Senior Expert Data Scientist, Predictive Safety

Key Skills

Data science techniques, Design, Java Programming, Machine learning techniques, Planning and organization, Python Programming, R Programming, SQL, Terabyte scale datasets

Job Description

6000! That’s the number of associates in the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR). This division is the innovation engine of Novartis, focusing on powerful new technologies that have the potential to help produce therapeutic breakthroughs for patients. The Pre-Clinical Safety (PCS) group in NIBR Translational Medicine provides world class preclinical safety profiling and assessment for optimal drug discovery, development and commercialization, with state-of-the-art regulatory compliance.

As a Senior Expert Data Scientist within the PCS Predictive Safety Data Exploration team, you will be responsible for advancing translational safety data science and driving drug development through partnership with the global PCS data science community, key Novartis R&D stakeholders and external collaborators. The job holder must have significant biology-based data science expertise, a broad scientific/technology knowledge base, and the ability to incorporate new scientific insights and internal/external innovation into strategic and practical initiatives.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Conceive, design, and execute translational safety data analyses spanning in silico, non-clinical and clinical studies, applying advanced analytical methods as required, generating high quality reports in a timely manner, and clearly communicating outcomes to stakeholders.

• Participate in and lead cross-functional safety data science collaborations with Discovery and Development partners to support the early derisking of compounds, drug targets, and therapeutic modalities, as well as the identification of potential safety monitoring and mitigation strategies

• Provide subject matter expertise for high-dimensional non-clinical and clinical safety data analyses (at chemoinformatic, molecular, biochemical, cellular, and physiologic levels) to inform predictive safety assessment strategies

• Work expeditiously as a member of matrixed project teams with diverse membership and expertise

• Provides matrix leadership, mentorship and training for team members, including potential supervision of PhD or Master students

• Undertakes general project management of data science work (planning, execution, monitoring, reporting, quality, compliance)

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 will bring to the role:

• PhD or MD or equivalent experience in statistical genetics, bioinformatics, biostatistics, computational biology, machine learning, data science or related field

• Three or more years of experience in analyzing large biological datasets in a drug discovery/development or relevant academic setting

• High intrinsic motivation to develop novel therapeutics for patients

• Competency in complex data capture, harmonization, integration, visualization and analytics (including handling of in silico, in vitro, in vivo animal model and patient-derived data).

• Expert knowledge of statistical programming in R. Working experience with Python or similar scripting programming language.

• Strong understanding of biostatistics and machine learning

• Excellent communication skills and ability to translate analytical concepts for diverse audiences and stakeholders.

• Proven record as a team player and leader

• Prior experience in Chemoinformatics, Safety Assessment and/or PK Sciences would be advantageous