Site Robotics Lead

Salary Range:

€79,951.00 - €140,500.00

Job Description Summary

This role is based in Schaftenau. Novartis is able to provide relocation support only for candidates relocating within Europe. Please apply only if this location and relocation requirement are feasible for you.

The Site Robotics Lead will lead the robotics transformation of the Drug Substance manufacturing site in Schaftenau, Austria, driving the development, implementation, scaling, and lifecycle management of robotics solutions across manufacturing, laboratories, warehousing, and material handling. The role combines robotics expertise, strategic leadership, program management, and stakeholder engagement to enhance productivity, quality, safety, and operational excellence while ensuring GMP, validation, and cybersecurity compliance. As the site's robotics expert, the individual will collaborate with local and global stakeholders, engineering, operations, quality, IT/OT teams, and technology partners to build a sustainable robotics ecosystem.

Job Description

Major Accountabilities

• Develop and execute the site robotics strategy and roadmap, identifying high-value automation opportunities and defining long-term robotics initiatives.
• Lead robotics programs end-to-end, from opportunity assessment and business case development through implementation, deployment, and value realization.
• Own the full lifecycle of robotics solutions, ensuring sustainable operations, maintenance, optimization, upgrades, and replacement planning.
• Evaluate, select, and deploy robotics technologies, including AMRs, AGVs, material handling robots, service robots, AI-enabled robotics, and emerging Physical AI solutions.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration, partnering with manufacturing, laboratories, warehousing, engineering, quality, IT/OT, and global robotics experts.
• Establish robotics governance, standards, and performance monitoring, ensuring scalability, reliability, safety, and operational excellence.
• Ensure regulatory and operational compliance, including GMP requirements, validation, qualification activities, cybersecurity standards, and inspection readiness.
• Build site robotics capabilities and external partnerships, acting as the site's robotics subject matter expert and fostering strong vendor and stakeholder relationships.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Robotics, Automation Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related technical discipline.
• Total 10-15 years of exp and minimum 5+ years of demonstrated experience in robotics, with hands-on implementation and deployment of industrial robotics solutions.
• Proven expertise in robotics technologies such as AMRs, AGVs, automated material handling systems, robotics automation, and vision-guided systems.
• Experience leading robotics or automation programs/projects from concept through implementation and operational support.
• Strong leadership experience, including leading cross-functional teams, small teams, or matrix organizations.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with experience engaging both global and local business partners.
• Fluent German and English language skills (spoken and written).
• Strong understanding of industrial operations, safety, maintenance, and continuous improvement practices; exposure to GMP/pharmaceutical environments and AI-enabled robotics is preferred.

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.

What you will receive:

In addition to a market-competitive base salary, we offer an attractive incentive program, a modern company pension scheme, childcare facilities, learning and development opportunities as well as worldwide career possibilities within the Novartis group. In accordance with Austrian law, we are obliged to disclose the minimum salary as stated in the collective bargaining agreement. For this position the minimum salary is € 78,383.90/year (on a full-time basis). The actual salary will be significantly higher, as we strive to maintain a competitive position in the market and consider your previous experience, qualifications and individual competencies.

Adjustments for Applicants with Disabilities: 

If because of a medical condition, physical disability or a neurodiverse condition you require an adjustment during the recruitment process, please reach out to [email protected] and let us know the nature of your request as well as your contact information. The support which we can provide will include advice on suitable positions as well as guidance at all stages of the application process. Austrian law provides candidates the opportunity to involve the local disability representative, Behindertenvertrauensperson (BVP), in the application process. If you would like to request this, please let us know in advance as a note on your CV.

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. Be a part of this mission and join us! Learn more here: https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture

Join our Novartis Network: If this role is not suitable to your experience or career goals but you wish to stay connected to learn more about Novartis and our career opportunities, join the Novartis Network here: https://talentnetwork.novartis.com/network

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 and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.

Skills Desired

Artificial Intelligence (AI), Biostatistics, Business Value Creation, Change Management, Curious Mindset, Data Governance, Data Literacy, Data Quality, Data Science, Data Visualization, Deep Learning, Graph Algorithms, Learning Agility, Machine Learning (ML), Machine Learning Algorithms, Python (Programming Language), Stakeholder Engagement, Statistical Analysis, Time Series Analysis