Do you want to be part of an inclusive team that works to develop innovative therapies for patients? Every day, we are driven to develop and deliver innovative and effective new medicines to patients and physicians. If you want to be part of this exciting work, you belong at Astellas!

Astellas Pharma Inc. is a pharmaceutical company conducting business in more than 70 countries around the world. We are committed to turning innovative science into medical solutions that bring value and hope to patients and their families. Keeping our focus on addressing unmet medical needs and conducting our business with ethics and integrity enables us to improve the health of people throughout the world. For more information on Astellas, please visit our website at www.astellas.com.

This position is based in Northbrook, Illinois. Remote work from certain states may be permitted in accordance with Astellas' Responsible Flexibility Guidelines. Candidates interested in remote work are encouraged to apply.

Purpose and Scope:

The Security Architect - AI and Generative AI Security will be responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining robust security frameworks to protect our AI and Generative AI systems. This role requires a deep understanding of both traditional and emerging security challenges associated with AI technologies. The successful candidate will collaborate and communicate closely with engineering teams, data scientists, ethics and compliance, legal and executive leadership to ensure that our AI solutions are secure, compliant, and resilient against threats.

Essential Job Responsibilities:

Security Strategy and Design:

• Develop and implement comprehensive security architectures for AI and Generative AI systems.


• Design security measures to safeguard data used in AI training and inference processes.


• Identify and address potential vulnerabilities in AI models and their deployment environments.

Risk Management:

• Assess risks associated with AI technologies and recommend appropriate mitigation strategies.


• Conduct threat modeling and vulnerability assessments specifically for AI and Generative AI systems.

Compliance and Governance:

• Ensure that AI systems comply with relevant regulations, standards, and best practices (e.g., EU AI ACT).


• Develop and maintain security policies, procedures, and guidelines related to AI.

Incident Response and Management:

• Lead incident response efforts related to AI security breaches or anomalies.


• Develop and conduct post-incident analyses to strengthen future defenses.

Collaboration and Communication:

• Work closely with cross-functional teams including data scientists, software engineers, and IT staff to integrate security into the AI development lifecycle.


• Provide guidance and training on AI security best practices and emerging threats.

Research and Innovation:

• Stay abreast of the latest developments in AI security and Generative AI threats.


• Evaluate and recommend new security tools, technologies, and methodologies relevant to AI security.

Salary Range
$160K - $200K (NOTE: Final salary could be more or less, based on experience)