Associate Director and Senior Principal, AI Methods, AI for Research (AI4R) (Somerville)

Job Description SummaryJob Title: Associate Director and Senior Principal, AI Methods, AI for Research (AI4R)#LI-HybridLocation: Cambridge, USARelocation Support: This role is based in Cambridge, USA. 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.Job DescriptionKey ResponsibilitiesLead matrixed teams to design and deliver robust, scalable machine learning solutions for drug discoveryDrive development of core machine learning capabilities across priority AI use cases in biomedical researchIdentify opportunities for methodological innovation across the end-to-end drug discovery pipelineBuild advanced algorithms, models, and workflows to accelerate therapeutic discovery and developmentEstablish and manage strategic collaborations with leading academic and external research partnersAct as subject matter expert on state-of-the-art machine learning approaches across research domainsTranslate complex model outputs into actionable scientific hypotheses and guide experimental designDefine and implement meaningful success metrics for AI models to ensure measurable research impactCollaborate across multidisciplinary teams to align AI solutions with scientific and business objectivesPromote awareness and adoption of advanced AI methods within the broader research organizationEssential Requirements6+ years of experience in developing and deploying machine learning solutions across drug discovery domainsHands-on expertise applying machine learning to target identification, protein modelling, or translational researchStrong experience with large-scale model training, high performance computing, and cloud-based infrastructureAdvanced knowledge of modern machine learning methods such as representation learning or neural network architecturesProficiency in Python and deep learning frameworks, with strong software development and version control practicesDemonstrated ability to drive innovation and deliver impactful machine learning solutions in complex, matrixed environmentsDesirable RequirementsDemonstrated contributions through publications, patents, or open-source projects in advanced machine learning researchExperience with multimodal or foundation models applied to biomedical data such as imaging, genomics, or molecular structuresNovartis Compensation and Benefit SummaryThe salary for this position is expected to range between 1,60,300.00 - 2,97,700.00 USD Annual.The final salary offered is determined based on factors such as relevant skills and experience and will be reviewed periodically upon joining Novartis. Novartis may update 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 for annual equity awards.US-based eligible associates receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, life, and disability coverage, a 401(k) plan with company contribution and matching, and a range of additional benefits. Associates are also eligible for a generous time-off package, including vacation, personal days, holidays, and other leave options. To learn more about the culture, rewards and benefits we offer our people click here.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 accommodationsThe 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 View email address on apply.placed-app.com or call View phone number on apply.placed-app.com and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.Salary Range$160,300.00 - $297,700.00Skills DesiredArtificial Intelligence (AI), Biostatistics, Business Value Creation, Change Management, Curious Mindset, Data Governance, Data Literacy, Data Quality, Data Science, Data Visualization, Deep Learning, Graph Algorithms, Learning Agility, Machine Learning (ML), Machine Learning Algorithms, Nlp (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) And Genai (Inactive), Organization Awareness (Inactive), Pandas (Python) (Inactive), Python (Programming Language), R Programming, Stakeholder Engagement, Statistical Analysis, Structured Query Language (SQL), Time Series AnalysisSummaryLocation: Cambridge (USA)Type: Full time