Data Science & AI Innovation Postdoctoral Fellow (San Diego)

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Summary

We are excited to invite applications for the Novartis Biomedical Research Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, a unique training opportunity designed for exceptional early-career scientists eager to tackle some of the most challenging problems in biomedical research and drug discovery.

As a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, you will join Translational Medicine in Basel, Cambridge, or San Diego and pursue an innovative research project at the forefront of biomedical science and drug discovery. You will work alongside leading scientists in a highly collaborative, multidisciplinary environment while gaining exposure to the broader ecosystem that translates scientific discovery into medicines.

Our fellows are empowered to ask bold scientific questions, apply cutting-edge technologies, and develop approaches that have the potential to transform patient care.

About the Role

Internal Job Title: Discovery Postdoctoral Fellow

Position Location: San Diego, CA, onsite

#LI-Onsite

• This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.
• Please note that relocation support is not available for this position.
• This is a full-time training position of up to three years in duration.
• The start date for the 2026 Novartis BR Postdoctoral Fellowship Program cohort is October 1, 2026. Please confirm your availability to meet this date in your cover letter.

Research Opportunity

This role aims to develop a multi-agent AI platform that enables scientists to efficiently access, analyze, and integrate knowledge from diverse biomedical data sources across the drug discovery and development continuum. The system combines specialized AI agents, domain-specific tools, and scientific data repositories to assist subject matter experts in tasks such as biomarker discovery, human genetics interpretation, omics data analysis, literature synthesis, and translational evidence generation. Rather than replacing scientific expertise, the platform is designed to augment decision-making by automating repetitive analytical tasks while maintaining a human-in-the-loop workflow.

This project focuses on operationalizing scientific AI capabilities within a centralized enterprise agent platform. Unlike general-purpose AI applications, biomedical research requires agents to operate across complex, heterogeneous data modalities while adhering to stringent governance and compliance requirements. The project addresses the technical and organizational challenges of integrating specialized AI agents, scientific workflows, and knowledge assets into a secure, interoperable, and scalable framework for drug discovery and development.

The position offers a unique opportunity to conduct impactful research while developing the skills necessary for a successful career in biomedical science.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and integrate scientific AI agents into the enterprise agent platform. Adapt and operationalize domain-specific AI agents, workflows, and knowledge assets to support biomarker discovery, translational research, human genetics, and multi-omics analysis.

• Drive novel translational medicine use cases. Identify, develop, and evaluate high-impact applications of multi-agent AI systems across translational medicine, leveraging diverse biomedical data sources to address scientific and clinical research questions.

• Enable adoption of enterprise multi-agent capabilities. Collaborate with platform and engineering teams to integrate scientific agents within existing enterprise frameworks, ensuring interoperability, scalability, and compliance with organizational standards.

• Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders. Partner with scientists, data scientists, engineers, and platform teams to translate research needs into reusable AI-enabled workflows and scientific applications.

• Establish evaluation and governance frameworks. Develop benchmarks, validation approaches, and best practices to assess scientific utility, reliability, and responsible deployment of AI agents in drug discovery and development.

Essential Requirements

• PhD (or equivalent doctoral degree) in a relevant scientific discipline completed prior to the fellowship start date. The program is intended for scientists immediately following their PhD training (PhD conferred in 2026 only).

• Demonstrated record of scientific achievement (publications, presentations, patents, or equivalent)

• Strong commitment to learning, innovation, and professional development

Desirable Requirements

• Experience applying artificial intelligence, machine learning, computational biology, or data science methods to biomedical research, with demonstrated interest in translational medicine, drug discovery, or related domains.

• Familiarity with complex biomedical data modalities (e.g., human genetics, multi-omics, clinical trial data, or biomedical literature) and an interest in developing AI-driven solutions within regulated research environments.

Why Join the Program?

The Novartis Biomedical Research Postdoctoral Fellowship Program is designed to develop the next generation of scientific leaders and power the future of medicine through rigorous research and immersive learning experiences, including the implementation of AI tools in biomedical research.

Postdoctoral Research Fellows benefit from:

• Mentorship from accomplished scientific leaders and subject matter experts.
• Access to advanced technologies, platforms, and research capabilities.
• Collaboration across disciplines and organizational boundaries.
• Participation in a global and diverse postdoctoral community.
• Dedicated learning and development programming designed to support long-term career growth.
• Personalized experiential learning opportunities through the Postdoc Practicum.
• Opportunities to publish research, present at leading scientific conferences, and build an international scientific network.
• Exposure to emerging technologies and artificial intelligence applications that are shaping the future of biomedical research.

How to Apply

Please submit your CV and cover letter by August 21, 2026.

In your cover letter, please describe your research interests, career aspirations, and how participation in the Novartis Biomedical Research Postdoctoral Fellowship Program will support your long-term development.

Compensation & Benefits

The starting salary for this position is 87,000 USD per year (this is for Job Post US only).
US-based employees are eligible for a comprehensive benefits package including health, life, and disability coverage, a 401(k) plan with company contribution, and a generous time-off package.

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. (this is for US Job Post only)

Please note that relocation support is not available for this position.

The start date for the 2026 Novartis BR Postdoctoral Fellowship Program cohort is October 1, 2026. Please confirm your availability to meet this date in your cover letter.

Why Novartis: Helping people with disease and their families takes more than innovative science. It takes a community of smart, passionate people like you. Collaborating, supporting and inspiring each other. Combining to 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.
Read our handbook (PDF 30 MB)

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 & 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 <