Senior Principle, Innovation Scout

Summary

The Innovation Scout drives early identification and translation of emerging technologies, scientific opportunities, and external innovations into actionable insights and experiments that inform product, platform, and portfolio direction.
Acting as a bridge between the external innovation landscape and internal strategic priorities, the role focuses on separating meaningful signals from noise, rapidly testing high-potential ideas through lightweight prototyping, and accelerating the path from insight to validated opportunity.
By enabling faster, evidence-based decision-making, the Innovation Scout helps shape future-facing capabilities and ensures the organization remains ahead of key technology and scientific inflection points.

About the Role

LI#hybrid

Senior Principal Innovation Scout

This hybrid role is based Basel, Switzerland

Novartis is unable to offer relocation support for this role: please only apply if these locations are accessible for you.

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 analytical and strategic thinking skills to evaluate opportunities and prioritize based on value, feasibility, risk, and strategic alignment
• 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 audience
• Ability to synthesize complex concepts into clear insights and compelling, actionable recommendations.

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: 93,800.00 - 134,000.00 - 174,200.00 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 E-Mail auf novartis.com ansehen and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message. 

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?

Benefits and Rewards: Learn about all the ways we’ll help you thrive personally and professionally.
Read our handbook (PDF 30 MB)