AI Research Engineer Jobs in New Jersey
AI Research Engineer jobs in New Jersey are in strong and growing demand, concentrated in pharmaceuticals, financial technology, defense technology, and enterprise software, with openings from early-career research positions through principal and staff engineer roles. The most active hiring is in Princeton, Newark, and Jersey City, where established employers like Johnson & Johnson, Cognizant, and Lockheed Martin maintain significant research and engineering operations. The most sought-after specializations include large language model development, computer vision, and applied machine learning for drug discovery and quantitative finance. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Summary
This enterprise role complements rather than replaces the Workforce Strategy Leads directly supporting DSAI teams within their units. Unit-level accountabilities remain unchanged, while this role connects across them, providing the overarching DSAI people strategy, standards and governance and enabling enterprise-level choices where these are needed.
About the Role
#Hybrid
This role can be based in Cambridge, East Hanover, London or Basel, please only apply to one of the appropriate location.
Key Responsibilities
- Set the enterprise DSAI people and organization strategy.
Translate the DSAI ambition into an integrated, future-ready agenda across workforce, organization, leadership, culture, talent and capability. Success is evident when: enterprise priorities and accountabilities are clear, adopted across units, and translated into measurable outcomes. - Shape strategic workforce and capability choices. Use scenarios, analytics, external insight and data storytelling to anticipate demand for scarce DSAI capabilities and recommend choices on organization design, skills, capacity, location, sourcing and workforce mix. Success is evident when: critical gaps are addressed before they constrain innovation or execution.
- Lead the enterprise DSAI OTR. Orchestrate the enterprise talent review, integrate perspectives across units, and present implications, choices and recommendations to ECN. Success is evident when: pivotal talent, succession, capability risks and enterprise actions are visible and actively managed.
- Establish enterprise talent and career approaches. Create differentiated career development, mobility, succession and talent-allocation mechanisms suited to DSAI roles and communities. Success is evident when: Novartis can attract, develop, deploy and retain pivotal DSAI talent across organizational boundaries.
- Build the external DSAI talent brand and pipeline. Strengthen Novartis’ visibility as an employer of choice through targeted engagement with universities, specialist talent networks and external forums. Build early-talent pathways that attract dual technical/scientific and DSAI expertise and develop judgement, experience and leadership capability. Success is evident when: Novartis has stronger external visibility and a sustainable pipeline of scarce DSAI talent.
- Design and create enterprise DSAI standards. Build new governance, rewards approaches, career architecture, capability frameworks, talent programs and operating approaches for a field evolving faster than established internal practices. Success is evident when: scalable standards replace fragmented local approaches and remain relevant as DSAI evolves.
- Connect enterprise strategy and unit execution. Define decision rights, interfaces and governance so the enterprise mandate is distinct from, and complementary to, unchanged unit-level P&O accountabilities. Success is evident when: there is no duplication or accountability gap between enterprise and unit roles.
- Influence a complex enterprise stakeholder system. Partner with at least nine ECN-1 leaders across R&D, Commercial, Operations and Global Functions, the Head of GDC, unit P&O Business Partners and Expertise Hubs to resolve enterprise trade-offs without relying on formal authority. Success is evident when: leaders move beyond unit optimization and commit to enterprise decisions.
- Redesign work for human-AI collaboration. Guide organization, role and workflow choices that enable responsible collaboration among people, automation and AI agents while sustaining accountability and a human-cantered employee experience. Success is evident when: adoption improves productivity, innovation and decision quality.
- Coach senior leaders, shape culture and lead transformation. Challenge and coach leaders through ambiguity, build commitment to new enterprise approaches, anticipate resistance and track adoption and benefits. Success is evident when: leadership behaviour, culture and ways of working support the DSAI strategy.
What you’ll bring to the role
Essential Criteria
- Extensive experience of progressive P&O/HR experience, including strategic partnership with executive and ECN-1 leaders in a complex global matrix.
- Strong organization design, strategic workforce planning and transformation experience, including scenario development and enterprise trade-off recommendations.
- Demonstrated experience creating global or enterprise-wide people strategies, standards, governance or programs, not only implementing established solutions.
- Evidence of leading enterprise talent reviews, succession and capability discussions with senior executive forums.
- Demonstrated ability to influence multiple senior stakeholders across business units, functions, countries and P&O disciplines without formal authority.
- Fluency in people analytics and confidence with AI-enabled tools, responsible AI principles and emerging work technologies.
Desirable Criteria
- Experience translating emerging technology, data science or digital strategy into workforce, organization and talent implications; direct DSAI sector experience is highly desirable.
- Relevant university degree or equivalent experience required; advanced qualification in business, organization, analytics, technology or a related discipline.
Benefits & Rewards
The salary for this position is expected to range between 204,400.00 - 379,600.00 USD Annual.
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.
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? https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture
Join our Novartis Network: Not the right Novartis role for you? Sign up to our talent community to stay connected and learn about suitable career opportunities as soon as they come up: https://talentnetwork.novartis.com/network
Benefits and Rewards: Read our handbook to learn about all the ways we’ll help you thrive personally and professionally: https://www.novartis.com/careers/benefits-rewards
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? https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture
Benefits and Rewards: Learn about all the ways we’ll help you thrive personally and professionally.
Read our handbook (PDF 30 MB)
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 & 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 us.reasonableaccommodations@novartis.com 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.
Summary
This enterprise role complements rather than replaces the Workforce Strategy Leads directly supporting DSAI teams within their units. Unit-level accountabilities remain unchanged, while this role connects across them, providing the overarching DSAI people strategy, standards and governance and enabling enterprise-level choices where these are needed.
About the Role
#Hybrid
This role can be based in Cambridge, East Hanover, London or Basel, please only apply to one of the appropriate location.
Key Responsibilities
- Set the enterprise DSAI people and organization strategy.
Translate the DSAI ambition into an integrated, future-ready agenda across workforce, organization, leadership, culture, talent and capability. Success is evident when: enterprise priorities and accountabilities are clear, adopted across units, and translated into measurable outcomes. - Shape strategic workforce and capability choices. Use scenarios, analytics, external insight and data storytelling to anticipate demand for scarce DSAI capabilities and recommend choices on organization design, skills, capacity, location, sourcing and workforce mix. Success is evident when: critical gaps are addressed before they constrain innovation or execution.
- Lead the enterprise DSAI OTR. Orchestrate the enterprise talent review, integrate perspectives across units, and present implications, choices and recommendations to ECN. Success is evident when: pivotal talent, succession, capability risks and enterprise actions are visible and actively managed.
- Establish enterprise talent and career approaches. Create differentiated career development, mobility, succession and talent-allocation mechanisms suited to DSAI roles and communities. Success is evident when: Novartis can attract, develop, deploy and retain pivotal DSAI talent across organizational boundaries.
- Build the external DSAI talent brand and pipeline. Strengthen Novartis’ visibility as an employer of choice through targeted engagement with universities, specialist talent networks and external forums. Build early-talent pathways that attract dual technical/scientific and DSAI expertise and develop judgement, experience and leadership capability. Success is evident when: Novartis has stronger external visibility and a sustainable pipeline of scarce DSAI talent.
- Design and create enterprise DSAI standards. Build new governance, rewards approaches, career architecture, capability frameworks, talent programs and operating approaches for a field evolving faster than established internal practices. Success is evident when: scalable standards replace fragmented local approaches and remain relevant as DSAI evolves.
- Connect enterprise strategy and unit execution. Define decision rights, interfaces and governance so the enterprise mandate is distinct from, and complementary to, unchanged unit-level P&O accountabilities. Success is evident when: there is no duplication or accountability gap between enterprise and unit roles.
- Influence a complex enterprise stakeholder system. Partner with at least nine ECN-1 leaders across R&D, Commercial, Operations and Global Functions, the Head of GDC, unit P&O Business Partners and Expertise Hubs to resolve enterprise trade-offs without relying on formal authority. Success is evident when: leaders move beyond unit optimization and commit to enterprise decisions.
- Redesign work for human-AI collaboration. Guide organization, role and workflow choices that enable responsible collaboration among people, automation and AI agents while sustaining accountability and a human-cantered employee experience. Success is evident when: adoption improves productivity, innovation and decision quality.
- Coach senior leaders, shape culture and lead transformation. Challenge and coach leaders through ambiguity, build commitment to new enterprise approaches, anticipate resistance and track adoption and benefits. Success is evident when: leadership behaviour, culture and ways of working support the DSAI strategy.
What you’ll bring to the role
Essential Criteria
- Extensive experience of progressive P&O/HR experience, including strategic partnership with executive and ECN-1 leaders in a complex global matrix.
- Strong organization design, strategic workforce planning and transformation experience, including scenario development and enterprise trade-off recommendations.
- Demonstrated experience creating global or enterprise-wide people strategies, standards, governance or programs, not only implementing established solutions.
- Evidence of leading enterprise talent reviews, succession and capability discussions with senior executive forums.
- Demonstrated ability to influence multiple senior stakeholders across business units, functions, countries and P&O disciplines without formal authority.
- Fluency in people analytics and confidence with AI-enabled tools, responsible AI principles and emerging work technologies.
Desirable Criteria
- Experience translating emerging technology, data science or digital strategy into workforce, organization and talent implications; direct DSAI sector experience is highly desirable.
- Relevant university degree or equivalent experience required; advanced qualification in business, organization, analytics, technology or a related discipline.
Benefits & Rewards
The salary for this position is expected to range between 204,400.00 - 379,600.00 USD Annual.
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.
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? https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture
Join our Novartis Network: Not the right Novartis role for you? Sign up to our talent community to stay connected and learn about suitable career opportunities as soon as they come up: https://talentnetwork.novartis.com/network
Benefits and Rewards: Read our handbook to learn about all the ways we’ll help you thrive personally and professionally: https://www.novartis.com/careers/benefits-rewards
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? https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture
Benefits and Rewards: Learn about all the ways we’ll help you thrive personally and professionally.
Read our handbook (PDF 30 MB)
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 & 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 us.reasonableaccommodations@novartis.com 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.
See All 9 AI Research Engineer Jobs in New Jersey
Find roles in New Jersey that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find AI Research Engineer JobsAI Research Engineer Jobs by City in New Jersey
Where New Jersey roles are concentrated, by current openings.
AI Research Engineer Job Market in New Jersey
A snapshot from current New Jersey openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Fintech
- Banking & Financial Services
- Investment & Asset Management
What New Jersey Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in AI research engineer jobs across New Jersey.
- Graduate degree in computer science, machine learning, or a related quantitative field required
- Demonstrated experience with deep learning frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow
- Published research or a strong portfolio of applied AI projects expected by most employers
- Proficiency in Python and familiarity with distributed computing or cloud platforms
- Experience translating research prototypes into production-grade systems or pipelines
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for cross-functional collaboration with product and engineering teams
AI Research Engineer Jobs in New Jersey: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become an ai research engineer in New Jersey?
Most New Jersey employers require at minimum a master's degree in computer science, machine learning, statistics, or a related field, with many research-focused roles preferring a doctorate. There is no state-issued license specific to this role in New Jersey. Candidates strengthen their candidacy through published research, open-source contributions, or a demonstrable portfolio of applied AI work, and by targeting the pharmaceutical, fintech, and defense technology sectors that anchor the state's AI hiring market.
How much do AI research engineers make in New Jersey?
AI research engineers in New Jersey earn a median of about $140,840 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $85,780 for the lowest 10% to over $209,850 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire ai research engineers in New Jersey?
Employers hiring ai research engineers in New Jersey right now include JPMorganChase, Versant, and Novartis, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. New Jersey's concentration of pharmaceutical headquarters, financial technology firms, and defense contractors means AI research roles here frequently involve applied research in drug discovery, risk modeling, and autonomous systems.
Which New Jersey cities have the most ai research engineer jobs?
The cities with the most ai research engineer openings in New Jersey are Jersey City, New Jersey, and Hoboken. Princeton draws heavily from its proximity to major pharmaceutical campuses and research universities, Newark and Jersey City benefit from their position in the New York metro corridor where financial technology and enterprise software firms concentrate, and suburban office parks throughout Morris and Somerset counties host longstanding corporate research centers that generate steady hiring.
Are there remote ai research engineer jobs in New Jersey?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 50% of ai research engineer openings tied to New Jersey are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the desk-based and computationally driven nature of most research work. Fully remote arrangements are most common for roles focused on model development, experimentation, and data pipeline work, while positions requiring access to proprietary lab infrastructure or regulated data environments tend to require on-site presence.
How can I get hired as an ai research engineer in New Jersey with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through a research internship or a rotational program at one of New Jersey's large pharmaceutical or technology employers, where new graduates move from research assistant or junior data scientist roles into dedicated AI research positions. Companies like Johnson & Johnson and Cognizant run structured early-career programs that recruit directly from university research labs. Building a public portfolio of reproducible experiments, contributing to open-source projects, and completing a graduate thesis with an applied AI focus all provide concrete evidence of capability that New Jersey hiring managers look for when experience is limited.
Where can I find and apply to ai research engineer jobs in New Jersey?
You can find and apply to ai research engineer jobs in New Jersey on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across the state updated regularly. Search the listings for roles that match your background and experience level, then apply directly to the ones that fit. No sign-up is required to search or view the available positions.
See All 9 AI Research Engineer Jobs in New Jersey
Find roles in New Jersey that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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