Domain\Technical Architect
HCLTech · United States
Job Summary
Job Summary : The client (a global clinical research/CRO organization referred to internally as \"Worldwide\") operates two separate SAS 9.4 environments: a primary \"Worldwide\" environment (4 total core licenses, dual-core configuration, ~10 Citrix front-end servers, several hundred active studies) and a legacy \"Catalyst\" environment (4 cores, ~100 studies, on a different 9.4 patch level). Both environments are hosted in Azure but not built \"Azure-native,\" are accessed via Citrix thick clients, and rely on a home-grown, undocumented job scheduler (\"Wise Runner\") that no current employee fully understands. Neither environment has dedicated in-house SAS platform expertise; both were originally stood up by infrastructure, biometrics, and security teams rather than SAS specialists.
Key Responsibilities
Job Responsibilities : • Conduct a comprehensive current-state assessment of both existing SAS 9.4 environments (Worldwide and Catalyst), including compute/capacity, patch levels, installed software and utilities, folder structures, access-control model, and job scheduling. • Design a target-state, best-in-class SAS 9.4 architecture with standardized, validated Dev/Test/Prod environments, deployed natively on Azure (Azure-native, not simply lifted-and-shifted infrastructure). • Define the migration approach and roadmap to move all active and completed Catalyst studies to the new/target environment, and support decommissioning of the legacy Catalyst environment ahead of its license expiration. • Evaluate the current Citrix/thick-client access model and recommend a thin-client, browser-based access approach; coordinate with the client’s IOMC (identity/access) team on the resulting access-control changes. • Evaluate \"Wise Runner\" (the client’s undocumented, home-grown job scheduler) and recommend a standard, supportable replacement — either native SAS scheduling capability or an industry-standard scheduling tool — noting that Wise Runner does not currently support Azure-native deployment. • Redesign the study folder structure and access-provisioning model (blinded/unblinded data, sponsor-level segregation, study archiving for inactive studies), addressing the current Microsoft folder-count ceiling (~1,000 folders) and prior audit findings around overly broad top-folder access. • Design an access-governance process, including automatic revocation of study access after a defined inactivity period (e.g., 60 days) with a clean re-request/approval workflow. • Define standards for data extracts, archiving, and ticket-handling/support workflows so ongoing HCL support operations are consistent, efficient, and able to meet SLAs (including off-hours support). • Produce clear, opinionated recommendations — not a like-for-like migration — covering what \"good\" looks like across architecture, tooling, process, and folder/access design, and build the phased execution plan to get there. • Partner with the HCL Program Lead to size effort and resourcing, and support production of rough estimates to help the client secure internal funding approval. • Lead and participate in technical discovery workshops with client SMEs (data management, biostatistics) to capture as-is knowledge and validate architecture findings. • Ensure the target architecture and migration plan meet GxP/validation expectations for a regulated clinical computing environment supporting active FDA/EMA submission timelines. • Coordinate with the client’s infrastructure, biometrics, and security teams throughout assessment and execution.
Skill Requirements
Skill Requirement : • 8+ years designing, implementing, and supporting enterprise SAS platforms, with deep SAS 9.4 administration and architecture experience. • Demonstrated experience leading two or more SAS environment build-outs and/or platform migrations within a regulated pharma, biotech, or CRO environment. • Hands-on experience architecting validated (GxP) Dev/Test/Prod SAS environments. • Experience migrating SAS platforms to Azure, specifically Azure-native deployments rather than infrastructure-as-a-service lift-and-shift. • Strong knowledge of SAS folder/access security models and clinical study data governance (blinded/unblinded access, sponsor-level segregation, archiving of inactive studies). • Experience replacing thick-client (Citrix) SAS access with browser-based/thin-client access (e.g., SAS Studio or equivalent). • Experience with SAS batch job scheduling and migrating off custom or homegrown schedulers to standard/supportable tooling. • Familiarity with Pinnacle 21 and standard CDISC/clinical-data compliance tooling. • Strong stakeholder-facing communication skills, with the ability to present clear current-state vs. target-state recommendations to non-technical executive sponsors. • Experience operating within an outsourced/FSP delivery model supporting biostatistics and data management functions.
Other Requirements
Other Requirement : • 8+ years designing, implementing, and supporting enterprise SAS platforms, with deep SAS 9.4 administration and architecture experience. • Demonstrated experience leading two or more SAS environment build-outs and/or platform migrations within a regulated pharma, biotech, or CRO environment. • Hands-on experience architecting validated (GxP) Dev/Test/Prod SAS environments. • Experience migrating SAS platforms to Azure, specifically Azure-native deployments rather than infrastructure-as-a-service lift-and-shift. • Strong knowledge of SAS folder/access security models and clinical study data governance (blinded/unblinded access, sponsor-level segregation, archiving of inactive studies). • Experience replacing thick-client (Citrix) SAS access with browser-based/thin-client access (e.g., SAS Studio or equivalent). • Experience with SAS batch job scheduling and migrating off custom or homegrown schedulers to standard/supportable tooling. • Familiarity with Pinnacle 21 and standard CDISC/clinical-data compliance tooling. • Strong stakeholder-facing communication skills, with the ability to present clear current-state vs. target-state recommendations to non-technical executive sponsors. • Experience operating within an outsourced/FSP delivery model supporting biostatistics and data management functions.