Data Scientist, Discovery Chemistry

Key Skills

Java Programming, Python Programming, SQL, Machine learning techniques, MATLAB Programming, R Programming

Job Description

Global Discovery Chemistry community working across 7 disease areas at the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR) is seeking a very hardworking and motivated Computational Chemist / Data Scientist to join our Global Discovery Chemistry Department in Cambridge, MA. You will join an energizing and collaborative research organization, working alongside colleagues who are committed to improving human health through the discovery of transformative medicines.

The ComputerAided Drug Discovery (CADD) team in Cambridge brings together diverse abilities in helping NIBR discovery teams validate and drug new targets. We are seeking a unique Computational Scientist to complement the team with the skills, experience, and passion to extract new knowledge and disruptive insights from the large and rich body of data collected by the one of the world's oldest pharmaceutical companies. Working with a variety of multidisciplinary scientists, you will help devise creative solutions to drug discovery problems, and innovative paths to new medicines.

You will contribute to the science of computeraided automation in the context of early medicinal chemistry by bringing together machine learning, and highthroughput chemistry solutions to a platform that coalesces data and experimentation to minimize discovery cycle time.

Your Key Responsibilities Include:

• Develop and apply computational strategies in our multidisciplinary lab space where synthesis, purification, analytics, ADME profiling, virtual screening, and data science work together to advance the science of lead discovery.
• Lead data driven medicinal chemistry design efforts by building knowledge of SAR from highthroughput experimentation, deep understanding of target biology, and application of predictive methods for on and offtarget activity, physical properties, PK/PD, and synthetic feasibility.
• Apply machine learning and modeling techniques to advance chemical hypotheses through virtual enumeration, 3D evaluation & docking, and active learning approaches to build and advance biological target understanding.
• Aggregate multiple modeling and compound evaluation approaches to distill deeper drug discovery insight and apply these insights to compound design efforts.
• Lead crossdisciplinary mechanistic studies using physicsbased modeling and simulation, biophysical characterization, and cellular confirmation to direct projecttargeting strategies toward optimal MoAs.
• Stay on top of scientific literature and interact with internal and external scientists to integrate biological insights into lead characterization and screening efforts.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary project teams to drive effective decisionmaking from target identification through candidate nomination by mining and developing predictive models using highcontent and timeresolved screening data, including imaging.
• Drive hypothesis generation to result in higher clinical success rates for programs using small molecules, peptides, RNAs, protein degradation, molecular glues, transient covalent inhibitors, and kinetic stabilization of drugtarget complexes.
• Diversity & Inclusion / EEO
• The Novartis Group of Companies are Equal Opportunity Employers and take pride in maintaining a diverse environment. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. We are committed to building diverse teams, representative of the patients and communities we serve, and we strive to create an inclusive workplace that cultivates bold innovation through collaboration and empowers our people to unleash their full potential.

Minimum Requirements

• What you’ll bring to the role:
• Advanced degree in computational chemistry, computational biology or computer sciences applied to chemistry or biology. PhD strongly preferred. Candidates with an experimentalist background and strong computational experience are also encouraged to apply.
• Programming/scripting experience (e.g. Python, R, Matlab) and 3+ years of demonstrated ability with machine learning, and Python machine learning libraries. Experience with cheminformatics toolkits (e.g. RDKit, OEChem).
• Strong statistical foundation with broad knowledge of deterministic and probabilistic statistical methods.
• Strong publication history in peerreviewed journals. Strong, concise, and professional written and verbal communication skills. Knack for communicating stories and expressing modeling results through innovative visualizations.
• Willingness to develop novel computational techniques for application to highthroughput experimentation. Desire to explore and leverage data in new and innovative ways to advance drug discovery workflows.
• Experience in delivering computational tools and frameworks that others can utilize and apply. Ability to collaborate with others in a team oriented multidisciplinary setting.
• Working knowledge of medicinal chemistry and drug discovery. Familiar with the foundational concepts in molecular biology, pharmacology, or medicine.

Desirable Skills:

 Experience with NGS, proteomics, and highthroughput assays

Why Novartis?

• 769 million lives were touched by Novartis medicines in 2020, and while we’re proud of this, we know there is so much more we could do to help improve and extend people’s lives.

• We believe new insights, perspectives and groundbreaking solutions can be found at the intersection of medical science and digital innovation. That a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment inspires new ways of working.

• We believe our potential can thrive and grow in an unbossed culture underpinned by integrity, curiosity and flexibility. And we can reinvent what's possible, when we collaborate with courage to aggressively and ambitiously tackle the world’s toughest medical challenges. Because the greatest risk in life, is the risk of never trying!

Imagine what you could do here at Novartis!

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:

• Novartis is committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse team’s representative of the patients and communities we serve.

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 in order to perform the essential functions of a position, please send an email to tas.nacomms@novartis.com (mailto:tas.nacomms@novartis.com) call +1 (877)3952339 and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message