Senior Manager, Principal Business Analyst

Job description

Working with Us Challenging. Meaningful. Life-changing. Those aren’t words that are usually associated with a job. But working at Bristol Myers Squibb is anything but usual. Here, uniquely interesting work happens every day, in every department. From optimizing a production line to the latest breakthroughs in cell therapy, this is work that transforms the lives of patients, and the careers of those who do it. You’ll get the chance to grow and thrive through opportunities uncommon in scale and scope, alongside high-achieving teams. Take your career farther than you thought possible. Bristol Myers Squibb recognizes the importance of balance and flexibility in our work environment. We offer a wide variety of competitive benefits, services and programs that provide our employees with the resources to pursue their goals, both at work and in their personal lives. Read more: careers.bms.com/working-with-us. Position: Sr. Manager, Senior Business Analyst, LIMS/ELN Product Team, Research BI&T Location: Cambridge, MA At Bristol Myers Squibb, we are inspired by a single vision – transforming patients' lives through science. In oncology, hematology, immunology, and cardiovascular disease – and one of the most diverse and promising pipelines in the industry – each of our passionate colleagues contributes to innovations that drive meaningful change. We bring a human touch to every treatment we pioneer. Join us and make a difference. Position Overview The Sr. Manager, Senior Business Analyst on the LIMS/ELN Product Team is a forward-looking, technically fluent role at the intersection of scientific research and modern digital infrastructure. This is not a traditional business analyst position. It is a business analyst role designed for someone who understands laboratory science, thinks in systems, and builds with AI. You will serve as a key technology partner between identified BMS research groups and our enterprise scientific data platforms — such as ELN/LIMS, entity registration systems, and emerging AI-powered lab tools. You will support the rollout, configuration, and continuous evolution of these platforms while helping identify and implement generative AI capabilities that accelerate DMTA cycle velocity, data quality, and scientist productivity. This role contributes to the realization of AI-native R&D: a world where lab systems generate decision-ready data, AI agents handle routine analytical tasks, and every experiment contributes to an organizationally shared, queryable knowledge graph. You will help build that future, hands-on. Desired Candidate Characteristics Technologist first, scientist by training — with a genuine passion for AI, data systems, and the future of digital R&D. Degree in Biological, Chemical, or Computational Sciences; hands-on research experience in a pharma or biotech setting. Fluency in scientific workflows (assay design, protein characterization, compound registration, biologics development) and how they map to lab informatics platforms. Track record of deploying and supporting LIMS, ELN, or scientific data platforms in regulated research environments. Ability to operate as a technical analyst — not just gathering requirements, but designing solutions, writing specs, building prototypes, and evaluating AI tools. Curiosity about generative AI, LLM-based tooling, and agentic workflows — and eagerness to implement them in the lab science context. Strong collaborator who can communicate across scientists, software engineers, data architects, and vendors. Comfort in a matrixed global organization, with the initiative to drive progress without waiting for perfect alignment. High standards for user experience and data quality — the scientist is the customer. Key Responsibilities Platform Deployment & Configuration Support hands-on configuration, validation, and rollout of ELN/LIMS, entity registration, and connected scientific platforms across BMS research groups. Translate scientific workflows into platform schemas, templates, and automation — designing for usability, compliance, and AI-readiness from day one. Partner with other work streams and product teams spanning Instrument Connectivity, Data Migration, and Protein Registration workstreams to deliver integrated platform capabilities on program timelines. Manage Jira boards, write user stories and technical specifications, and work directly with developers and QA engineers to support delivery. Technology Analysis & AI Integration Evaluate emerging generative AI and LLM tools (e.g., AI-assisted protocol generation, natural language data query, intelligent anomaly detection) for applicability in lab informatics workflows. Prototype and implement AI-powered capabilities within or alongside the Benchling platform — working with data engineers and platform architects to integrate thoughtfully. Contribute to a forward-looking AI capability roadmap for the LIMS/ELN stack, informed by vendor roadmaps, industry trends, and BMS research strategy. Promote data structuring practices that position experimental data for downstream machine learning, meta-analysis, and cross-program AI applications. Requirements & Solution Design Partner with research scientists, program teams, and data governance leads to elicit, structure, and prioritize platform requirements at the tactical level. Design platform solutions that meet regulatory requirements (GxP, 21 CFR Part 11) while enabling the flexibility needed for cutting-edge R&D. Consider near-term scientific and data needs — capturing not just what users ask for today, but what they are likely to need as workflows evolve. Testing, Validation & Compliance Develop and execute test plans covering functional requirements, data integrity, and compliance for LIMS/ELN system changes. Support User Acceptance Testing (UAT) with research scientists; help drive resolution of issues to deployment readiness. Ensure all platform configurations and change controls comply with GxP and BMS quality standards. Enablement & Change Management Design and deliver targeted training programs, demos, and self-service resources that meet scientists where they are — across experience levels and lab disciplines. Develop clear, accurate documentation including user guides, SOPs, and system specifications. Serve as a knowledgeable resource for the research community on platform capabilities and digital tools. Continuous Improvement & Stakeholder Engagement Monitor platform usage, collect structured feedback, and translate insights into prioritized enhancements. Build and maintain strong relationships with scientists, IT colleagues, and platform vendors (Benchling, Dotmatics, Revvity, PerkinElmer, and others). Communicate program status, risks, and recommendations clearly to team leads and senior stakeholders. Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Computer Science, or a related field. Advanced degree preferred. 5–7 years of experience in a technology analyst, platform analyst, or scientific informatics role — in a pharma, biotech, or CRO environment. Hands-on experience with LIMS and/or ELN platforms; Benchling experience strongly preferred. Proficiency with Agile/Scrum delivery (Jira, user stories, sprint planning) and software development lifecycle (SDLC) fundamentals. Working knowledge of data models, database concepts, APIs, and integration patterns relevant to lab informatics. Demonstrated ability to evaluate and deploy new digital tools — including AI or automation capabilities — in a scientific or regulated setting. Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate complex scientific requirements into structured, implementable technical solutions. Excellent verbal and written communication; comfortable presenting to both scientists and senior IT/business leaders. Familiarity with GxP regulatory requirements and quality standards applicable to lab systems. Preferred Qualifications Direct deployme