Director of R&D, Artificial Intelligence

Thermo Fisher Scientific

Director of AI in R&D at Thermo Fisher Scientific leading the integration of AI/ML into life sciences. Guiding collaboration across teams to drive innovation in scientific research and product development.

Posted 4/24/2026full-timeWaltham • Maryland, Massachusetts • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $176,000 - $264,050 per yearWebsite

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

Cloud

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

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

Requirements

What you’ll need

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%)

Benefits

Comp & perks

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

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

AI strategymachine learningdata analysisalgorithm designdata architecturemodel validationgenerative AIlarge language modelscomputational strategiesscalable solutions

Soft Skills

communication skillsinfluencingcoordinationthought leadershipcollaborationproblem-solvingproject managementstakeholder engagementtechnical presentationbest practices establishment