Solution Architect IT/OT

Salary Range

€41,900.00 - €77,700.00

Job Description Summary

#LI-Onsite

Primary Location: Barcelona, Spain Other Locations: Slovenia Compensation: 41,900.00 - 77,700.00 EUR Annual Relocation Support: This role is based in Barcelona, Spain. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support: please only apply if accessible.

Help shape the secure digital foundations behind the laboratories and plants where innovation comes to life. As a Solution Architect, IT/OT, you will play a key role in strengthening Novartis’ internal IT/OT architecture capability across Digital Labs, Digital Plant and scientific data connectivity. With an immediate focus on the Novartis OT Security Reference Architecture (NORA) and SPINE Connect, you will turn complex infrastructure, security and business needs into pragmatic, secure and compliant architecture solutions. This is a highly collaborative, business-facing role where you will take active ownership of architectural challenges, bring stakeholders together, remove blockers and create scalable approaches that can be applied across Technical Research and Development rather than solved site by site.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and implement NORA-compliant solution architectures for Technical Research and Development laboratory and plant systems.
• Build and maintain inventories covering IT/OT systems, components, connectivity and vendor-managed assets.
• Shape Manufacturing Execution System and Historian integration with SPINE alongside Digital Labs and Digital Plant architecture.
• Translate infrastructure and security requirements into practical, reusable architecture patterns across laboratories and plants.
• Partner across infrastructure, security, quality, sites, vendors and delivery teams to turn architecture decisions into executable solutions.
• Create architecture decision records, diagrams, decision logs, migration-readiness views and reusable integration patterns.
• Ensure designs address regulatory impact, performance, supportability, operational continuity, monitoring and security by design.

Essential Requirements

• 10+ years of Information Technology experience, including at least 3 years in architecture or solution design.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering or a related discipline.
• Strong experience across IT/OT architecture, manufacturing technology, laboratory systems, infrastructure or operational technology security.
• Understanding of operational technology network segmentation, industrial connectivity, identity models, endpoint standards and secure vendor access.
• Experience working within regulated or validated environments, ideally pharmaceutical, life sciences, laboratory or manufacturing.
• Knowledge of application programming interfaces, microservices, event-driven architecture and enterprise integration technologies.
• Familiarity with laboratory and manufacturing platforms such as Laboratory Information Management Systems, Electronic Laboratory Notebooks, Manufacturing Execution Systems, Historian and vendor-managed systems.
• Strong ability to translate technical and security requirements into clear architecture decisions while engaging effectively across business and technical stakeholders.

Desirable Requirements

• Architecture certification such as TOGAF, AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect or a comparable qualification.
• Experience creating architecture specifications, decision records, integration views, inventories and implementation guardrails.

Benefits and Rewards

In addition to your base compensation, Novartis offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your wellbeing, family and future. Spain-based associates can benefit from 22 working days of annual leave, with the option to purchase up to 10 additional vacation days, 18 weeks of parental leave, health insurance, a defined-contribution pension plan, flexible benefits and access to wellbeing and Employee Assistance Programs. Additional local benefits and allowances may be available depending on eligibility and local policy.

Skills Desired

Business Architecture, Change Management, Digital Capabilities, Enterprise Architecture (EA), Influencing Skills, IT Governance, Solution Architecture, Stakeholder Engagement