A lot of intelligent people work at Novartis. There's a definite sense of purpose about the research and you can very successful if you fit in. Base pay is higher than rival companies and benefits are generally good.
Cons
A very siloed mentality compared to other companies. You're expected to do your job, ONLY do that job and know your place. Promotions are rare and often require a change of department/group to happen. Many of the managers tend to micromanage and have a mentality of "do it my way, or else"