Job Description Summary
#LI-RemoteThe Director, AI Foundations Engineer will drive the engineering strategy, delivery, and operational excellence for the organization’s agentic AI operating system, with responsibility spanning solution architecture, development, operations, and continuous improvement. This role will be central to enabling the transformation of existing processes, products, and services into agentic AI products and intelligent workflows by providing a scalable, secure, and high performing foundation. The ideal candidate will bring deep engineering leadership, systems thinking, and technical vision to guide the design and evolution of core agentic capabilities, establish engineering standards and operating models, and lead cross functional teams in delivering resilient and extensible AI services. Working closely with product leaders, business stakeholders, data and technology teams, and transformation leaders, this role will ensure the agentic systems accelerate innovation, support enterprise adoption, and delivers measurable business value through reliable and scalable execution.
This position can be based remotely anywhere in the U.S. Please note that this role would not provide relocation as a result. The expectation of working hours and travel (domestic and/or international) will be defined by the Hiring Manager.
There are 2 positions available.
Job Description
Key Responsibilities:
Lead the design and development and ongoing improvement of the organization's AI foundations that will enable use cases through a disciplined engineering approach
Define and implement an agentic AI foundational system, engineering standards, and development practices that promote scalability, reliability, repeatability, and continuous improvement
Partner with product, data, infrastructure, security, and business teams to align platform capabilities with enterprise needs and strategic priorities.
Oversee engineering teams in building reusable platform services, tools, and components that enable agentic AI products and workflows.
Drive modernization and integration efforts to connect existing systems and processes with AI capabilities.
Monitor agentic operations and user feedback to identify improvements, resolve issues, and support continuous optimization.
Establish effective operating models, support processes, and governance practices to ensure consistent delivery of AI capabilities
Communicate platform priorities, delivery progress, technical risks, and investment needs to senior leaders and cross functional stakeholders.
Essential Requirements:
Bachelor degree required and advanced degree preferred, ideally in business, engineering, computer science, data science, or a related field.
8 plus years of AI engineering experience, with a strong track record of leading product strategy, roadmap development, and delivery for complex digital, data, or AI enabled products.
Demonstrated experience in AI and data driven product environments, including translating business needs into scalable product solutions and partnering closely with technical teams to bring innovative products to market.
Strong cross functional leadership skills, with proven ability to collaborate effectively across Engineering, Innovation, Design, Data Science, Commercial, and other business teams to drive alignment and execution.
Experience managing and developing product managers or junior product leaders, including coaching, prioritization support, and fostering strong product management practices.
Excellent strategic, analytical, and communication skills, with the ability to evaluate opportunities, make informed tradeoffs, and clearly communicate product vision, priorities, and outcomes to stakeholders.
Novartis Compensation Summary:
The salary for this position is expected to range between $194,600 and $361,400 per year.
The final salary offered is determined based on factors like, but not limited to, relevant skills and experience, and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically. Novartis may change the published salary range based on company and market factors.
Your compensation will include a performance-based cash incentive and, depending on the level of the role, eligibility to be considered for annual equity awards.
US-based eligible employees will receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, life and disability benefits, a 401(k) with company contribution and match, and a variety of other benefits. In addition, employees are eligible for a generous time off package including vacation, personal days, holidays and other leaves.
EEO Statement:
The Novartis Group of Companies are Equal Opportunity Employers. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.
Accessibility and reasonable accommodations
The Novartis Group of Companies are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or to perform the essential functions of a position, please send an e-mail to [email protected] or call +1(877)395-2339 and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.
Salary Range
$194,600.00 - $361,400.00
Skills Desired
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Business Value Creation, Change Management, Curious Mindset, Data Governance, Data Literacy, Data Quality, Data Science, Data Visualization, Deep Learning, Learning Agility, Machine Learning (ML), Machine Learning Algorithms, Mentorship, Stakeholder Engagement, Statistical Analysis, Time Series AnalysisSimilar Jobs
What you need to know about the Chicago Tech Scene
Key Facts About Chicago Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 245,800; 5.2% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: McDonald’s, John Deere, Boeing, Morningstar
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, biotechnology, fintech, software, logistics technology
- Funding Landscape: $2.5 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Pritzker Group Venture Capital, Arch Venture Partners, MATH Venture Partners, Jump Capital, Hyde Park Venture Partners
- Research Centers and Universities: Northwestern University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Institute of Technology, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
