Summary
This team within Discovery Sciences at Novartis Biomedical Research is at the forefront of integrating AI-powered tools into the drug discovery pipeline. Through collaboration in multidisciplinary and cross-functional teams, we are driving the adoption of these technologies to advance early-stage drug discovery, including the development of wet lab workflows informed by computational (in-silico) results— and vice versa.
If you thrive on turning scientific challenges into computational solutions that enhance data-driven drug discovery, we encourage you to apply today. As part of a global Data Science group, you will engage with experts in structural bioinformatics, computational biology, cheminformatics, and imaging.
This position offers a unique opportunity to apply cutting-edge structure-based AI approaches—such as protein–ligand co-folding and peptide design—to generate meaningful impact through collaborative wet and dry lab work.
About the Role
Role Responsibilities
* Apply AI technologies to drive progress in drug discovery projects with a focus on protein biology, including protein–ligand co-folding and peptide design.
* Collaborate with wet-lab specialists (structural biologists, biophysicists, protein chemists) to move structure-informed drug discovery forward using innovative, AI-enabled strategies.
* Develop and adapt structure-based computational methodologies tailored to project objectives.
* Integrate proprietary data from protein crystallography, biomolecular NMR, cryo-EM, biophysics, and screening into predictive AI models.
* Leverage internal and external protein data resources to create impact in drug discovery.
Candidate Profile
* PhD or equivalent experience in structural biology, bioinformatics, cheminformatics, molecular modeling, or a related scientific discipline.
* Must have direct experience with modern computational tools for protein and peptide design, as well as co-folding applications.
* Solid understanding of molecular recognition and protein-ligand binding energetics.
* Competence with machine learning frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow.
* Proficiency in scripting languages (Python, R) and high-performance computing environments on Linux.
* Experience automating workflows and scripting for large-scale data processing.
* Ability to work effectively in fast-paced, innovative settings focused on solution-driven approaches.
* Strong communication skills, able to present complex findings clearly in both spoken and written formats.
Desirable Qualifications
* Understanding of drug discovery and structure-based drug design.
* Experience with advanced machine learning techniques.
* Familiarity with relational databases and SQL.
* Experience utilizing AWS resources.
* Background in protein and peptide design.
* Expertise in structural biophysics methods.
* Experience working at the wet-dry lab interface.
Novartis is committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams representative of the patients and communities we serve.
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? https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture
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