Job Description Summary
The Novartis Research & Development and Innovative Medicines Legal Teams are looking for university graduates for legal traineeships in the Global and Swiss legal departments in Basel.Duration: 6 months
Start date: as of January 1, 2026 (latest start date June 1, 2026)
Job Description
Novartis provides healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies worldwide. Our mission is to discover new ways to improve and extend people’s lives.
Our Novartis Research & Development and Innovative Medicines Legal Teams is looking for university graduates for a legal traineeship (Volontariat) within the Global and Swiss legal departments in Basel. The traineeship offers an excellent opportunity for you to gain practical experience in a large international pharmaceutical corporation. Are you interested in getting insights into an in-house legal department, work with experts and support our mission to reimagine medicine? We are looking forward to your application.
Duration: 6 months
Start date: as of January 1, 2026 (latest start date June 1, 2026)
Your responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
• Working on a wide range of legal matters and projects in areas such as pharmaceutical/healthcare laws, contract law, commercial law, licensing and transactions, anti-trust law;
• Advising in a diverse range of development, regulatory, digital and commercial matters relating to the research & development and commercialization of pharmaceutical products;
• Legal research and drafting documents on various legal issues and disputes in private and public law areas;
• Drafting, negotiation and review of a variety of agreements (such as licensing, research collaboration, distribution, confidentiality, service, consultancy contracts);
• Providing legal support for various projects, e.g. contract templates, legal trainings, global guidelines and policies, research collaborations and partnerships, etc., and interact with Novartis global, regional and country legal and business stakeholders.
What you’ll bring to the role:
• Education: Swiss Bachelor of Law (BLaw) degree or Master of Law (MLaw) degree or equivalent from a Swiss university
• Languages: Good German and English skills
• Experience/Professional requirements: Ideally, you have already gained your first professional or internship experience.
Potential candidates should have an interest in legal issues in a major international pharmaceutical corporation, pronounced commitment and the will and motivation to discover and learn new things.
Please submit a cover letter that includes your motivation for the position and from when you will be available. Thank you.
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 [email protected], and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.
Skills Desired
English Language, German Language, Legal StudiesNovartis Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Novartis and has not been reviewed or approved by Novartis.
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Healthcare Strength — Pay and benefits are described as a strong overall package, supported by medical, dental, and vision insurance alongside FSAs/HSAs and disability and life coverage. Mental-health support is reinforced through an employee assistance program with psychological support and a network of mental health first aiders.
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Retirement Support — Retirement support is positioned as a standout element, with an automatic company contribution plus dollar-for-dollar matching in the 401(k). Additional retirement funding is described through an age-based defined contribution program and access to an employee share purchase plan discount.
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Parental & Family Support — Family-related benefits are framed as robust, including a global minimum of paid parental leave for new parents following birth or adoption. Added supports include domestic partner coverage, dependent-care resources, and benefits such as adoption assistance and child/elder care options.
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What We Do
Novartis is an innovative medicines company. Every day, working to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people’s lives so that patients, healthcare professionals and societies are empowered in the face of serious disease. Our medicines reach more than 250 million people worldwide.
