Associate Director Data Science

Our Development Team is guided by our purpose: to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people’s lives.

To do this, we are optimizing and strengthening our processes and ways of working.

We are investing in new technologies and building specific therapeutic area and platform depth and capabilities – all to bring our medicines to patients even faster.

We are seeking key talent, like you, to join us and help give people with disease and their families a brighter future to look forward to.

Apply today and welcome to where we thrive together!

The Role

As an Associate Director Data Science in the Multimodal Data & Analytics group you will shape data science, biomarker and AI strategies applied to patient-level data (including various biomarker, clinical and outcomes data) at clinical program level, across multiple indications or disease areas. You will act as a point of contact for our department and combine your data science and AI skills and your scientific knowledge in biology, pharmacology or medicine to influence drug development decisions in close collaboration with internal and external partners.

This role offers hybrid working, requiring 3 days per week or 12 days per month in our London Office.

Key Accountabilities:

· You will provide global strategic data science leadership to clinical development programs of medium to high complexity, based on relevant technical and disease area knowledge.

· You will develop, plan, execute, interpret, validate and communicate innovative exploratory biomarker and/or AI analyses and algorithms, to facilitate internal decision making, and support submissions of candidate drug and associated companion diagnostics packages.

· You will provide technical expertise in data science and (predictive) machine learning/AI as well as domain knowledge in biology and/or medicine to identify and develop opportunities for influencing internal decision making as well as discussions on white papers/regulatory policy.

· You will collaborate, align, prioritize and negotiate with other line functions. Explain statistical concepts in an easily understandable way to non-statisticians and provide adequate statistical justifications and interpretation of analysis results for actions/decisions/statements, when required.

· You will perform some hands-on analysis of integrated clinical, outcomes and high-dimensional, patient-level biomarker data from clinical trials and the real world

(genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, flow cytometry etc.) to generate fit-for-purpose evidence that is applied to decision making in drug development programs.

· You will proactively use your internal networks to drive the use of innovative ML, AI or other methods, including through materials for internal decision boards/regulatory/submission documents: Briefing Books, decision criteria, trial design(s), responses to Health Authority questions.

· You will influence the Analytics team (biometrician, pharmacometrician, data management, database programming, programming, medical and scientific writing) as well as cross-functional partners in research, regulatory, clinical and commercial teams on the content of the biomarker and/or AI strategy, execution, and delivery of assigned projects.

· You will o/shape training materials and internal automation initiatives.

Your Experience

· Ph.D. in data science, biostatistics, pharmacology, bioinformatics, mathematics, or other quantitative field (or equivalent).

· More than 6 years experience in pre-clinical and clinical drug development with extensive exposure to clinical trials.

· Track record of shaping policy and best practices for innovative approaches such as data science, AI or precision medicine.

· Scientific leadership skills demonstrated in facilitating and optimizing clinical development strategy. Track record for global scientific leadership in the development and evaluation of modern program/trial design methodologies.

· Strong knowledge and understanding of (multivariate implementations of) statistical methods such as time to event analysis, machine learning, meta-analysis, mixed effect modeling, longitudinal modeling, Bayesian methods, variable selection methods (e.g., lasso, elastic net, random forest), design of clinical trials, including in GxP environments.

· Familiarity with statistical and analytical methods for genetics and -omics data analysis and working knowledge of high dimensional biomarker platforms (e.g., next generation sequencing, transcriptomics, proteomics, flow cytometry, etc.).

· Strong programming skills in R and Python. Demonstrated knowledge of data visualization, exploratory analysis, and predictive modeling.

· Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and writing)

· Ability to develop and deliver clear and concise presentations for both internal and external meetings in key decision-making situations.

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

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.

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