Director, Precision Medicine Data Science & AI

Job Description Summary

Location:
#LI-Hybrid

This role sits at the intersection of AI/ML real-world data digital health and commercial pharma strategy within the Strategy Platforms & Transformation Personalized & Precision Medicine (PPM) team. The Director will architect develop deploy and scale patient identification models HCP prioritization algorithms and site-of-care analytics across Novartiss US portfolio.

This is a multidisciplinary role requiring deep technical expertise in machine learning hands-on implementation experience in healthcare/clinical settings and the strategic acumen to manage external partnerships with health systems AI/CDS vendors real-world data aggregators and digital health developers. The successful candidate thrives in ambiguity operates with a high degree of independence and brings a builder mindset to an evolving precision medicine function.

This position will be located at East Hanover NJ site and will not have the ability to be located remotely. This position will require 10% travel as defined by the business (domestic and/ or international)

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead end-to-end development and deployment of patient identification HCP targeting AI/ML ensuring clinical validity and commercial impact across therapeutic areas.
• Design clinical decision support (CDS) algorithms to improve patient outcomes via accelerating time to diagnosis and treatment leveraging real-world data sources including claims EHR lab genomic patient generated health data and registry data. Own and advance external partnership strategies with health systems AI/CDS vendors to integrate these algorithms into clinical workflows leading to measurable impact on clinical outcomes.
• Architect scalable model lifecycle frameworks from ideation through development validation deployment monitoring optimization and sunsetting ensuring governance fairness and reproducibility.
• Navigate regulatory and compliance requirements related to AI/ML in healthcare including FDA CDS guidance frameworks HIPAA and anti-kickback safe harbor considerations.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Brand/Marketing Medical Affairs HEOR Legal/Compliance Field Teams and Patient Support to translate clinical and commercial needs into actionable AI/ML solutions.
• Drive integration of advanced AI technologies including large language models (LLMs) generative AI deep learning and foundation models into precision medicine workflows where applicable.
• Develop go-to-market frameworks and field activation resources that enable model-adjacent materials for commercial teams to act on model outputs.
• Champion a culture of experimentation continuous improvement and scientific rigor contributing to peer-reviewed publications conference presentations and open-source model externalization where appropriate.
• Operate with a high level of autonomy and self-direction proactively identifying opportunities managing ambiguity and driving initiatives forward without close supervision.
• Serve as a thought leader within Strategy Platforms & Transformation and across the Novartis US organization on the convergence of AI real-world data and precision medicine in commercial pharma.

Essential Requirements:

• Masters degree required; PhD or doctoral degree preferred. Relevant fields: Data Science Computer Science Bioinformatics Health Informatics Computational Biology Statistics Epidemiology or related quantitative/health sciences discipline. Clinical or health-focused education or research background is a plus.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in data science AI/ML or digital health with at least 5 years in pharmaceutical medical device health-tech or digital health settings.
• Demonstrated hands-on expertise building and deploying machine learning models (classification NLP deep learning recommendation systems) using Python Spark TensorFlow PyTorch or equivalent.
• Experience designing and executing model validation frameworks ensuring accuracy reliability clinical validity and reproducibility of AI/ML algorithms prior to clinical or commercial deployment
• Proven experience with cloud-based ML infrastructure (AWS Azure GCP) for scalable model deployment.
• Deep working knowledge of healthcare data: EHR (structured and unstructured) medical/pharmacy claims lab results genomic data and patient registries.
• Working knowledge of clinical terminologies and coding systems (e.g. ICD-10 SNOMED CT LOINC RxNorm CPT) used in model feature engineering and clinical data interpretation
• Proven ability to communicate complex AI/ML concepts and strategies to senior executive leadership and non-technical audiences translating technical outputs into business value narratives.
• Experience implementing or partnering on AI/ML solutions in clinical or healthcare delivery settings including clinical decision support integration into EHR workflows.
• Track record managing external partnerships with health systems AI/CDS vendors EHR platforms data aggregators or digital health companies.
• Working knowledge of regulatory and compliance landscape for AI in healthcare: FDA CDS frameworks HIPAA anti-kickback statutes.
• Experience working in complex matrixed organizational environments with demonstrated ability to influence without authority across commercial medical legal and technical stakeholders.
• Knowledge of large language models (LLMs) such as GPT BERT Cohere and their practical applications in healthcare and commercial pharma.

Desirable Requirements:

• External thought leadership (publications conference presentations industry working groups) is a plus.

Novartis Compensation Summary:

The salary for this position is expected to range between $194600.00 and $361400.00 per year.

The final salary offered is determined based on factors like but not limited to relevant skills and experience and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically. Novartis may change the published salary range based on company and market factors.

Your compensation will include a performance-based cash incentive and depending on the level of the role eligibility to be considered for annual equity awards.

US-based eligible employees will receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes health life and disability benefits a 401(k) with company contribution and match and a variety of other addition employees are eligible for a generous time off package including vacation personal days holidays and other leaves.

EEO Statement:

The Novartis Group of Companies are Equal Opportunity Employers. We do not discriminate in recruitment hiring training promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race color religion sex national origin age sexual orientation gender identity or expression marital or veteran status disability or any other legally protected status.

Accessibility and reasonable accommodations

The Novartis Group of Companies are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If because of a medical condition or disability you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process or to perform the essential functions of a position please send an e-mail to or call 1 and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.

Salary Range

$194600.00 - $361400.00

Skills Desired

Agile (Programming Methodology) Artificial Intelligence (AI) Business Value Creation Change Management Curious Mindset Data Governance Data Literacy Data Quality Data Science Data Strategy Data Visualization Deep Learning Learning Agility Machine Learning (ML) Machine Learning Algorithms Mentorship Nlp (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) And Genai Organization Awareness Stakeholder Engagement Statistical Analysis Time Series Analysis Vision Visualization