Ontologist

Discover Your Impact as an Ontologist in Pharmaceutical Data Innovation

Are you a forward-thinking individual passionate about the power of data to drive transformative change? This Ontologist role within our Global Operations Data Office presents a unique opportunity to be at the vanguard of pharmaceutical data innovation, contributing directly to the development of AI-ready data that fuels our Operations 2030 ambition and ultimately helps bring life-changing medicines to patients.

This is more than just a job; it's a chance to collaborate across diverse business functions, including Pharmaceutical Technology and Development, Manufacturing, and Global Supply Chain, with a global reach spanning the UK, Sweden, US, China, and technology centers in India and Mexico. Your work will be instrumental in empowering the business through cutting-edge science and digital technology platforms, directly impacting patient lives.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

As an Ontologist, you will be a pivotal architect of our semantic data solutions. Your core responsibilities will include:

• Developing robust, ontology-driven knowledge models to structure data across manufacturing, supply chain, and development.
• Integrating both structured and unstructured data, applying semantic standards to ensure seamless data interoperability.
• Collaborating closely with product teams and data engineers to embed semantic capabilities into tangible business applications.
• Championing FAIR data principles and accelerating AI use cases to drive smarter, more efficient digital operations.

Advantages for Your Career Path:

This role offers significant advantages for aspiring and established professionals in the data and semantic technology space:

• Cutting-Edge Technology: Gain hands-on experience with a comprehensive suite of semantic web technologies including RDF, SKOS, OWL, SHACL, and SPARQL.
• Real-World Impact: Your contributions will directly influence the development and delivery of critical medicines, offering a profound sense of purpose.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work with a variety of stakeholders, from technical experts to business leaders, broadening your communication and influencing skills.
• Industry Leadership: Be at the forefront of data innovation within the pharmaceutical industry, a sector ripe for digital transformation.
• Global Exposure: Engage with teams and operations across multiple international hubs, fostering a global perspective.
• Career Development: This role provides a strong foundation for specialization in semantic data, knowledge graphs, and AI applications, opening doors to advanced career opportunities.

Key Considerations for Potential Candidates:

To thrive in this role and maximize your career growth, consider the following essential and desirable qualifications:

Essential Skills & Experience:

• Demonstrated proficiency with core semantic web technologies (RDF, SKOS, OWL, SHACL, SPARQL).
• Proven ability to translate complex business concepts into well-structured, ontology-driven knowledge models.
• Experience in delivering end-to-end graph or semantic data projects within production environments.
• Expertise in taxonomy and thesaurus development, with a focus on standardizing terminology.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Solid programming skills for scripting and automation, coupled with experience using GitHub for version control.
• A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. A Master's degree is preferred.

Desirable Skills & Experience (Enhancing Your Candidacy):

• A solid understanding of data governance, metadata management, and FAIR principles.
• Hands-on experience with property graph databases like Neo4j and its query language, Cypher.
• Familiarity with industrial or manufacturing data sources (e.g., ERP, MES, IoT platforms, Cognite Data Fusion).
• Experience with specific semantic graph platforms such as GraphDB, Accenta, or Amazon Neptune.
• Proficiency with ontology development tools like Protégé, VocBench, or Metaphactory.
• Exposure to graph-based AI/ML use cases, including embeddings, reasoning, or Large Language Model (LLM) integration.

Furthermore, our organization values a collaborative in-person environment, with an expectation of working an average of three days per week from the office. This approach fosters innovation and allows for dynamic teamwork. We also recognize the importance of flexibility and strive to balance this expectation with individual needs.

Beyond your professional development, you will be part of an organization committed to making a significant societal impact through ambitious sustainability goals, including achieving Zero Carbon by 2025 and carbon negative across the value chain by 2030. Your contributions will be part of a collective legacy aimed at benefiting people, the environment, and society.

If you are driven by innovation, possess a strong technical aptitude in semantic technologies, and are eager to contribute to a mission-driven organization, this Ontologist role offers a compelling path for your career advancement.