Job Description

We’re here for one reason and one reason only – to cure cancer. Every moment is dedicated to developing treatments and every action moves us one step closer to our goal. We’ve made incredible scientific breakthroughs and our pioneering personalized CAR T-cell therapies have changed the paradigm. But we're not finished yet.

Join Kite, as we make even bigger advances in cancer therapies, and help shape where our business and medical science goes next.

We believe every employee deserves a great leader. People Leaders are the cornerstone to the employee experience at Gilead and Kite. As a people leader now or in the future, you are the key driver in evolving our culture and creating an environment where every employee feels included, developed and empowered to fulfil their aspirations. Join Kite and help create more tomorrows.

As a Senior Salesforce Architect, you will be accountable for the technical strategy, architectural design, platform governance, and delivery excellence across Salesforce capabilities that power Kite’s enterprise systems. This role supports the Digital Platform team and collaborates across functions including Product, Quality, Commercial, Clinical, Supply Chain, and enterprise shared services.

You will partner with global business and technical stakeholders to deliver scalable, secure, and compliant Salesforce solutions aligned with Kite’s broader digital and enterprise architecture vision. This is a key opportunity to shape the future of digital capabilities for a rapidly growing biopharma focused on life‑saving cell therapies.

You will be a key contributor within the Global IT Digital Platforms organization, responsible for Salesforce platform strategy, architecture standards, technical governance, and enterprise‑wide solution delivery.

Responsibilities:

This role evolves with organizational growth. Core responsibilities include:

Architecture & Technical Leadership

• Define and maintain enterprise‑grade Salesforce architecture blueprints across Health Cloud, Life Sciences Cloud, Service Cloud, Experience Cloud, that are integrated with downstream systems.

• Lead end‑to‑end solution design for complex, multi‑cloud, highly integrated Salesforce capabilities.

• Establish and enforce technical standards, integration patterns, data models, and architectural documentation.

• Provide technical and architectural governance across multiple concurrent initiatives.

• Lead the multi‑year Salesforce platform roadmap, aligning technical strategy with business growth and enterprise architecture.

• Introduce and scale AI/ML capabilities within applications, including Einstein, predictive analytics, and GenAI‑driven automation.

• Advise on functional and technical impacts related to ERP integrations, master data, and third‑party API connections.

System Ownership & Platform Management

• Own the technical health, reliability, and lifecycle of business‑critical Salesforce applications.

• Oversee environment strategy, release management, security posture, and GxP/compliance alignment.

• Ensure platform scalability, performance optimization, and proactive monitoring.

DevOps, Engineering Excellence & Code Quality

• Lead CI/CD implementation using Git‑based workflows and deployment pipelines (Copado, GitHub, Azure DevOps, or equivalent).

• Define and promote coding standards, conduct code reviews, and enforce secure coding practices.

• Drive automation across build, test, validation, and deployment processes.

• Establish governance and process to left-shift defect management

• Champion engineering maturity through automated testing, static code analysis, and performance testing.

Stakeholder Engagement & Delivery Leadership

• Partner with Product Owners and Business Analysts to translate complex business needs into scalable solutions.

• Manage onshore/offshore development partners and ensure high‑quality delivery.

• Present technical recommendations and architectural decisions to senior leadership in clear, business‑aligned language.

• Provide high‑level estimation, assess budget and resource impacts, identify risks, and propose mitigation strategies.

Integration & Data

• Architect integrations with ERP, Manufacturing, Quality, Patient Operations, and other enterprise platforms.

• Ensure robust data modeling, MDM alignment, and high‑quality data architecture across systems.

• Support API‑driven and event‑driven integration patterns.

Basic Qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree and Eight Years’ Experience

OR

Masters' Degree and Six Years’ Experience

OR

Ph.D.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree with 5+ years of progressive experience in Salesforce architecture

• Bachelor’s Degree with 7+ years of relevant Salesforce architecture/technical leadership experience

• Experience working in regulated Life Sciences environment (GxP, validation, CFR Part 11) strongly preferred

• Prior experience leading multi‑cloud Salesforce implementations at enterprise scale

Salesforce Expertise

• Extensive experience as a Senior Salesforce Architect in enterprise environments.

• Deep expertise across Health Cloud, Life Sciences Cloud, Service Cloud, Experience Cloud, and Platform.

• Hands‑on experience with Unlocked Packages and 2nd‑Gen Packaging, including global product delivery models.

• Strong background designing solutions for Life Sciences in regulated environments with GxP, validation, and audit considerations.

• Salesforce Certified Technical Architect (CTA)

• Salesforce Application Architect and/or System Architect

• Salesforce Certified Health Cloud Consultant

• Salesforce Platform Developer II

• Salesforce Platform App Builder

• Any additional domain certifications relevant to Service Cloud, Experience Cloud, or Integration Architecture

Technical & Engineering Skills

• Advanced proficiency in Apex, Lightning Web Components, OmniScripts, Flows, SOQL, and event‑driven architectures.

• Strong experience with CI/CD, automated testing frameworks, and DevOps toolchains.

• Expertise with Git‑based version control and branching strategies.

• Deep understanding of API integrations (REST, SOAP, Mulesoft, custom middleware).

• Strong command of multi‑org strategies, enterprise security models, SSO, and identity platforms.

Enterprise & Cross‑Functional Skills

• Experience driving architecture for large‑scale, global digital programs.

• Ability to present complex technical concepts in clear, actionable terms for non‑technical stakeholders.

• Proven success managing offshore teams and global delivery models.

• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and decision‑making capabilities.

Behaviors & Leadership Competencies

• Operate effectively in ambiguity and navigate shifting priorities with confidence.

• Take proactive ownership, stepping in to drive resolution and provide end‑to‑end leadership where needed.

• Engage and influence stakeholders across organizational boundaries.

• Demonstrate technical leadership, accountability, and sound judgment.

• Organized with excellent planning, execution, and follow‑through.

• Act with integrity and exemplifies Kite’s core values.

People Leader Accountabilities

• Create Inclusion - knowing the business value of diverse teams, modeling inclusion, and embedding the value of diversity in the way they manage their teams.

• Develop Talent - understand the skills, experience, aspirations, and potential of their employees and coach them on current performance and future potential. They ensure employees are receiving the feedback and insight needed to grow, develop, and realize their purpose.

• Empower Teams - connect the team to the organization by aligning goals, purpose, and organizational objectives and holding them to account. They provide the support needed to remove barriers and connect their team to the broader ecosystem.

The salary range for this position is:

Bay Area: $169,320.00 - $219,120.00.Other US Locations: $153,935.00 - $199,210.00.

Kite considers a variety of factors when determining base compensation, including experience, qualifications, and geographic location. These considerations mean actual compensation will vary. This position may also be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, discretionary stock-based long-term incentives (eligibility may vary based on role), paid time off, and a benefits package. Benefits include company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans*.

For additional benefits information, visit:

https://www.gilead.com/careers/compensation-benefits-and-wellbeing

* Eligible employees may participate in benefit plans, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans.

Kite is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development of innovative cancer immunotherapies with a goal of providing rapid, long-term durable response and eliminating the burden of chronic care. The company is focused on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and T cell receptor (TCR) engineered cell therapies designed to empower the immune system's ability to recognize and kill tumors. Kite is based in Santa Monica, CA. For more information on Kite, please visit www.kitepharma.com Sign up to follow @KitePharma on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kitepharma

For jobs in the United States:

Kite Pharma is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment, and is dedicated to fostering an inclusive work environment comprised of diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. Employment decisions regarding recruitment and selection will be made without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex , age, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, genetic information or characteristic, gender identity and expression, veteran status, or other non-job related characteristics or other prohibited grounds specified in applicable federal, state and local laws. In order to ensure reasonable accommodation for individuals protected by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Act of 1974, and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, applicants who require accommodation in the job application process may contact ApplicantAccommodations@gilead.com for assistance.

For more information about equal employment opportunity protections, please view the 'Know Your Rights' poster.

NOTICE: EMPLOYEE POLYGRAPH PROTECTION ACT
YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT

Kite Pharma will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, (c) consistent with the legal duty to furnish information; or (d) otherwise protected by law.

Our environment respects individual differences and recognizes each employee as an integral member of our company. Our workforce reflects these values and celebrates the individuals who make up our growing team.

Kite Pharma provides a work environment free of harassment and prohibited conduct. We promote and support individual differences and diversity of thoughts and opinion.

For Current Kite Pharma Employees and Contractors:

Please apply via the Internal Career Opportunities portal in Workday.