Associate Director, Solution Architect Innovation & Delivery

Salary Range

Job Description Summary

As a Solution Architect in Innovation & Delivery, you are responsible for not only designing and planning, but actively guiding through execution end‑to‑end solution architectures that enable scalable, integrated, and high‑impact digital systems supporting Biomedical Research.

Working at the intersection of delivery segment teams and engineering teams, you translate business, scientific, and portfolio strategy into clear, actionable architectural direction that informs design, engineering, and delivery outcomes.

Leveraging strong domain awareness and architectural expertise, you oversee the landscape of scientific and informatics capabilities and how they map to digital solutions.

You ensure these capabilities are consistently represented across data platforms, AI solutions, and shared services, and that they integrate into cohesive, scalable ecosystems serving thousands of users.

Operating as an expert individual contributor, you bridge domain intent with technical implementation, delivering solution design, ensuring alignment with enterprise standards as well as data and AI strategies, and driving consistent adoption of architectural patterns across the organization.

Job Description

This role is based in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support for this role: please only apply if this location is accessible for you.

• Accountabilities
• Innovation Discovery & Evaluation
• Continuously identify and prioritize emerging technologies across Software & Workflows that enable future outcomes and strengthen Portfolio, Data and AI strategies.
• Assess innovation opportunities using structured criteria including value, feasibility, maturity, risk, and strategic fit.
• Contribute to vendor assessments, RFI/RFP processes, and external partner evaluations.
• Identify early trends and directional signals that could influence software, platform, or portfolio strategy.
• Experimentation & Rapid Validation
• Translate high‑potential opportunities to testable hypotheses and structured experiments.
• Conduct rapid prototyping to validate assumptions and generate evidence for decision making that can inform scaled implementation initiatives.
• Define success criteria and learning objectives to ensure experiments produce actionable results.
• Strategic Translation & Integration
• Translate external innovation signals into improvements for existing Software and Workflow capabilities and into new strategic opportunities.
• Partner with Software and Workflow leaders to drive experiments, pilots, and scalable initiatives.
• Insight Communication & Influence
• Deliver clear, concise and compelling narratives tailored to executive, delivery and technical stakeholders.
• Influence prioritization and investment decisions through evidence‑based recommendations.
• Establish credibility as a trusted advisor on emerging technologies and innovation opportunities.
• Innovation Culture & Ways of Working
• Operate with urgency by focusing on rapid learning cycles and actionable outputs.
• Collaborate effectively across organizational boundaries to accelerate innovation adoption.
• Foster a culture of experimentation, curiosity, and continuous learning across teams.

Skills Required

• Minimum 5+ years’ experience in the life sciences / pharmaceutical industry
• Advanced degree in a relevant field (e. g., Life Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Engineering, Computer Science, or related discipline)
• Strong understanding of scientific domains (e. g., biomedical research, data‑driven science) to effectively evaluate technologies and vendor offerings in context.
• Strong understanding of digital, software, data, and AI technology landscapes, including emerging patterns and capabilities.
• Ability to distinguish meaningful signals from noise and assess relevance in complex, evolving environments.
• Strong external orientation with awareness of industry, academic and startup innovation trends.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills to evaluate opportunities and prioritize based on value, feasibility, risk, and strategic alignment.
• Ability to translate ambiguous signals into clear, decision‑ready insights that inform Software and Workflows portfolio direction.
• Experience shaping hypotheses and defining structured approaches to early‑stage opportunity evaluation.
• Ability to connect technology trends to real user, scientific, and business problems.
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to convey complex ideas to executive, product, and technical audiences.
• Proven ability to influence decision‑making and prioritization without direct authority.
• Ability to synthesize complex concepts into clear insights and compelling, actionable recommendations.
• High curiosity and learning agility with comfort operating in ambiguity and early‑stage uncertainty.
• Strong bias toward exploration, rapid experimentation, and continuous learning.
• Collaborative mindset with the ability to effectively engage across diverse stakeholder groups.

Benefits & Rewards

At Novartis, we’re committed to reimagining medicine together - and rewarding the people who make it happen.

Expected Annual Base Salary Range for role: 122,500.00 - 175,000.00 - 227,500.00 CHF Annual

The base salary offered is determined based on gender‑neutral objectives, such as relevant skills, competencies and experience in accordance with the Novartis pay setting policy and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically.

In addition to your base salary, you may be eligible for a performance‑based bonus depending on certain performance parameters.

The rewards of being part of our team go far beyond base pay and incentives.

We also offer a variety of competitive benefits in kind to help you thrive personally and professionally, such as insurance plans, retirement plans, wellbeing resources and global recognition programs.

In addition, we provide flexible and hybrid working options, where possible, and minimum 14 weeks paid parental leave.

• Read our brochure to learn more about our global total rewards offering:
• Accessibility statement for Switzerland

Switzerland Accessibility and accommodation Novartis is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to all individuals.

If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the recruitment process, or in order to receive more detailed information about the essential functions of a position, please send an e‑mail to and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.

Skills Desired

• Algorithms
• Computer Programming
• Computer Science
• Computer Vision
• Data Science
• People Management
• R&D (Research And Development)
• Solution Design
• Waterfall Model
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