Director – System Architecture & Innovation

Work Schedule

Standard (Mon-Fri)

Environmental Conditions

Office

Job Description

As part of the Thermo Fisher Scientific team, you’ll discover meaningful work that makes a positive impact on a global scale. Join our colleagues in bringing our Mission to life every single day to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We provide our global teams with the resources needed to achieve individual career goals while helping to take science a step beyond by developing solutions for some of the world’s toughest challenges, like protecting the environment, making sure our food is safe or helping find cures for cancer.

How will you make an impact:

Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Genetic Sciences Division is evolving from instrument-focused development toward integrated, workflow-driven solutions powered by automation, data and artificial intelligence.

We are seeking a Director of System Architecture & Innovation to define and drive enterprise system architecture while leading next-generation engineering innovation across genetic-science platforms.

This role sits at the intersection of:

• Multidisciplinary system architecture
• Molecular biology workflows and customer science
• Laboratory automation and connected systems
• AI-enabled instruments and intelligent workflows
• Advanced technology incubation and product translation

The successful candidate will combine deep engineering credibility with an understanding of molecular biology, customer workflows and scientific applications. This leader will ensure that innovation translates into differentiated, scalable and commercially relevant system solutions.

What will you do:

Shape and Govern System Architecture

• Define and evolve system architecture across GSD platforms, spanning instruments, consumables, assays, firmware, software and data.
• Establish reference architectures, interface standards and reuse strategies that improve modularity, scalability and lifecycle resilience.
• Lead system-level trade-offs involving scientific performance, customer experience, cost, complexity, reliability and product risk.
• Establish effective architecture governance through design reviews, architecture decision records and visibility of technical debt.
• Drive architectural convergence across platforms while preserving meaningful product differentiation.
• Ensure architecture decisions reflect the complete customer workflow—not only the instrument.

Drive Integrated Workflows, Automation and AI

• Architect end-to-end solutions that integrate instruments, consumables, assays, liquid handlers, robotics, workflow software and data systems.
• Define and advance Lab-of-the-Future capabilities, including automated sample-to-answer workflows and connected laboratory ecosystems.
• Develop Lab-in-the-Loop concepts that use experimental data, automation and real-time feedback to adapt, optimize and accelerate scientific workflows.
• Identify high-value applications of AI in instruments, workflow orchestration, experimental design, data interpretation, predictive diagnostics and engineering development.
• Ensure AI-enabled capabilities are scalable and developed with appropriate data quality, cybersecurity, traceability, validation and human oversight.
• Promote interoperability across instruments, automation platforms and software environments.

Lead Innovation Across Science and Technology

• Identify emerging technologies and scientific trends that can create differentiated customer value.
• Drive innovation across areas such as:
  • Genomics and multiomics workflows
  • Molecular biology and sample preparation
  • Microfluidics and consumable architectures
  • Optical detection and precision instrumentation
  • Laboratory automation and robotics
  • AI, analytics and connected systems
• Translate customer, KOL and scientific insights into technology priorities and system concepts.
• Establish disciplined pathways from exploration and feasibility through system validation and product integration.
• Evaluate innovation investments based on customer value, scientific performance, technical feasibility, scalability and business potential.
• Build partnerships with customers, academic researchers, startups, technology providers and internal R&D teams.

Build Architecture and Innovation Capability

• Lead and develop a high-impact organization spanning system architecture, embedded systems, advanced technology and automation.
• Recruit and develop architects, engineering leaders, innovators and emerging technical talent.
• Strengthen organizational capability in systems thinking, cross-platform integration and AI-enabled system design.
• Create a culture of hands-on experimentation, curiosity, constructive challenge and disciplined execution.
• Build succession depth for critical technical and leadership roles.
• Establish clear decision rights and accountability without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.

Lead Across the Enterprise

• Partner with R&D, business, product management, quality and regulatory leaders to align technology and platform strategies.
• Translate complex technical decisions into customer, portfolio, investment and business implications.
• Align teams across the Bay Area, Singapore and India around shared architecture and technology direction.
• Represent engineering in senior product, portfolio and technology governance forums.
• Communicate a compelling technical vision and influence across functions, platforms and organizational boundaries.

How will you get here:

Education

• PhD in engineering, bioengineering, biophysics, applied physics, computer science or a related technical or scientific discipline preferred.

Experience

• Extensive experience developing complex systems in life sciences, diagnostics, medical devices, laboratory automation or advanced scientific instrumentation.
• Demonstrated leadership in multidisciplinary system architecture and integration across hardware, firmware, software, data and scientific workflows.
• Proven success translating emerging technologies into validated system capabilities or commercial products.
• Experience leading technical organizations and influencing within a global, matrixed enterprise.
• Experience working in regulated or highly quality-controlled product-development environments.

Technical and Strategic Depth

• Deep knowledge of multidisciplinary system architecture and system-level trade-off analysis.
• Strong understanding of molecular biology workflows, scientific applications and how customers use genetic-analysis technologies.
• Technical depth in several relevant areas, such as genomics, multiomics, sample preparation, microfluidics, optical detection, automation or embedded systems.
• Experience architecting solutions that integrate instruments, consumables, assays, software and data.
• Understanding of laboratory automation ecosystems, including liquid handling, robotics and workflow orchestration.
• Working knowledge of AI/ML architectures, data pipelines and the requirements for trustworthy AI-enabled product capabilities.
• Ability to evaluate technologies and investments based on customer differentiation, scientific value, feasibility and scalability.

Leadership and Behaviors

• Enterprise-minded leader who connects architecture and innovation to customer, portfolio and business value.
• Technically credible and scientifically curious, with the judgment to make difficult multidisciplinary decisions.
• Creates strategic clarity, challenges assumptions constructively and surfaces risks early.
• Moves with urgency while maintaining scientific and engineering rigor.
• Attracts, develops and inspires exceptional technical talent and future leaders.
• Influences effectively across executives, business leaders, disciplines and global sites.
• Converts ambitious ideas—including AI-enabled concepts—into responsible, measurable outcomes.

Why This Role Matters

The future of genetic analysis will be shaped by integrated workflows rather than standalone instruments. Competitive advantage will increasingly come from connecting biology, engineering, automation, data and AI into solutions that make science faster, easier and more insightful.

This role will ensure that:

• System architecture reflects complete scientific and customer workflows.
• Lab-of-the-Future and Lab-in-the-Loop concepts become practical, scalable solutions.
• Innovation investments translate into differentiated platform capabilities.
• Automation, data and AI create meaningful customer value.
• The organization develops the technical talent and leadership depth needed for its future.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range estimated for this position based in California is $198,900.00–$298,350.00.

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