Lead Software Engineer, Generative AI

McKesson is an impact-driven, Fortune 10 company that touches virtually every aspect of healthcare. We are known for delivering insights, products, and services that make quality care more accessible and affordable. Here, we focus on the health, happiness, and well-being of you and those we serve – we care.

What you do at McKesson matters. We foster a culture where you can grow, make an impact, and are empowered to bring new ideas. Together, we thrive as we shape the future of health for patients, our communities, and our people. If you want to be part of tomorrow’s health today, we want to hear from you.

Lead Software Engineer, Generative AI

Location: Cork
Reporting to: Director, Software Engineering, Generative AI

About McKesson

McKesson is in the business of better health, touching the lives of patients in virtually every aspect of healthcare. We partner with payors, hospitals, physician offices, pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies, and others across the spectrum of care to build healthier organizations that deliver better care to patients in every setting. Every McKesson employee contributes to our mission—by joining McKesson, you act as a catalyst in a chain of events that helps millions of people.

Role Overview

As a Lead Software Engineer on the Generative AI team, you will provide technical leadership and architectural direction for the design, development, and deployment of enterprise-grade AI solutions. You will coordinate the delivery of multiple projects, influence AI strategy, and ensure alignment with organizational goals. This role requires a blend of hands-on expertise, strategic vision, and the ability to mentor and inspire engineering teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and architectural guidance for Generative AI initiatives.
• Design and oversee the implementation of robust, scalable, and secure AI solutions using Azure and other cloud platforms.
• Coordinate and drive the execution of multiple projects, ensuring alignment with business objectives and timelines.
• Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders (product, data science, security, compliance) to define requirements and deliver value.
• Set and enforce best practices for software development & DevOps within the team.
• Mentor and coach engineers, fostering a culture of continuous learning, innovation, and psychological safety.
• Influence AI strategy, technology selection, and roadmap planning.
• Ensure compliance with security, privacy, and regulatory requirements in all AI solutions.
• Support critical applications in production, including incident response and root cause analysis.
• Champion a positive, inclusive, and fun team environment.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• 10+ years’ experience in software engineering, with at least 3 years in a technical leadership or architectural role.
• Proven experience leading teams in the design, development, and deployment of enterprise applications.
• Deep expertise in Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs), Azure Cloud and Azure AI Services, Python, Git, CI/CD, Docker/Kubernetes, REST APIs, Authentication & Authorization frameworks, Infrastructure as Code (Terraform), Databases (SQL, ORMs, Postgres, MySQL), Linux administration and scripting, and software development security fundamentals.
• Broad knowledge of AI services, technology stacks, and emerging trends.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; able to influence and align diverse stakeholders.
• Strong project management and organizational skills; able to manage competing priorities and deliver results.
• Experience with compliance, cost optimization, and AI governance in an enterprise context.

Preferred/Advantageous Experience

• Document Intelligence and Content Understanding solutions
• MCP Servers and model-to-model protocols
• Semantic Kernel or other agentic orchestrators
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science or related field, or equivalent experience.

Success Metrics

• Delivery of high-quality, secure, and scalable AI solutions on time and within budget
• Positive feedback from stakeholders and team members
• Measurable improvements in team productivity, code quality, and system reliability
• Demonstrated impact on AI strategy and organizational goals

At McKesson, we care about the well-being of the patients and communities we serve, and that starts with caring for our people. That’s why we have a Total Rewards package that includes comprehensive benefits to support physical, mental, and financial well-being. Our Total Rewards offerings serve the different needs of our diverse employee population and ensure they are the healthiest versions of themselves.

As part of Total Rewards, we are proud to offer a competitive compensation package at McKesson. This is determined by several factors, including performance, experience and skills, equity, regular job market evaluations, and geographical markets. The pay range shown below is aligned with McKesson's pay philosophy, and pay will always be compliant with any applicable regulations.  In addition to base pay, other compensation, such as an annual bonus or long-term incentive opportunities may be offered. 

Our Base Pay Range for this position

€85,100 - €141,900