Mahesh Kulkarni

(Domain - Pharma)

As a key member of Cognizant's AIA Modern Data Engineering department, where I served as a Posit Administrator and R Shiny Developer, instrumental in the operation and enhancement of the "Modern Analytics Non-Traditional Language (MANTL)" platform, a critical data science workbench. My role encompassed end-to-end technical support for applications deployed on MANTL, including the Photon App for clinical trial data, proactive issue resolution for the Posit ecosystem (Posit Package Manager, Posit Workbench), and the development of R Shiny data products to automate platform workflows. Furthermore, I provided essential guidance and training to the MANTL platform team, and initiated the exploration and implementation of Generative AI to further optimize platform efficiency and reduce manual processes.

Posit Platform Administration & Support (MANTL Platform):

• Administered and maintained the "Modern Analytics Non-Traditional Language (MANTL)" platform, a data science workbench environment, ensuring its stability and optimal performance.
• Provided comprehensive technical support for applications deployed on the MANTL platform, notably the "Photon App" utilized for clinical trials study data, addressing end-to-end technical issues and managing application workflows effectively.
• Proactively diagnosed and resolved technical challenges related to the Posit ecosystem components including Posit Package Manager and Posit Workbench, minimizing platform downtime and ensuring seamless user experience.

R Shiny Data Product Development & Automation:

• Spearheaded the development of the "R Package Insights" Shiny application, a critical tool for the MANTL support team. This application enables users to search for any R package and instantly retrieve its CRAN and Bioconductor dependencies.

• This ensures efficient and accurate addition of necessary packages, reducing manual effort and potential errors.

• Also planning user-friendly R Shiny applications to automate existing manual processes within the MANTL platform, significantly improving operational efficiency and reducing manual workload in future.

Team Leadership & Posit Ecosystem Evangelism:

• Provided guidance and support to a dedicated team working on the MANTL platform, Effectively assisted team members in resolving critical technical issues, leveraging deep knowledge of the Posit ecosystem and data analytics best practices.

• Delivered targeted training sessions on the Posit ecosystem, empowering the team with the necessary skills to effectively utilize the MANTL platform and its tools.

Generative AI Exploration & Implementation (MANTL Platform):

• Initiated the exploration and assessment of Generative AI tools and techniques for potential implementation within the MANTL platform.
• Focused on identifying opportunities to leverage Generative AI to automate manual tasks, optimize platform processes, and further enhance the efficiency of data science workflows within the MANTL environment.
• Contributed to the strategic planning for integrating GenAI capabilities into the MANTL platform roadmap.

(Domain- Pharma)

Working as Business Analyst for Leading Pharma Company in US, Where I Lead Specialty Pharma department, automating existing manual process and delivered it to client in the form of Shiny App and Markdown html reports for better visibility.

In this role, I oversee all facets of the specialty pharma division, from strategic planning and budgeting to daily operations. My responsibilities extend to managing clients end-to-end, ensuring their needs are not only met but exceeded, thereby fostering lasting partnerships. I work closely with cross-functional teams to develop and execute comprehensive strategies aimed at achieving departmental goals and objectives.

Leading a team of talented professionals, I strive to create a collaborative and high-performance work environment where innovation thrives. Continuously staying abreast of industry trends and market dynamics, I identify opportunities for growth and innovation within the specialty pharma sector. Through effective leadership and execution of initiatives, I consistently achieve key performance indicators (KPIs) and drive business growth.

Additionally, I possess strong data management and analytical expertise. My experience encompasses:

Project Management: I manage the administrative aspects of all developed projects on Posit Connect, utilizing enterprise tools like Posit Team, Posit Workbench, Posit Package Manager, and Bitbucket for code management, alongside cloud platforms like AWS.

Patient Level Data Analysis: I work with datasets from IQVIA, Patient Support Services, Specialty Pharmacies, Xponent (TRX Level Data), and HUB (Pharmacord).

Advanced Analytics: I have hands-on experience in analyzing IMS data (patient and healthcare provider level insights) using R Shiny and generating reports using R Markdown (Quarto).

Patient Data Processing: I understand patient data aggregation and collaborate with IQVIA to ensure data cleanliness for further analysis.

Client Communication: I possess excellent client-facing experience, adept at discussing business requirements, assessing business use cases, and collaborating with IQVIA, ZS Associates, pharmacies (Accredo, Optum, Walgreens), Pharmacord (HUB), and Centerwell.

Requirements Translation: I effectively translate business requirements into functional designs for the development team.

Information Management Expertise: I leverage my skills within the Information Management department, handling projects such as data validation, BI reporting, and data management.

Below is the list of few Projects I delivered in last couple of Years.

• Shipments Analysis - As part of this process, I developed an interactive R Shiny dashboard that provides live, real-time insights into shipment metrics. The dashboard automatically refreshes data every 10 minutes, ensuring that users have access to the most up-to-date information. One of the key features of the dashboard is the visualization of shipment data from two primary sources: Specialty pharmacies and 3rd party agencies. By presenting the number of shipments registered from both sources in a clear and concise manner, the dashboard enables clients to gain a comprehensive understanding of shipment trends and patterns. This analysis facilitates informed decision-making and strategic planning within the pharmaceutical supply chain.

• Tools Used for Development – Posit Connect, R Shiny, Rstudio (Posit Workbench), Posit Package Manager, Bitbucket & Cloud Platform - AWS

• Patients Data Insights - In this process, I developed User friendly markdown html report which shows complete patients end to end journey. In this, patients journey client can see when patients logged into system, what is the insurance status of patient, when patients get shipment or the shipment is pending, cancelled or on hold. Also clients gets exact number of patients who got the shipments within a time span of 2-3 days, number of duplicate patients in the provided data sources by Pharmacies and 3rd party agencies, number of patients whose didn’t received a shipment after 30 days and many other details which helps clients to understand weekly insights so they reached out to pharmacies to gather accurate data.

Tools Used for Development – Posit Connect, R Markdown, Rstudio (Posit Workbench), Posit Package Manager, Bitbucket & Cloud Platform - AWS

HCP (Doctors) Validation – In this process, the markdown html (Flex Dashboard) report shows whether HCP Details provided by pharmacies are correct or not. Clients need this report to verify prescriptions based on the number of shipments, so they can get the actual number of shipments prescribed by HCP. For this exercise we are using Veeva network to fetch correct HCP Details. Using this report clients reached out to Pharmacies and suggest them to provide correct HCP Details, so the correct HCP gets the monetary benefits as well as Compony have exact verified data.

Tools Used for Development – Posit Connect, Flex Dashboard, Rstudio (Posit Workbench), Posit Package Manager, Bitbucket & Cloud Platform - AWS

• Outlets Data Insights – I have developed a comprehensive Shiny app focused on analyzing patients' shipments at the pharmacies outlets level. This dynamic app provides insightful analysis on whether the shipments provided by pharmacies align with the shipments registered at individual outlets. By integrating shipment data from multiple sources, including pharmacies and outlets, the app enables users to identify discrepancies and ensure accurate tracking of shipments throughout the supply chain. In addition, the app offers valuable insights into patients' purchasing behaviors by examining whether patients are buying shipments from prescribed outlets or pharmacies. Through interactive visualizations and customizable filters, users can explore patient purchasing patterns, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions to optimize healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. With its user-friendly interface and real-time data updates, the Shiny app empowers healthcare professionals, supply chain managers, and policymakers to effectively monitor shipments on outlet level, streamline operations, and enhance patient care.
  
  Tools Used for Development – Posit Connect, Rshiny, Rstudio (Posit Workbench), Posit Package Manager, Bitbucket & Cloud Platform - AWS

(Domain- Pharma)

Led a complex million-dollar incentive compensation project for a major US pharma client, managing a team of five and ensuring top-notch delivery for 700 sales reps. Boosted efficiency by 5% annually and utilized advanced data analysis tools to generate insightful reports and dashboards. Effectively collaborated with the client to understand their needs, suggest solutions, and manage a dedicated ad-hoc budget. Mentored junior team members, fostering a supportive and productive work environment. Key responsibilities include:

• Delivered exceptional results on a million-dollar incentive compensation project. This included:Streamlined end-to-end IC reporting, ensuring timely and accurate data delivery. Fostered seamless collaboration across teams, guaranteeing process integration and top-notch quality. Conducted annual IC assessments and designed programs to drive desired field behavior.
  Implemented continuous process improvements, achieving a remarkable 5% annual efficiency gain. Leveraged advanced data analysis tools (R Markdown, Excel, Power BI) to generate insightful reports (Contest Reports) and interactive dashboards (Rexulti Dashboard) for strategic decision-making.
• Led a high-performing team of five associates. My focus was on: Maintaining impeccable quality and adherence to timelines. Cultivating a collaborative environment through consistent client engagement (weekly meetings). Actively listening to client needs and proposing impactful solutions.

Managing ad-hoc project expectations collaboratively and efficiently.

• Empowered junior team members through mentorship. This involved: Identifying their aspirations and guiding them towards achieving their goals. Serving as a sounding board for their concerns and advocating for resolutions with senior leadership.

• Championed client success by: Creating clear Statements of Work (SOW) for ad-hoc processes. Utilizing a dedicated $200k ad-hoc budget to optimize client growth and efficiency.

Leveraged data expertise to build a data pipeline (Databricks & RStudio) for US paint shop operations, enabling insightful analysis on Microsoft Azure. Developed interactive Shiny apps and a Manufacturing SPC Dashboard, empowering manufacturers to optimize paint usage, safety, and quality, potentially saving millions.

Empowered US paint shop manufacturers to gain valuable insights through data product development on RStudio Teams. Utilized R Shiny and R Markdown to create compelling visualizations hosted on Microsoft Azure's cloud platform.

Built a robust data pipeline leveraging Databricks and RStudio. This streamlined solution efficiently collects and stores massive volumes of paint shop data (including tractor parts!) on Microsoft Azure's DBFS. I automated ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) operations using Databricks notebooks in R and SQL, ensuring data accuracy and accessibility for further analysis. This paved the way for the development of insightful Shiny apps, ultimately helping manufacturers optimize their paint systems.

Developed an interactive Enterprise Paint Performance System using Shiny Apps. This cutting-edge tool, built with R Shiny, Keras, R Plotly, and Highcharter, empowers manufacturers to optimize paint usage, safety, and quality within their vehicle paint systems. By leveraging these insights, they can achieve significant cost savings, potentially reaching millions of dollars annually.

Empowered data-driven decision-making by constructing a Manufacturing SPC Dashboard for the Harvester System using R Shiny and high-performance visualization libraries like Plotly and Highcharter (on Microsoft Azure). This interactive dashboard unlocks valuable insights from diverse data sources, including PDFs I expertly converted into a structured format. This empowers manufacturers to proactively monitor and improve their processes, leading to enhanced efficiency and quality.

Leveraged data engineering and programming expertise to deliver bespoke data products for Fortune 500 companies across FMCG and Mobility domains. Built real-time dashboards using R Shiny, R Plotly, and Tableau to analyze data from diverse sources, including driverless car projects, and empower data-driven decision-making. Successfully implemented a RESTful API for seamless R and Angular integration.

Developed real-time, data-driven insights for Fortune 500 FMCG clients (Expert Global Solutions, Aug 2018 - Jul 2019). This included:

• Optimizing Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and downtime analysis through insightful reports built with Tableau Desktop.
• Facilitating seamless integration between R and Angular applications by constructing a robust RESTful API.
• Empowering proactive decision-making by creating real-time dashboards for Statistical Process Control (SPC) models and data correlations, leveraging R Shiny and R Plotly on Microsoft Azure.

Contributed to the development of self-driving car technology (May 2017-July 2018) as a Data Engineer at EC Mobility, supporting a leading German car manufacturer. I played a crucial role in:

• Enhancing data quality by meticulously labeling and annotating thousands of images used to train autonomous vehicle systems.
• Unveiling valuable insights from labeled data, facilitating the creation of comprehensive reports that evaluated the quality of annotations.
• Leveraging data analysis and visualization skills (RMarkdown, Tableau Desktop) to develop clear and actionable reports for stakeholders.
• Supporting Track Pro, a web application used for employee performance tracking. This involved performing Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA) and creating insightful data visualizations.