Data Domain Lead, Real World Data (Director)

Work Schedule

Environmental Conditions

Job Description

At Thermo Fisher’s PPD clinical research business, we’re using digital innovation, data science, and AI to reimagine how life-changing therapies reach patients. Our teams combine deep scientific expertise with advanced analytics, automation, and digital platforms to make research smarter, faster, and more connected.

At PPD we know that innovation happens when diverse minds meet. Our Digital Science, Data, and AI professionals collaborate closely with scientists, clinicians, and operational experts to solve real-world challenges in clinical research. Alongside our partnership with Open AI, you can be part of the collaboration that will help to improve the speed and success of drug development, enabling customers to get medicines to patients faster and more cost effectively.

You’ll join a culture that values experimentation, learning, and collaboration — where your ideas can help shape how we deliver life-saving solutions and improve global health outcomes. Whether you’re a data engineer, product manager, software developer, or AI scientist, you’ll find opportunities here to apply your skills to work that truly matters — improving global health outcomes. 
 

Position Summary
The Data Domain Lead, Real World Data (known internally as Director IT, band 9) owns the end-to-end data strategy, prioritization, technical roadmap, and delivery for Real World Data domain, responsible for delivering value via trusted, interoperable, AI-ready data products and capabilities.  This role leads Domain Managers, Data Solutions Specialists, BSAs, MDM/quality analysts, and technical delivery teams and partners in a matrix with Data Platforms, Digital Products, Data Governance, and CRG data owners and business stakeholders to ensure availability and robustness of data to achieve business objectives.  Reporting to the Head of Data Capabilities, CRG Digital, you will become the subject matter expert in your assigned data domain and are accountable for domain vision, roadmap execution, user outcomes, value realization, and internal SOP and regulatory compliance (21 CFR Part 11, ICH-GCP, GDPR, HIPAA).

The ideal candidate will have a strong background and knowledge of the landscape of RWD sources and use cases, particularly as they apply to the clinical trial domain. This role is responsible for providing insights to internal teams that may not be as familiar with Real World Data and how it can improve clinical trial operations. 
 

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Roadmap, Vision, and Value Realization
Develop the vision and roadmap for your data domain, aligned with CRG Digital product roadmaps and key strategic initiatives.  Ensure that trusted, high-quality data is available at the right time by prioritizing data initiatives against these roadmaps on an ongoing basis.  Proactively plan for future innovations and drive exploration of new capabilities, including potential external commercialization of new internal data products and capabilities.  Develop metrics and KPIs for assessing data consumption.

Data Sourcing
Based on the strategic roadmap within assigned domain, define data needs and determine internal data availability, including developing expertise in data flows between internal systems and appropriate uses of internal data.  Partner with internal stakeholders, Legal, and other teams as needed to address barriers to data access.  Maintain an understanding of the external data landscape for assigned domain and identify external partners to address internal data gaps.  Lead partnership scoping, business case alignment, negotiations, internal management and external alliance management for external data partners.  

Delivery Oversight
Lead technical execution of data delivery within your assigned domain, ensuring that data is available for consumption within CRG Digital’s data platform.  Ensure that product/business requirements are translated into technical requirements and that data is appropriately mapped and modeled, applying product management techniques to data models (roadmap, backlog, etc.).  Work closely with data and platforms engineers to make data available in the platform, including data cataloging and creation of semantic layers where relevant.  

People & Org Leadership
Line-manage and coach domain talent, including a combination of FTE and external partner team resources.  Foster a data-product mindset and a collaborative and inclusive team environment that encourages innovation and continuous improvement.  Provide oversight of and strong engagement with external partner teams to ensure that they function as a flexible and seamless extension of CRG’s internal teams.

Stakeholder & Customer Engagement
Serve as executive liaison to product and relevant project teams within CRG Digital.  Develop and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders in CRG divisions to ensure alignment and support for data initiatives.

Governance, Compliance & Data Stewardship
Drive data stewardship and governance within assigned domain, in partnership with Data Governance lead.  Work with the business to define data governance and quality rules, as well as requirements for mastering data domains.  Ensure relevant metadata is captured in CRG Digital data catalog. 

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent and relevant formal academic / vocational qualification
• Previous data leadership experience that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the job (comparable to 12 years’ experience) 
• Data leadership experience across strategy /analytics /engineering /governance.
• Proven track record in developing data roadmaps, setting priorities, and capturing value metrics around data consumption.
• Expertise in data modeling/architecture, quality/MDM, metadata/lineage, privacy/security by design.
• Demonstrated success partnering within matrix organizations and external partner teams to deliver complex, regulated data deliverables.
• Deep understanding of clinical trial operations (recruitment, start-up, clinical operations, data management, RBM, safety) and associated regulations.
• In some cases, an equivalency, consisting of appropriate education, training, and/or directly related experience will be considered sufficient for an individual to meet the requirements of the role.

Data Domain Leadership Competencies​:

Domain Strategy & Roadmapping: Sets a strategic vision and rolling 12-month plan for the domain, aligned to CRG Digital product roadmaps and enterprise priorities; continually reprioritizes the portfolio based on impact, risk, and readiness.

Data-as-a-Product Ownership: Treats the domain as a product: curates a backlog, defines acceptance/release criteria, and ensures data products are discoverable, interoperable, and AI-ready.

Data Sourcing & External Partnerships: Maps internal sources/flows and appropriate uses; identifies gaps and secures external data through business casing, negotiation, and alliance management.

Delivery Orchestration & Technical Acumen: Translates business needs into technical requirements; partners with Platforms/Engineering to land models, pipelines, and semantic layers in the data platform.

Governance, Quality & MDM Stewardship: Defines domain-level rules and mastering requirements; partners with the Data Governance lead to operationalize policy. 

Metadata, Catalog & Lineage Ownership: Ensures assets are cataloged with business definitions, lineage, and ownership; maintains reference/canonical semantics.

Stakeholder Influence & Change Leadership: Aligns divisional leaders, product owners, and delivery teams without direct authority; drives adoption through narratives, education, and enablement.

People Leadership & Partner Management: Builds and coaches a blended team (FTE + partners) and holds vendors to outcomes; fosters a collaborative, inclusive, continuous-improvement culture.

Clinical Domain Expertise (Contextual Fluency): Understands clinical trial operations and related processes (e.g., study start-up, data management, RBM, safety) to ensure data strategy meets real-world needs.

Innovation & Future Readiness: Scans internal/external capabilities; sequences pragmatic pilots that advance interoperability, reusability, and AI enablement; evaluates commercialization where relevant. 

Data Storytelling & Influence: Crafts narratives linking data product delivery to business value.

Preferred Qualifications

• Leadership experience in CRO, eClinical data provider, pharmaceutical/ biotech company, or digital health/data startup.
• Existing understanding of data landscape within assigned domain.
• Expertise in making data AI/ML ready.
• Published thought leadership on data and digital clinical-trial innovation.

At Thermo Fisher Scientific, we are committed to fostering a healthy and harmonious workplace for our employees. We understand the importance of creating an environment that allows individuals to excel. Please see below for the required qualifications for this position, which also includes the possibility of equivalent experience:

• Able to communicate, receive, and understand information and ideas with diverse groups of people in a comprehensible and reasonable manner.
• Able to work upright and stationary for typical working hours. 
• Ability to use and learn standard office equipment and technology with proficiency.
• Able to perform successfully under pressure while prioritizing and handling multiple projects or activities. 
• May require as-needed travel (0-20%). 

Location: Remote US (East Coast preferred). Relocation assistance is NOT provided.  

*Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.
 
*Must be able to pass a comprehensive background check, which includes a drug screening.
 

The annual salary range estimated for this position is $185,000- $215,000 USD. 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.