Technical Associate Director Data Architecture

Job Description Summary

The Scientific Data & Products (SDP) group in Research Informatics (RX) is driven to maximize the impact and value to BR of software and data. We deliver powerful, functional, beautiful, and integrated software solutions that create a frictionless user experience. Our organization is here to build and apply excellence in product and data management to further Novartis drug discovery.

 

Job Description

As a Data Architect you will design an efficient, elegant, and high-performance data architecture and flow of data through the data systems backing  our scientific data products. You will work closely with colleagues in product management, data engineering, business analysis and user experience, data science, and information security and risk management teams to deliver on our product vision. You will create an efficient, secure, compliant, performant, and sustainable data landscape which will be crucial for successfully achieving RX’s strategic goal of democratizing access to BR’s data.

Major Responsibilities

• Independently design enterprise-quality data architecture sitting behind our products

• Frequently update the design to reflect learnings from our agile product teams

• Factor in BR- and Novartis-wide data ecosystem impact

• Define, initiate and/or drive solutions that enable smooth user experience of data flow and connectivity through entire processes across scientific domains with enterprise level impact

• Advance and achieve very high level of adoption of RX and industry best practices by product teams

• Design, implement and maintain security/infrastructure requirements for development / testing environment, OR design, implement and keep technology stack of relevant products for development, test and production use support OR manage application infrastructure including application infrastructure design input, application installation and deployment and operational management of the application infrastructure

• Work in close collaboration with Architecture and Operations to integrate new solutions, ensuring timely and cost-effective delivery of solutions required for new projects and high integration of components

• Help to drive architectural improvements and standardization for the infrastructure/security environments.

• Develop and enhance automated processes to release new solutions into the live environment or create reusable and automation frameworks

• Ensure controls are in place for all configuration items and only authorized changes are made for all assets within enterprise IT environment

• Ensure creation of detailed solution/service design matching high level designs and functional specifications to meet quality and performance requirements and ensure the quality, cost and timelines of feature and product implementations OR install applications per approved designs, acting as DevOps lead ensuring infrastructure is deployed/developed to meet technical design, and operationally manage application infrastructure, taking preventive measures to avoid unplanned outages

Major accountabilities:

A successful candidate must have extensive expertise in data architecture and experience with scientific data types used in drug discovery including biology, chemistry, and clinical data. Additional skills are required in the area of process change management and with the alignment of non-IT scientists behind strategic data management goals and initiatives.

The ideal candidate demonstrates the following skills and capabilities:

• Expertise in data architecture, data engineering, or software engineering

• Excellent knowledge in at least two of BR’s core data areas (molecular biology, chemistry/chemical biology, clinical)

• Experience with developing or supporting standard IT products used in these core data areas together with an excellent understanding of the data flows between those

• Proven experience with architecting IT solutions that enable laboratory data workflows on a global company level

• Balancing corporate and departmental priorities and goals on a global level

• Proven mindset that demonstrates an understanding of the needs of a global company’s digital journey

• Proven drive for ensuring data consistency

• Consensus-building skills and ability to win others in IT and science to follow a shared vision

• Proven ability to execute consistently, rapidly, and effectively

• Outstanding communication skills and excellent stakeholder management

• Proven ability to operate successfully at the challenging interface between research and development functions and aligning their diverse needs

• Expertise in identifying and/or creating initiatives that move the organization to new levels of effectiveness

• Ability to improve processes and methods across scientific domains and laboratory workflows

• Experience with agile software development

• Experience with linked data concepts, technologies, and tools

Essential Requirements:

• Master’s degree (or equivalent experience)

• Excellent technical skills with at least 10 years experience as a data architect, data engineer, or software engineer

• 5+ years experience creating scientific software, or working in a drug discovery environment or related scientific field

• Proven experience in managing scientific domain-specific data and metadata

• Experience in the practice of agile software development processes

• Experience with distributed data processing and management systems

• Experience in working with ontologies and managing data described in RDF

• Experience with cloud technologies (AWS, Google, or Azure)

• Proficiency in English (Oral & Written)

Desirable:

• Experience working with Graph databases is a plus

 

ou’ll receive: You can find everything you need to know about our benefits and rewards in the Novartis Life Handbook. https://www.novartis.com/careers/benefits-rewards

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: Novartis is committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams’ representative of the patients and communities we serve.

How can we achieve this?

With our people. It is our associates that drive us each day to reach our ambitions. Be a part of this mission and join us! Learn more here: https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture

Join our Novartis Network: If this role is not suitable to your experience or career goals but you wish to stay connected to hear more about Novartis and our career opportunities, join the Novartis Network here:

https://talentnetwork.novartis.com/network

 

Skills Desired

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