Associate Director / Associate Directoress, Senior Principal / Senior Principaless, AI Methods, AI for Research (AI4R)

Job ID

REQ-10080934

Date Posted

June 26, 2026

Location

Switzerland

Summary

Job Title: Associate Director and Senior Principal, AI Methods, AI for Research (AI4R)
Location: Basel, Switzerland
Relocation Support: This role is based in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support; please only apply if accessible.

Shape the future of drug discovery through cutting-edge artificial intelligence. As a leader in the AI Methods group within AI for Research (AI4R), you will drive the development of advanced machine learning approaches that unlock new insights across the biomedical research pipeline. From identifying novel therapeutic targets to accelerating clinical translation, your work will directly contribute to delivering innovative medicines faster. This is a unique opportunity to combine deep technical expertise with scientific curiosity, collaborate with world-class researchers, and redefine how AI transforms healthcare.

About the Role

Key Responsibilities

• Lead matrixed teams to design and deliver robust, scalable machine learning solutions for drug discovery.
• Drive development of core machine learning capabilities across priority AI use cases in biomedical research.
• Identify opportunities for methodological innovation across the end-to-end drug discovery pipeline.
• Build advanced algorithms, models, and workflows to accelerate therapeutic discovery and development.
• Establish and manage strategic collaborations with leading academic and external research partners.
• Act as a subject matter expert on state-of-the-art machine learning approaches across research domains.
• Translate complex model outputs into actionable scientific hypotheses and guide experimental design.
• Define and implement meaningful success metrics for AI models to ensure measurable research impact.
• Collaborate across multidisciplinary teams to align AI solutions with scientific and business objectives.
• Promote awareness and adoption of advanced AI methods within the broader research organization.

Essential Requirements

• 6+ years of experience in developing and deploying machine learning solutions across drug discovery domains.
• Hands-on expertise applying machine learning to target identification, protein modeling, or translational research.
• Strong experience with large-scale model training, high performance computing, and cloud-based infrastructure.
• Advanced knowledge of modern machine learning methods such as representation learning or neural network architectures.
• Proficiency in Python and deep learning frameworks, with strong software development and version control practices.
• Demonstrated ability to drive innovation and deliver impactful machine learning solutions in complex, matrixed environments.

Desirable Requirements

• Demonstrated contributions through publications, patents, or open-source projects in advanced machine learning research.
• Experience with multimodal or foundation models applied to biomedical data such as imaging, genomics, or molecular structures.

Rewards

At Novartis, we are committed to reimagining medicine together and rewarding the people who make it happen. The rewards of being part of our team go far beyond base pay and incentives. We offer a variety of competitive benefits to help you thrive both personally and professionally, including:

• Insurance plans
• Retirement plans
• Wellbeing resources
• Global recognition programs
• Flexible and hybrid working options
• A minimum of 14 weeks paid parental leave

Expected Annual Base Salary Range for role:
Basel: 129,500.00 - 240,500.00 CHF Annual

The salary offered is determined based on gender-neutral objectives such as relevant skills, competencies, and experience in accordance with the Novartis pay setting policy, and will be reviewed periodically.

You may be eligible for a performance-based bonus depending on certain performance parameters. Further details will be provided during the application process.

Pay equity is a fundamental principle of our employment policy, reflecting our commitment to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment that treats all employees with dignity and respect as outlined in our Code of Ethics.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Novartis is dedicated to fostering an exceptional, inclusive work environment and building diverse teams that reflect the patients and communities we serve.

Accessibility and Accommodation

Novartis is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to all individuals. If you require reasonable accommodation due to a medical condition or disability during the recruitment process, please reach out to inclusion.switzerland@novartis.com with a description of your request and your contact information. Be sure to include the job requisition number in your message.

How to Apply

Apply online using the form below. Only applications matching the job profile will be considered.

Why Novartis

Helping people with diseases and their families takes more than innovative science; it requires a community of smart, passionate individuals like you who collaborate, support, and inspire one another. Together, we can achieve breakthroughs that change patients' lives. Ready to create a brighter future together?

Benefits and Rewards

Learn about all the ways we’ll help you thrive personally and professionally by reading our handbook.