure Solutions Architect, or equivalent).
• Experience with Databricks, Snowflake, or similar modern data platforms.

Details

• Location: Hyderabad, India.
• The ATS location line identifies the role as remote.