Global Head of Digital R&D Software Engineering

Job title Global Head of Digital R&D Software Engineering

About the job

We are an innovative global healthcare company with one purpose: to chase the miracles of science to improve people’s lives. We’re also a company where you can flourish and grow your career, with countless opportunities to explore, make connections with people, and stretch the limits of what you thought was possible. Ready to get started?

What you will be doing

Directly manage Software Engineering and lead the Digital R&D hub in Hyderabad. This pivotal role will centralize and advance engineering capabilities across technologies supporting pharmaceutical and vaccines R&D. In this role, you will lead, manage, and mentor a high-performing, Agile product engineering team, driving innovation and operational excellence in software development across lifecycle stages.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide Technical Leadership Guide software engineering teams with technical and leadership expertise, fostering effective collaboration and high productivity in a global setting and across diverse business processes and technologies. Additionally, provide career growth and support for data product and data science teams located in Hyderabad but accountable to other Delivery Engine leaders within Digital R&D.

• Leverage Modern Advancements Apply generative AI, MLOps, and cloud-native technologies to enhance software development efficiency and innovation, engaging with Sanofi's Digital Accelerators to implement CI/CD pipelines, containerization, and infrastructure-as-code while bringing transformative solutions to R&D workflows.

• Design and Deliver Scalable Solutions Design and develop high-performance, scalable applications using AI-embedded, microservices architecture, in a cloud-first environment with a focus on observability, reliability, and regulatory compliance specific to pharmaceutical development.

• Demonstrate Deep Expertise Showcase technical mastery in modern internet architectures, frameworks, and best practices to drive engineering excellence while ensuring solutions meet healthcare data security and compliance requirements.

• Drive Continuous Improvement Lead initiatives to enhance processes and outcomes across cross-platform teams, creating an Agile, adaptive environment that accelerates drug discovery and development timelines.

• Promote Learning Culture Embrace and encourage a fast-learning mindset, advocating for continuous professional growth within the team through knowledge sharing, hackathons, and innovation challenges focused on healthcare technology.

• Champion Agile Principles Advocate for Agile practices, ensuring their effective adoption and maturity across teams while adapting methodologies to meet the unique requirements of pharmaceutical R&D.

This role is critical in building innovative solutions that impact lives globally, whether by enhancing existing services or launching new ones. You'll also collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to troubleshoot issues, define product requirements, and design solutions that align with Sanofi's mission. Join us as we harness technology to redefine healthcare innovation and make a meaningful impact worldwide.

About You

• You bring a minimum of 10 years of experience managing software engineering teams, with a proven track record of leading groups of 50+ engineers.

• Demonstrated success in delivering complex, global projects in regulated environments, mentoring team members effectively, and fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation.

• 8+ years of experience driving implementation and integration initiatives across diverse systems and ensuring seamless interoperability at scale, particularly in data-intensive environments.

• 5+ experience implementing and supporting leading SaaS platforms in applied science settings (pharma, biotech, healthcare).

• Technical Skills

• ​Expertise in software architecture, microservices development, and scalable application design with experience in healthcare or life sciences technology preferred.

• Proficiency in designing and implementing system integrations using APIs, middleware, and messaging systems, with strong knowledge of integration tools and patterns such as RESTful APIs, GraphQL, and event-driven architectures.

• Strong coding skills in languages such as Python, Java, or Scala, as well as SQL, with experience in implementing data pipelines for scientific or clinical applications.

• Deep understanding of cloud databases (e.g., Snowflake) and data management solutions, including AWS RDS, DynamoDB, and S3, focusing on scalability, reliability, and performance optimization for large-scale scientific data.

• Proven ability to design, deploy, and manage secure, reliable integrations with cloud-based platforms and services, ensuring seamless data flow and system scalability while maintaining compliance with healthcare data regulations.

• Experience with advanced GenAI technologies, such as large language models, AWS Bedrock, and foundation models, alongside key AWS components like Lambda, SNS, and containerization technologies to deliver robust, cloud-native solutions for scientific research applications.

• Soft Skills​

• Business acumen, strategic mindset, and demonstrable experiences delivering global scale digital solutions in a pharmaceutical or vaccines R&D setting with tangible business impact (e.g. measurable savings, efficiency, effectiveness).

• Knowledge and experience engaging with a range of software players including large platform providers, niche software, and digital start-ups.

• Successful at building a culture of performance and accountability with an orientation to measurable results.

• Direct experience leading teams with demonstrable skills developing people and capabilities in a matrixed, multi-cultural, global organization.

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work across multidisciplinary teams including scientists, clinicians, and business stakeholders to deliver end-to-end solutions globally.

• A passion for continuous learning, staying ahead of technology trends, and promoting adaptability within the team to address evolving healthcare challenges.

• Ability to be present in Sanofi offices compliant with policies, currently 3 days per week.

• Ability to travel up to 30% overall to Sanofi headquarters and major R&D centers globally.

• Education BS (or equivalent) degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field is required. Advanced degrees or certifications are a plus but not mandatory if your experience and skills align with the role.

• Languages Proficiency in English is essential (other languages a plus)

Why choose us?

• Bring the miracles of science to life alongside a supportive, future-focused team.

• Discover endless opportunities to grow your talent and drive your career, whether it’s through a promotion or lateral move, at home or internationally.

• Enjoy a thoughtful, well-crafted rewards package that recognizes your contribution and amplifies your impact.

• Take good care of yourself and your family, with a wide range of health and wellbeing benefits including high-quality healthcare, prevention and wellness programs and at least 14 weeks gender-neutral parental leave.

• Opportunity to work in an international environment, collaborating with diverse business teams and vendors, working in a dynamic team, and fully empowered to propose and implement innovative ideas.