Therapeutic Area Head, PK Science- Neuroscience

Job Description Summary

#LI-Hybrid
Internal Title: TA Head, PKS Neuroscience
Location: Basel

We are seeking an accomplished and visionary scientific leader to join us as TA Head, PKS Neuroscience. In this highly visible role, you will lead a cross-functional scientific organization spanning pharmacokinetics, bioanalysis, quantitative pharmacology, biomarker sciences, and toxicology across discovery, early development, and potentially late-stage development. You will play a critical role in the neuroscience portfolio, shaping integrated development strategies, and enabling high-quality portfolio decisions.

As TA Head, PKS Neuroscience you will provide strategic and scientific leadership across a broad translational sciences remit, with particular emphasis on pharmacokinetics, clinical pharmacology, bioanalysis, preclinical safety, and biomarkers. You will be responsible for defining fit-for-purpose development strategies across programs, ensuring scientific rigor in execution, and building strong partnerships across research, development, regulatory, and portfolio teams. This role requires a leader who combines deep technical expertise with strong organizational leadership, sound judgment, and the ability to influence across a matrixed organization. You will also lead and develop scientists based at the Basel, Cambridge, San Diego sites and serve as an important internal and external representative of the organization.

 

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

• Define and implement integrated platform and program strategies from discovery through registration

• Support data-driven decision-making and differentiated development strategies for the neuroscience portfolio.

• Oversee pharmacokinetic, pharmacology, and nonclinical safety contributions to regulatory submissions and supporting documentation

• Support health authority interactions by ensuring high-quality scientific input into development and regulatory strategies

• Drive cross-functional collaboration across discovery, development, regulatory, and other key partner functions to ensure rigorous and efficient program execution

• Build, lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing scientific team, including oversight of scientists based at the Basel, Cambridge, and San Diego sites.

• Serve as a scientific thought leader internally and externally through collaborations, publications, presentations, and participation in relevant scientific forums

• Promote operational excellence through disciplined execution, continuous improvement, and effective use of resources

• Leverage digital tools, AI, and automation, where appropriate, to enhance insight generation, efficiency, and decision-making

Essential Requirements

• PhD or PharmD in pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, toxicology, biomarker sciences, pharmaceutics, biochemistry, or a related scientific discipline

• Significant biopharmaceutical industry experience, typically 12 or more years, spanning preclinical and clinical drug discovery and development, including senior leadership responsibility

• Demonstrated people leadership experience, including hiring, mentoring, coaching, and developing scientific talent

• Strong understanding of global regulatory requirements and experience contributing to submissions such as INDs, IMPDs, NDAs, and BLAs

• Proven ability to work effectively in a matrixed, cross-functional environment and influence across teams and organizational levels

• Excellent communication, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills, with a high degree of scientific rigor and sound judgment

Desirable Requirements

• Experience in neuroscience disease

• Experience in bioanalytical assay development and biomarker strategy

• Familiarity with late-stage development and registration-enabling activities

• Experience applying digital tools, AI, or machine learning to scientific decision-making and development execution

• Track record of external scientific visibility through publications, presentations, or industry engagement

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 inclusion.switzerland@novartis.com and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message

 

Skills Desired

Business Administration, Business Strategy, Clinical Pharmacology, Clinical Research, Collaboration, Communication, Conflict Solving, Data Entry, Drug Development, Enterprise Mindset, Influence, Leadership, Mentoring, Microsoft Office, Oscilloscope, Partnership, Patient Care, Physics, Quality Control, Transactional Analysis