Data Science Innovation Postdoctoral Fellow, In Silico Immunogenicity Prediction

Internal Job Title:  Innovation Postdoctoral Fellow
Location: Cambridge, MA, USA  

About the role:

We are thrilled to open applications for our Innovation Postdoctoral Fellowship. This applied 3-year research program is set to change the way we approach drug discovery, offering fellows a unique chance to train in data science and AI for biomedical research. As a talented fellow, you will learn to apply your computational skills to make a difference for patients and reimagine medicine at Novartis.

Drug hunting is a team sport, and you will gain experience in DS&AI for drug discovery as part of a multi-disciplinary team in Biomedical Research. You will drive innovation by deploying cutting-edge data approaches in collaboration with a vibrant and diverse community of over 300 data scientists globally. The program provides a unique platform to work on real-world, biomedical data at scale, rarely accessible in academia. Under the guidance of experienced mentors, you’ll embark on a journey of professional growth, benefiting from a tailored training program with built-in time for a mini-sabbatical in other areas of Novartis and for attending conferences/workshops.  

Biomedical Research is the home of a vibrant postdoctoral community connected through science and events supporting the professional growth of our fellows, including monthly seminars and an annual Research Day Symposium. Seize this chance to be at the forefront of Data science and AI and shape the future of drug discovery!

You are part of a multidisciplinary team of data scientists and immunogenicity experts and use state-of-the-art data science and bioinformatics approaches to contribute to building a computational platform for the identification of potential immunogenic regions on therapeutic proteins.

You use different types of data such as protein and peptide sequences, 3D structures, and proteomics data for the development and validation of the in silico immunogenicity prediction platform that has the potential to assist the design, selection, and screening of biologics candidates with low immunogenicity risk.

Start Date: Winter 2024

Key responsibilities

As a Data Science Innovation Fellow, you will:

•Join a team of enthusiastic data scientists and immunogenicity experts in the Biologics Research Center, and collaborate with other data scientists and expert drug hunters in Biomedical Research

•Utilize internal immunogenicity data and public data to influence the design and development of a robust and innovative in silico immunogenicity platform

•Explore and evaluate if and how we can leverage latest AI methods and combine them with traditional bioinformatics approaches to build a robust platform to assess the immunogenicity risk of biologics

•Bring with you your curiosity, ideas, out of the box thinking and have an impact on our drug discovery and development process

Role requirements:

•PhD in bioinformatics, computational biology, immunoinformatics, statistics, computer science, machine learning, physics, or a related field (PhD students in the last year of their thesis work, are eligible to apply)

•Experience in developing computational models by utilizing and integrating different types of data sets such as protein sequences and 3D structure data

•Proficiency in R, python, commonly used bioinformatics tools and databases for protein sequences and structures analyses, and machine learning frameworks and techniques

•Experience with protein structure modeling, including AI methods such as AlphaFold, RosettaFold

•Familiarity in working with antibody sequences and structures

•Strong publication record or other scientific achievements (i.e. awards, patents, grants)

•Excellent analytical, communication, presentation and organizational skills

•Passion for research and boundless curiosity

#DSIF

How to apply:

Please submit your CV and cover letter by July 29th  for consideration. Please make sure to discuss in the cover letter how this training program will help you fulfill your career goals.

Why Novartis:  Our purpose is to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people’s lives and our vision is to become the most valued and trusted medicines company in the world. 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

You’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 and Inclusion / EEO:  The Novartis Group of Companies are Equal Opportunity Employers and take pride in maintaining a diverse environment. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. We are committed to building diverse teams, representative of the patients and communities we serve, and we strive to create an inclusive workplace that cultivates bold innovation through collaboration and empowers our people to unleash their full potential.

The pay rate for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be $82,000 per year; however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a sign-on bonus, restricted stock units, and discretionary awards in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits (including 401(k) eligibility and various paid time off benefits, such as vacation, sick time, and parental leave), dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

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