Job Description Summary

We are thrilled to open applications for our Data Science Innovation Fellowship. This applied 3-year research program is set to change the way we approach drug discovery, offering fellows a unique chance to train in data science and AI for biomedical research. As a talented fellow, you will learn to apply your computational skills to make a difference for patients and reimagine medicine at Novartis.

Drug hunting is a team sport, and you will gain experience in DS&AI for drug discovery as part of a multi-disciplinary team in Biomedical Research. You will drive innovation by deploying cutting-edge data approaches in collaboration with a vibrant and diverse community of over 300 data scientists globally. The program provides a unique platform to work on real-world, biomedical data at scale, rarely accessible in academia. Under the guidance of experienced mentors, you’ll embark on a journey of professional growth, benefiting from a tailored training program with built-in time for a mini-sabbatical in other areas of Novartis and for attending conferences/workshops.
Biomedical Research is the home of a vibrant postdoctoral community connected through science and events supporting the professional growth of our fellows, including monthly seminars and an annual Research Day Symposium. Seize this chance to be at the forefront of Data science and AI and shape the future of drug discovery!

You will be embedded in the Oncology Data Science team and will work on large-scale representation learning approaches to conceptualize and develop cancer foundation models and contribute to the oncology target identification and drug discovery processes, with a specific focus on gastrointestinal cancers.
Start date: Autumn 2024

Job Description

Key responsibilities

As a Data Science Innovation Fellow, you will:

• Develop and train large AI models on massive biological data collections (e.g. scRNA-seq data from cancer patients) to guide target discovery, biomarker characterization and patient stratification, with specific focus on gastrointestinal cancers.
• Apply state-of-the-art AI approaches to address bottlenecks in biomarker and target discovery, as well as clinical development decision-making.
• Work at the intersection of deep learning and drug discovery to address key scientific questions.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams within Novartis Biomedical Research on applications of foundation models.
• Keep ahead of the latest developments in the field and bring curious and critical thinking to the team.
• Publish in top-tier scientific journals, present results at internal and external scientific venues.

Role requirements:

• PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Applied Mathematics, Computational Biology or a related field (PhD students in the last year of their thesis work, are eligible to apply).
• Strong programming experience in python and proficiency in at least one main deep learning framework (PyTorch/TensorFlow/JAX).
• Proven experience in implementing state-of-the-art machine/deep learning algorithms.
• Scientific publications in AI/ML conferences and/or in journals with a focus on computational biology/medicine.
• Ability to clearly communicate technical concepts to a variety of audiences, including scientists and subject matter experts from other domains.
• Familiarity with working on high-performance computing systems and/or cloud computing environments.

#DSIF

How to apply

Please submit your CV and cover letter by July 29 for consideration. Please make sure to discuss in the cover letter how this training program will help you fulfil your career goals.

Why Novartis:
Our purpose is to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people’s lives and our vision is to become the most valued and tru ste d medicines company in the world. How can we achieve this? With our people. It is our associates that drive us each day to reach our ambitions. Be a part of this mission and join us! Learn more here: https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people and culture

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 diversity.inclusion_ch@novartis.com and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.

Skills Desired