Jobs / United States / Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
Director, R&D Legal, Americas
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation · 🇺🇸 2 Locations
Sponsorship verdict
Posting rules out sponsorship
The posting rules out sponsorship or requires citizenship/clearance.
- Employer is on a government sponsor recordThe US Department of Labor certified 75 H-1B/E-3 labor condition applications for this employer between Oct 2025 and Jun 2026 (latest Jun 2026) — the step every H-1B hire needs first. USCIS also records 31 H-1B approvals in FY2023. Source: LCA disclosure data (US Department of Labor (OFLC)).
- The posting says it won’t sponsorIts own wording says sponsorship is unavailable.
- No salary bar for this routeH-1B has no fixed salary bar: the employer must pay at least the prevailing wage for the role and area. Cap-subject employers enter a lottery weighted by wage level. Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/29/2025-23853/weighted-selection-process-for-registrants-and-petitioners-seeking-to-file-cap-subject-h-1b, rules effective 2026-02-27.
- What Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation paid sponsored hires in similar roles23 certified filings for “Director, Forecasting-CV” (Data Scientists) in NJ: $170k–$170k, median $170k. Most were filed at wage level IV (83%) — 4 lottery entries, ≈61% projected selection odds for cap-subject employers. Source: US Department of Labor LCA disclosure data (Oct 2025 – Jun 2026).
- Confirmed live todayWhen a source last listed this job as open.
US H-1B: cap-subject employers enter a lottery weighted by wage level — Level I gets 1 entry, Level IV gets 4 (DHS projected selection odds ≈15% at Level I to ≈61% at Level IV). Universities and non-profit research employers are cap-exempt. The $100,000 fee for new petitions from abroad is currently blocked by a court order (appeal pending).
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Why not apply?
The posting states sponsorship is unavailable. Applying is unlikely to lead anywhere if you need sponsorship.
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Sponsor Radar — Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
The US Department of Labor certified 75 H-1B/E-3 labor condition applications for this employer between Oct 2025 and Jun 2026 (latest Jun 2026) — the step every H-1B hire needs first. USCIS also records 31 H-1B approvals in FY2023. Source: LCA disclosure data (US Department of Labor (OFLC)).
Past sponsorship or register membership never guarantees sponsorship for this vacancy or for you. Full Sponsor Radar for Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation →
About the role
Job Description Summary The Director, R&D Legal, Americas will be responsible for providing strategic legal support for Research & Development activities across the Americas, including Research and Early Development, Clinical Operations, and Development Units to advance the organization’s innovative pipeline. Novartis will not sponsor visas for this position. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support for this role: please only apply if this location is accessible for you. This person much be based in Cambridge, MA or East Hanover, NJ 3x/week. Please only apply if that works for you. Job Description Key responsibilities: • Provide sophisticated legal counsel on a broad range of issues arising from R&D activities in the Americas and primarily in the U.S., including FDA regulatory requirements and development strategies, human subject protection, GxP compliance, research governance, data use and sharing, AI-enabled research, and other legal and regulatory issues impacting research and development of innovative medicines. • Support integration of acquired assets and programs by providing strategic regulatory and R&D legal guidance on development programs, regulatory obligations, quality systems, and operational transition matters. • Support the Head of R&D Legal, Americas in identifying and assessing emerging legal, regulatory, technology, and geopolitical developments impacting global R&D activities and strategic business objectives. • Support legal strategies and risk mitigation measures related to evolving business models, including cross-border data exchange, technology transfers, integration of acquired assets and capabilities, collaborations, and research activities involving strategically significant jurisdictions. • Provide legal support for clinical development and study operation activities in the Americas as needed for key initiatives, priority matters and business continuity coverage. Areas of legal support include research privacy and informed consent, site selection, patient recruitment and retention, institutional review board negotiations and approval, decentralized trials, study fees and fair market value, data use and sharing, and scientific and data integrity. • Provide legal support for U.S. Biomedical Research (BR) as needed for key initiatives, priority matters and business continuity coverage. • Partner with key stakeholders across Security & Legal, R&D, quality and regulatory to advise on the legal implications of the use of AI. Support the responsible and ethical adoption of AI within R&D activities and help advance the transformation of legal service delivery through AI-enabled solutions, processes, and ways of working. • Legal review and advice on Novartis policies, governance frameworks, operating procedures, and training materials to ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and promote effective risk management. Essential requirements: • Juris Doctor (J.D.) or equivalent law degree and admission to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction. • 8+ years’ post bar admission legal experience in life sciences industry (preferably biotechnology or pharmaceutical) or a top-tier law firm representing pharmaceutical clients and advising senior leaders on complex legal, regulatory, and business risks. • Significant knowledge of FDA law and regulation, including drug research and development, regulatory strategy, clinical development, approval pathways, GxP compliance, inspection readiness and enforcement matters. • Significant experience supporting development, clinical operations, quality, or related R&D organizations within a pharmaceutical or biotechnology environment. • Strong strategic and analytical skills, with the ability to assess novel legal, regulatory, and bu