Job ID: REQ-10077246
Date: May 04, 2026
Location: Switzerland
Summary
Novartis is a dynamic environment where bright, curious minds unite to tackle some of the world’s toughest healthcare challenges and reimagine medicine together. It is an inspiring place for aspiring talent, offering unparalleled opportunities for exposure, experience, and insights in the field of innovative medicines.
The global Translational Medicine (TM) group at Biomedical Research focuses on leveraging basic research advances to develop new therapies that meet unmet medical needs. We serve as a critical bridge between drug discovery and clinical application, enhancing the speed, quality, and productivity of drug development at Novartis and playing a pivotal role in delivering innovative medicines to patients.
Biomarker solutions are essential in clinical development to:
- Define the stage/subtype of the disease
- Predict the effects of medication
- Select a patient group that would benefit most from a specific therapy
- Identify opportunities for the development of companion diagnostics
Our scientists employ a diverse range of biomarkers to investigate diseases, profile the mechanisms of action, assess potency and potential side effects of compounds, select patients who may respond based on genetic profiles, and explore expanded indications for treatments.
The TM Academy is a cross-functional program tailored for career starters, career changers, and individuals relaunching their careers. If you are ready for a transformative two-year journey to gain hands-on experience in a diverse, multicultural, and inclusive environment within early drug development and clinical trials, this opportunity is for you!
About the Role
This position is exclusively for Biomarker Development (BMD) within the TM Academy. Other TM Academy roles are advertised separately under:
- REQ-10076845 - TM Academy Biomarker Development Laboratory Excellence and Operations (BMD LEO)
- REQ-10076855 - TM Academy Clinical Science & Innovation (CS&I)
- REQ-10077029 - TM Academy Pharmacokinetic Sciences (PKS) Modeling & Simulation
- REQ-10077055 - TM Academy Preclinical Safety - Data Science
Location: Basel, Switzerland
Duration of Program: 24 months
Program Start: 01-September-2026
Apply online using the form below.
Job Description
Your journey begins with a basecamp: a four-week immersive blended experience designed to introduce you to our organization, the drug development process, various departments in Translational Medicine, and the clinical trial process. You will also become acquainted with the tools and technical platforms needed for your work.
Throughout the program, fellows will participate in continuous learning focused on soft skills, cross-functional exposure, and thematic introduction series, broadening your perspective beyond your immediate team and function.
As a TM Academy fellow in BMD, you will receive thorough training and mentorship. You will be empowered to learn and work in a diverse, multicultural, global, and inclusive environment.
Key Learning Areas Include:
- Acting as a tissue biomarker subject matter expert in clinical studies.
- Collaborating with biomarker and pathology experts to develop tissue biomarker plans and assays for clinical studies.
- Engaging with internal and external stakeholders to resolve issues related to tissue biomarker assessment in ongoing clinical trials.
- Contributing to processes developed to implement tissue biomarkers in clinical trials.
- Collaborating with the PCS team.
- Driving technological innovation for human tissue protein assessment.
During the TM Academy You Will:
- Build a strong foundation in translational medicine with support from industry experts.
- Engage in a progressive, blended, and flexible learning experience covering conceptual, theoretical, and experiential techniques.
- Join a global network of supportive peers and mentors who will guide you in meaningful projects shaping the future of medicine.
- Gain hands-on experience by contributing to and supporting:
- Singleplex and multiplex tissue imaging while establishing critical in-house capability in spatial data analysis within the BMD-PCS Tissue Biomarker Laboratory.
- Day-to-day implementation of singleplex and multiplex immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence workflows, from histology/tissue processing and staining through to image acquisition and data analysis.
- Broaden your professional horizon through deep dives in various areas aligned with your interests.
- Have the opportunity to mentor new fellows.
- Gain a comprehensive understanding of translational biomarker science.
- Develop technical independence, scientific rigor, and cross-functional collaboration skills in a real TM program setting.
- Undertake laboratory-based responsibilities (70-80% of time):
- Conduct hands-on singleplex and multiplex immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence experiments across various platforms.
- Support the establishment and optimization of internal laboratory workflows for tissue imaging.
- Collaborate closely with pathologists and histology experts to ensure data quality.
- Contribute to the documentation and standardization of laboratory procedures.
- Contribute to data analysis (20-30% of time):
- Engage in downstream image and spatial data analysis, including image quality control and preprocessing, cell segmentation, and phenotypic annotation.
- Translate laboratory outputs into clear, interpretable results for TM project teams.
Role Requirements
Education
- PhD in life sciences, biomedical sciences, bioengineering, pathology-related disciplines, or a related field, completed or nearing completion by start date.
Mandatory Laboratory Expertise
- Demonstrated hands-on laboratory experience with:
- Single and multiplex immunohistochemistry
- Single and multiplex in situ hybridization
Data & Computational Skills
- Proficient in image analysis using software such as Halo, Visiopharm, etc.
- Familiarity with image-based or single-cell data analysis is preferred; deep expertise is not mandatory at entry.
- Basic experience with Python and/or R for data exploration or analysis is advantageous.
Mindset & Working Style
- Comfortable working at the bench daily.
- Curious, detail-oriented, and motivated by emerging technologies.
- Collaborative and open to learning across laboratory, pathology, and data science interfaces.
Accessibility and Accommodation
Novartis is committed to partnering with individuals to provide reasonable accommodations. If you require accommodations due to a medical condition or disability during the recruitment process or need more detailed information about the essential functions of the position, please contact us via email at diversity.inclusion_ch@novartis.com. Please include the job requisition number in your message.
Why Novartis
Helping individuals affected by illness and their families requires more than innovative science; it necessitates a community of intelligent and passionate people like you. Together, we collaborate, support, and inspire each other, achieving breakthroughs that change the lives of patients. Are you ready to create a brighter future together?
Learn more about Novartis
Benefits and Rewards
Discover the various ways we will support your personal and professional growth. Read our handbook (PDF 30 MB)
Division: Biomedical Research
Business Unit: Research
Location: Basel (City), Switzerland
Company / Legal Entity: C028 (FCRS = CH028) Novartis Pharma AG
Functional Area: Others
Job Type: Full-time
Employment Type: Early Career (Fixed Term)
Shift Work: No