The Strategy, Platforms & Transformation team is dedicated to enabling improved decision-making at Novartis by leveraging data and advanced analytics capabilities to generate actionable insights that drive business growth. We work within the US business, bringing insights and challenging ideas to empower smarter, data-driven decision-making. This role is crucial in driving AI transformation by bringing the best in AI and tech to unlock opportunities for growth and improve patient outcomes.

The Director, AI Foundations Engineer will drive the engineering strategy, delivery, and operational excellence for the organization’s agentic AI operating system, with responsibility spanning solution architecture, development, operations, and continuous improvement. This role will be central to enabling the transformation of existing processes, products, and services into agentic AI products and intelligent workflows by providing a scalable, secure, and high performing foundation. The ideal candidate will bring deep engineering leadership, systems thinking, and technical vision to guide the design and evolution of core agentic capabilities, establish engineering standards and operating models, and lead cross functional teams in delivering resilient and extensible AI services. Working closely with product leaders, business stakeholders, data and technology teams, and transformation leaders, this role will ensure the agentic systems accelerate innovation, support enterprise adoption, and delivers measurable business value through reliable and scalable execution.

Major Accountabilities

• Lead the design and development and ongoing improvement of the organization's AI foundations that will enable use cases through a disciplined engineering approach
• Define and implement an agentic AI foundational system, engineering standards, and development practices that promote scalability, reliability, repeatability, and continuous improvement
• Partner with product, data, infrastructure, security, and business teams to align platform capabilities with enterprise needs and strategic priorities.
• Oversee engineering teams in building reusable platform services, tools, and components that enable agentic AI products and workflows.
• Drive modernization and integration efforts to connect existing systems and processes with AI capabilities.
• Monitor agentic operations and user feedback to identify improvements, resolve issues, and support continuous optimization.
• Establish effective operating models, support processes, and governance practices to ensure consistent delivery of AI capabilities
• Communicate platform priorities, delivery progress, technical risks, and investment needs to senior leaders and cross functional stakeholders.

Essential Requirements:

• Bachelor degree required and advanced degree preferred, ideally in business, engineering, computer science, data science, or a related field.
• 8 plus years of AI engineering experience, with a strong track record of leading product strategy, roadmap development, and delivery for complex digital, data, or AI enabled products.
• Demonstrated experience in AI and data driven product environments, including translating business needs into scalable product solutions and partnering closely with technical teams to bring innovative products to market.
• Strong cross functional leadership skills, with proven ability to collaborate effectively across Engineering, Innovation, Design, Data Science, Commercial, and other business teams to drive alignment and execution.
• Experience managing and developing product managers or junior product leaders, including coaching, prioritization support, and fostering strong product management practices.
• Excellent strategic, analytical, and communication skills, with the ability to evaluate opportunities, make informed tradeoffs, and clearly communicate product vision, priorities, and outcomes to stakeholders.

The salary for this position is expected to range between $194,600.00 and $361,400.00 annual per year. The final salary offered is determined based on factors like, but not limited to, relevant skills and experience, and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically. Novartis may change the published salary range based on company and market factors. Your compensation will include a performance-based cash incentive and, depending on the level of the role, eligibility to be considered for annual equity awards. US-based eligible employees will receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, life and disability benefits, a 401(k) with company contribution and match, and a variety of other benefits. In addition, employees are eligible for a generous time off package including vacation, personal days, holidays and other leaves.

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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