Novartis
1 open Forward Deployed Engineer role at Novartis. Curated with comp bands.
Comp on the board: $225K–$419K.
On the board since Jul 2026 · still hiring
Our take
Why Novartis
Proof the FDE title has left tech: a top pharma building a three-level forward-deployed org, remote-eligible, at pharma-executive comp.
- FDE type
- Product-embedded
- Travel
- Remote-first
- Comp
- Competitive
- Stage
- Public
A good fit if you're…
- Senior engineering leaders who want AI impact in drug development
- Candidates who prefer remote US or Switzerland arrangements
- Engineers with regulated-data or life-sciences experience
What they do
Novartis is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies; its Data42 program pools clinical and research data to power AI across drug development. The FDE org deploys AI systems into R&D and commercial operations.
What “forward deployed” means here
Here 'customers' are internal business units — trial teams, medical affairs, commercial — so the role is product-embedded: sit with a function, find the workflow, and ship an AI system that survives GxP-style scrutiny. Stakeholder navigation in a large regulated company is a core skill, not a distraction.
Comp & leveling
Bands are Executive Director $225K–$419K, Director $195K–$361K, and IC (Data42) $160K–$298K. Wide ranges reflect US/Swiss geography and leveling; pharma bonuses and long-term incentives add on top, so total comp for leaders is competitive with tech, while the IC band trails lab FDE pay.
Growth signals
Hiring an Executive Director, Director and IC at the same time means a funded org, not a pilot. Big-pharma AI programs can stall on reorgs, so ask where the org reports and how its budget is set.
Analysis updated 2026-09-26
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