Lab Automation & Logistics Delivery Lead

Salary Range:

Job Description Summary

Job Description

Internal job title: Associate Director

Position Location: Basel CH onsite. #LI-onsite

This role is based in Basel CH. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support for this role: please only apply if this location is accessible for you.

The role focuses on creating and improving automated and scalable end-to-end processes across lab data and logistics environments. Delivery is performed through predictable high-quality and timebound initiatives aligned with enterprise priorities and architectural standards. The Delivery Lead is instrumental in prioritizing planning and executing initiatives across the full lifecycle from ideation to release scaling and transition to operations while ensuring alignment with architectural security and compliance standards. The role plays a central part in enabling innovative value creation for Biomedical Research through effective delivery leadership workflow-centric thinking and strong stakeholder engagement.

Scope of Responsibility

The role operates across the following capability areas:

• Lab device and system integration

• Workflow orchestration across systems and teams

• Automation (RPA event-driven workflows)

• AI solutions for operational processes

• Sample ordering production and logistics workflows

• Compliance-enabled workflow design and execution

Key responsibilities:

• Lead end-to-end delivery of lab automation and workflow orchestration initiatives driving scalable and efficient lab and logistics processes across Biomedical Research

• Ensure delivery excellence by managing scope timelines and budget while leading cross-functional matrix teams and aligning across stakeholders and D&D functions

• Drive workflow automation by identifying inefficiencies and translating business processes into scalable reusable automation solutions (RPA orchestration AI)

• Own stakeholder engagement by acting as the primary interface building strong relationships aligning priorities and communicating progress risks and outcomes clearly

• Guarantee compliance and standards by ensuring solutions meet architectural security and regulatory requirements and align with enterprise platforms and data integrity needs

Essential Requirements:

• Masters or PhD degree ina scientific/technology/computationalscience/data science area.

• 10 years of relevant experience in a multidisciplinary environment across the Pharma continuum.

• Proven ability to deliver complex initiatives end-to-end consistently achieving high-quality outcomes on time and within budget across lab data or digital domains

• Strong project management expertise including prioritization planning execution communication and risk management with the ability to manage dependencies across multiple teams and systems

• Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional matrix teams with the ability to effectively coordinate diverse stakeholders and drive aligned execution

• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills with the ability to act as a trusted delivery partner across business and technical audiences

• Solid domain and digital expertise including understanding of lab operations and scientific systems and hands-on knowledge of workflow automation RPA and AI-enabled solutions

• Strong systems thinking and automation mindset with the ability to identify optimization opportunities and apply appropriate approaches (workflow orchestration RPA AI) to deliver scalable solutions

Desirable Requirements:

• Experience applying modern delivery practices (e.g. agile experimentation product-centric delivery models)

• Agentic AI experience

• Ability to translate ambiguous operational challenges into structured deliverable initiatives

• Proven ability to drive innovation continuous improvement and high-performance delivery behaviors in complex environments

• Curious self-motivated and continuous learner

• Collaborative and delivery-oriented mindset

Accessibility and Accommodation:

Novartis is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to all individuals. If because of a medical condition or disability you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the recruitment process or in order to receive more detailed information about the essential functions of a position please send an e-mail to and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.

Skills Desired