Site Robotics Expert

FR12 (FCRS = FR012) Novartis Pharma S.A.S.; Huningue; Hybrid; EUR 44,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Flexible working

27 days paid leave

14 RTT per year

Quality of Life program

Diversity & Inclusion initiatives

Job summary

Novartis Pharma S.A.S. in Huningue, France, is seeking a Site Robotics Expert to lead robotics transformation across manufacturing, laboratories, warehousing and material handling, ensuring GMP, validation, data integrity and cybersecurity compliance.

You will own the site robotics strategy, drive end-to-end delivery from opportunity assessment to deployment, collaborate with local and global stakeholders, and build internal capabilities while supporting budget and portfolio needs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Robotics, Mechatronics, Automation, Electrical, Mechanical or related field.
• Minimum 5 years of hands-on experience in industrial robotics or automation.
• Proven track record leading robotics/automation projects end-to-end.
• Strong understanding of robotics hardware, system integration, and safety.
• Experience in GMP/pharmaceutical environments with data integrity expectations.
• Fluent French and English, spoken and written.

Responsibilities

• Develop and refresh the site robotics strategy and roadmap.
• Lead end-to-end robotics initiatives from feasibility to deployment and value realization.
• Ensure sustainable operation and governance of robotics solutions.
• Evaluate technologies including AMRs, AGVs, robots, CV, AI, and emerging Physical AI.
• Define URSs, standards, and deployment packages; manage vendor evaluation.
• Maintain site robotics catalog and report progress to governance forums.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Manufacturing, Quality, IT/OT and Procurement.
• Ensure GMP, validation, data integrity, cybersecurity and risk management.

Skills

Robotics expertise

Project leadership

Stakeholder management

GMP knowledge

English proficiency

French proficiency

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Robotics/Automation/Engineering

Tools

Robotics hardware

Automation systems

IT/OT integration tools

Job description

Salary Range: €44,000.00 – €81,800.00. Location: Huningue, France. Hybrid: 3 days/week onsite. Internal job title: DDIT OPS Robotics Expert ITOT.

Job Description Summary

The Site Robotics Expert leads the robotics transformation of the Drug Substance manufacturing site in Huningue, driving the development, implementation, scaling, and lifecycle management of robotics solutions across manufacturing, laboratories, warehousing, and material handling. The role combines deep robotics expertise with strategic leadership, program management, and stakeholder engagement to improve productivity, quality, safety, and operational excellence while ensuring GMP, validation, data integrity, and cybersecurity compliance. As the site subject matter expert, the role connects emerging robotics technologies and the external innovation ecosystem with operational needs, translating opportunities into standardized, deployable, and sustainable solutions in close collaboration with local and global stakeholders, engineering, operations, quality, IT/OT, procurement, and technology partners.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategy and roadmap: Develop, own, and continuously refresh the site robotics strategy and roadmap, identifying high-value opportunities and aligning priorities with site objectives and relevant global standards.
• End-to-end delivery: Lead robotics initiatives from opportunity assessment, feasibility, and business case development through design, implementation, qualification, deployment, adoption, and value realization.
• Solution lifecycle ownership: Ensure sustainable operation of robotics solutions through clear ownership, support models, maintenance, performance optimization, upgrades, obsolescence management, and replacement planning.
• Technology evaluation and scouting: Assess, select, and deploy technologies including AMRs, AGVs, industrial and collaborative robots, automated material handling, service robots, computer vision, automated inspection, AI-enabled robotics, and emerging Physical AI solutions.
• Requirements and standardization: Define and own User Requirement Specifications (URSs), technical standards, integration principles, and reusable deployment packages, differentiating common site requirements from use-case-specific needs.
• Robotics catalog: Own and maintain a site robotics catalog covering solution availability, maturity, readiness, ownership, technical characteristics, and deployment status.
• Governance and performance: Establish robotics governance, decision criteria, standards, portfolio visibility, and performance monitoring. Provide regular progress reporting to the relevant site governance and technical forums.
• Cross‑functional collaboration: Partner with Manufacturing, Laboratories, Warehousing, Engineering, Quality, HSE, IT/OT, Procurement, global robotics experts, and end users to ensure solutions are fit for purpose, scalable, and adopted.
• Vendor and partner management: Evaluate supplier capability and performance; support Procurement in selecting and managing approved partners; coordinate vendor support and foster external innovation partnerships.
• Compliance and risk management: Ensure compliance with GMP, validation and qualification requirements, ALCOA+ data integrity principles, machinery and operational safety, cybersecurity standards, and inspection‑readiness expectations.
• Capability building and adoption: Act as the site robotics subject matter expert, build internal capabilities, support change and training activities, and capture operational feedback to improve subsequent roadmap cycles.
• Financial and portfolio stewardship: Contribute to budget and project‑pipeline management, support investment prioritization, and track delivery of productivity and other agreed business benefits.

Essential Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Robotics, Mechatronics, Automation, Electrical, Mechanical or Control Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Computer Vision, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum 5 years of demonstrated experience in industrial robotics, automation, or advanced manufacturing technology, including hands‑on implementation and deployment of robotics solutions.
• Proven track record of leading robotics or automation projects from concept and business case through implementation, qualification, handover, and operational support.
• Strong understanding of robotics hardware, system integration, industrial automation architectures, safety, maintenance, and continuous improvement practices.
• Experience defining technical requirements, URSs, standards, and vendor evaluation criteria.
• Experience in a GMP/pharmaceutical or similarly regulated manufacturing environment, including validation principles and data‑integrity expectations.
• Practical exposure to AI‑enabled robotics, computer vision, automated inspection, or Physical AI.
• Strong program, stakeholder, and vendor‑management skills, with the ability to influence across local and global teams without direct authority.
• Ability to develop business cases, support budget and project‑pipeline management, and translate technical opportunities into measurable operational value.
• Fluent French and English, spoken and written.

Desirable Requirements

• Advanced expertise in AMRs, AGVs, collaborative or industrial robots, automated material handling, vision‑guided systems, or service robotics.
• Experience scaling robotics solutions across multiple functions, production areas, or manufacturing platforms.
• Knowledge of OT cybersecurity, industrial networks, interfaces to automation or manufacturing systems, and lifecycle/obsolescence management.
• Established network within robotics vendors, integrators, research institutions, or innovation ecosystems.

Benefits and Rewards

• Salary range: 44,000 – 81,800 €
• An annual bonus
• A focus on your career development
• Access to our Quality of Life at work program
• Flexible working
• Advanced social coverage for you and your loved ones
• 27 days of paid leave & 14 days of RTT per year
• Various employee recognition programs
• Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: We are committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams representative of the patients and communities we serve.

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.

Skills Desired

• Business Continuity, Cost Management, Decision Making, Operational Excellence, Problem Solving, Project Management, Quality Compliance, Risk Management, Stakeholder Management, Vendor Management

Improving the lives of people living with disease takes more than innovative science. It takes a focus on the needs of people and a community committed to meeting them. Working together. Learning together. Thriving together.

Engagement envers la diversité et l'inclusion / EEO: Novartis s'engage à créer un environnement de travail exceptionnel et inclusif et des équipes diversifiées représentatives des patients et des communautés que nous servons.