Principal Software Engineer – Forward Deployed

ROLE SUMMARY

We are seeking a skilled Software Engineer who will design build andmaintainsoftware systems that deliver business this role you will focus on code quality architecture decisions and reliable delivery whileleveragingAI tools to enhance productivity. You will verify and review AI-generated code to ensure it meets our quality standards.

In this forward-deployed role you will be embedded directlyin strategic areas acrossPfizer Global Supply (PGS). You willoperatelike a startup CTO bridging the gap between building products and solvingreal businessproblems through rapid solution delivery and deep domainexpertise. As part of the discovery-to-scale pipeline you willidentifyrecurring patterns and hand off validated solutions to Platform Engineers for generalization into enterprise capabilities.

This role encompasses organization-wide technical strategy and architectural direction. You will define strategic direction and be accountable for outcomes shape organizationalpracticesandmaintainexternal industry visibility. You will handle organizational-scale complexity creating clarity from chaos.

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Delivery:Drive delivery of the most critical technical initiativesestablishengineering delivery practices across the business unit and be the technical authority on high-stakes projects

• People:Develop technical leaders shape engineering talent strategy across the business unit and build high-performing engineering teams

• Business:Shape technology-driven business strategy represent technical perspective at executive level and be recognized as a bridge between engineering and business

• AI:Design AI-augmented engineering workflows for your area evaluate new AI tools train engineers on effective AI usage and balance speed with verification

• Reliability:Establish SLOs/SLIs across teams build resilient systems lead reliability initiatives for your area mentor engineers on reliability practices and drive reliability culture

• Documentation:Establishdocumentation standards across teams in your area build knowledge management systems and mentor engineers on effective technical writing

• Process:Drive process efficiency within your team coordinate cross-functional technical work and lead retrospectives

ROLE BEHAVIOURS

• DontLose Your Curiosity:Shapes organizational culture around curiosity and continuous learning; sponsors experimental initiatives across the organization; recognized externally as a thought leader in problem discovery; influences industry practices around innovation and exploration

• Own the Outcome:Defines organizational accountability standards focused on business impact; shapes industry practices around outcome ownership in the AI era; sponsors transformational initiatives with full outcome accountability; recognized externally for ownership culture leadership

• Be Polymath Oriented:Champions cross-disciplinary learning; creates holistic solutions spanning technical and business domains; embodies the RenaissanceDeveloperideal; translates specialized knowledge into accessible explanations; thinks like a business insider

• Communicate with Precision:Creates spec-driven development practices; mentors others on precise communication; spans C-level executives to frontline workers; drives clarity as a core value across their function;representsthe organization externally

• Think in Systems:Shapes systems design practices across their function; conducts chaos engineering experiments; influences cross-team architecture decisions; creates clarity from complexity; bridges technical systems with business processes

EXPERT-LEVEL SKILLS

• Business Immersion:You are a recognized thought leader in your domain. You influence domain strategy across the business unit exemplify the business immersion mindset that defines forward-deployed engineering and shape how engineering engages with the business.

• Data Integration:You define data integration patterns and best practices across the business unit. You architect large-scale data flows solve the most complex integration challenges and are the authority on enterprise data integration.

• Full-Stack Development:You work comfortably in any language and rapidlyacquirenew skills as needed. You deliver production solutions in days not months shape full-stack practices across the business unit and exemplify polymathic engineering.

• Multi-Audience Communication:You shape communication practices across the business unit. Yourepresentengineering externally communicate at board and executive level and are recognized as an exceptional communicator who bridges any audience gap.

• Problem Discovery:You shape approaches to problem discovery across the business unit. You are recognized for transforming ambiguous situations into clear opportunities influence how teams engage with business problems and are the go-to person for the most undefined challenges.

• Rapid Prototyping & Validation:You shape culture around rapid validation and iterative delivery across the business unit. You are recognized for transformative fast delivery define standards for prototype-to-production and exemplify the deliver in days mindset.

• Stakeholder Management:You shape stakeholder practices across the business unit. You manage executive relationships represent engineering at the highest levels and are recognized for exceptional stakeholder partnerships.

• Team Collaboration:You create collaborative culture across the business unit. You transform dysfunctional team dynamics are recognized for building exceptional teams and mentor others on collaboration excellence.

PRACTITIONER-LEVEL SKILLS

• AI Evaluation & Verification:You lead AI governance initiatives across teams in your area create evaluation standards and checklists and train engineers on rigorous AI verification. You design review processes for AI-assisted work.

• AI Literacy:You guide AI adoption decisions across teams in your area assess AI risks and benefits systematically and train engineers on responsible AI usage. You design human-in-the-loop workflows.

• AI-Augmented Development:YouoptimizeAI tool usage across teams in your area train engineers on AI-augmented workflows evaluate new AI development tools andestablishpractices that balance AI speed with verification rigor.

• Architecture & Design:You design complex multi-componentsystems end-to-end evaluate architectural options for large initiatives across teams guide technical decisions for your area and mentor engineers on architecture. You balance elegance with delivery needs.

• Code Quality & Review:Youestablishand enforce quality standards across teams in your area. You mentor engineers on effective code review ensure verification depth for AI-assisted development and drive testing strategies.

• Developer Experience:You lead developer experience initiatives across teams in your area. You designcomprehensive self-service platformsestablishDX metrics conduct systematic user research and mentor engineers on platform-as-product thinking.

• Knowledge Management:You lead knowledge management initiatives across teams in your area create knowledge systems and taxonomiesestablishpractices that make institutional knowledge persistent and mentor others on knowledge sharing.

• Pattern Generalization:You lead pattern generalization initiatives across teams define criteria for when to generalize vs keep custom andestablishintake processes for receiving validated solutions from Forward Deployed Engineers. You mentor engineersonabstraction design.

• Service Management:You lead service management practices for multiple services across teamsoptimizeservice portfolios for your area balance service investments and train engineers on service-oriented thinking.

• Site Reliability Engineering:You define reliability standards across teams in your area drive post-incident improvements systematically design capacity planning processes and mentor engineers on SRE practices.

• Technical Writing:You define documentation standards across teams in your area create documentation systems and templates train engineers on spec-driven development and ensure documentation quality across projects.

WORKING-LEVEL SKILLS

• Cloud Platforms:You design cloud-native solutions manage infrastructure as code implement security best practices and make informed service selections. You troubleshoot cloud-specific issues.

• Data Modeling:You create efficient data models that balance normalization with query performance. Youoptimizequeries handle schema migrations safely and chooseappropriate storagetechnologies.

• DevOps & CI/CD:You build complete CI/CD pipelines end-to-end manage infrastructure as code (Terraform CloudFormation) implement monitoring and design deployment strategies for your services.

• Lean Thinking & Flow:Youoptimizeteam processes systematically measure and improve cycle time remove bottlenecks proactively and deliver rapidly whilemaintainingquality.

• Technical Debt Management:You prioritize debt systematically based on risk and impact balance debt reduction with feature work and make pragmatic trade-offs. You know when to take on debt intentionally.

• Time Management & Deep Work:You protect focused time for complex work balance multiple priorities without dropping balls minimize context switching and help others understand your capacity.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelors degree in Computer Science Engineering or related field with 8 years of relevant experience.

• Experience inacross Life SciencesSupply ChainManufacturing Qualityor other Global Supply organizations.