Senior Scientist II, Drug Screening

About the Department                                                                                                                                               

As part of the establishment of our R&D Hub in greater Boston, Novo Nordisk is growing its efforts within Small Molecular and Cross Modality Research. A cornerstone of this is the expansion of our capabilities in assay development and screening to support the validation of drug targets and advance drug research programs that address unmet needs of patients living with chronic diseases. Building on our success in delivering treatments for diabetes and obesity, and their cardiometabolic complications as well as rare diseases, we are growing our teams and technological capabilities to explore new drug targets and to pursue novel therapies across a range of modalities.

In growing Novo Nordisk R&D presence in Greater Boston, we seek to bring together our 100-year heritage and experience with the unparalleled Boston innovation ecosystem. In Vitro Pharmacology team is part of Chemical Biology department situated within Small Molecule and Cross Modality Research area. We are part of Therapeutics Discovery, a key pillar of Novo Nordisk’s R&D organization, working on projects across all therapeutic areas. Chemical Biology multidisciplinary department brings together scientists specializing in molecular and cell biology, in vitro pharmacology, molecular interactions, bioanalysis, peptide chemistry, and protein engineering and characterization. We are currently expanding our in vitro pharmacology capabilities to help drive early research programs from ideas to lead candidates, both internally and in collaboration with Novo Nordisk’s external partners. You will become part of a vibrant, science-focused team so we can together drive innovation.

We work closely with biologists and in vivo pharmacologists driving projects within our core therapeutic areas, as well as computational scientists and other functions co-located in Lexington. Being part of a team of leading scientists and innovators, you will get an opportunity to bring your own ideas and collaborate with others to develop the next generation of medicines. It’s ground-breaking work with the promise of improving lives of millions of people living with diabetes, obesity and cardiometabolic complications. Join us in our pioneering research, together we can make a difference!

The Position

In your role as Senior Scientist II – Drug Screening within In Vitro Pharmacology team you will be responsible for development of cell-based assays for emerging targets and functional screening of drug candidates to guide candidate design and selection. You will be involved in projects focused primarily on small molecules and peptides as well as conjugates of these with other modalities, including biologics and oligonucleotides. Your role will be to define and execute early screening strategies to ensure identification of hits with desired in vitro potency, efficacy and selectivity, and further optimization of structure-activity relationships. Your contribution will include evaluating and implementing new molecular and cellular in vitro pharmacology assay tools, techniques and protocols, recommending new solutions and enhancing our mechanistic biology, compound screening and automation capabilities. You will contribute with your in vitro biology and molecular pharmacology subject matter expertise as a member of interdisciplinary project teams. You will be working together with researchers representing a variety of scientific disciplines key for early-stage drug discovery. Your results will be essential for driving project team activities and informing key decisions regarding project progression.

As a member of project teams, you will be responsible for driving projects as an individual contributor, with opportunities to serve as a project lead and/or subject-specific coordinator. You will be relied upon to set your own direction and work independently with minimal guidance from your manager or other senior colleagues, including hands-on responsibility for taking on challenging tasks where you will be expected to exhibit creativity and an ability to solve complex problems. To achieve this, you will conduct relevant research of primary scientific literature, internal records, and other databases, as well as draw upon your internal and external scientific network to obtain knowledge, advice, and/or experimental protocols. You will contribute experimentally by exploring cell signaling mechanisms and coming up with new ways of quantifying those in cell-based or cell-derived systems, identifying and evaluating emerging assay technologies, and developing novel screening tools and methodologies. You will be responsible for setting experiment timelines to meet project deliverables, including data generation, analysis, and reporting. You may be called upon to provide input and hands-on training related to specific in vitro biology methods or technologies. Your tasks will include developing and optimizing protocols, providing significant input and driving screening strategies, and writing study plans, reports and other documents. You will be responsible for developing, executing, and recording experimental procedures and ensuring that data is interpreted, processed, and stored in line with FAIR principles. Depending on the project objectives, you may be required to set up and/or manage collaborations with external partners, including CROs, Novo Nordisk partner companies and/or academic research groups. You will be required to present ideas and data to your department, research site, and/or global project teams. Depending upon business needs or circumstances, you may be required to mentor or be shadowed by less experienced team members. In your daily work, you will collaborate closely with scientists within the Chemical Biology team, other teams across our growing US R&D Hub, and global project teams. Our work environment is dynamic and innovative and involves interactions with colleagues from research sites in Denmark, UK, and China, with an excellent opportunity to establish a strong global scientific network.

Relationships

Internal relationships include working closely with researchers and scientific leadership within Greater Boston R&D Hub and across global research sites and other areas and functions within Novo Nordisk. You may represent department and/or project team in external research collaborations, both academic & industry-based, when required. You will report to the head of In Vitro Pharmacology. This is an Individual Contributor position: Senior Scientist II will not manage other employees or contingent workers; however, the person might be tasked with coaching and/or supervising other team members.

Essential Functions

• Advances research projects by applying broad knowledge of early drug discovery.
• Demonstrates deep understanding of subject matter, specialist skills, and creative thinking.
• Supports target validation and maturation, conducts mode-of-action studies and low-to-medium throughput screening, and oversees high-throughput screening in close collaboration with colleagues from project-relevant therapeutic areas, chemists, formulation scientists, data stewards and other stakeholders.
• Develops, validates, and implements in vitro assay technologies from molecular design of genetically encoded biosensors through cell line engineering and assay validation.
• Designs and executes on early screening strategies to identify hits and lead candidates with desired pharmacological properties. Provides expert guidance on the design and selection of drug candidates, ensuring alignment with target product profile in relevant potency, efficacy and selectivity bioassays.
• Stays updated on the latest scientific advancements and technologies; evaluates, sources and implements novel tools and methodologies suitable for studying ligand binding, evaluating target engagement and characterizing pharmacodynamic properties of drug candidates.
• Analyzes, interprets and communicates data from in vitro studies to provide insights and recommendations internally and externally, including regulatory submissions.
• Ensures data integrity so that the In Vitro Pharmacology team abides by FAIR data standards, furnishing project teams with the highest quality data in a timely fashion to enable efficient decision-making, long-term data repurposing and machine learning ambitions.
• Leads projects, manages collaborations and coordinates cross-functional teams to achieve strategic objectives, integrating insights from in vitro pharmacology with other related disciplines to inform data-driven drug discovery and development processes.
• Contributes to the strategic direction by providing insights, recommendations and driving execution within and beyond subject matter expertise.
• Actively contributes to building psychologically and physically safe work environment. Fosters a culture of continuous learning and development within the team. Embraces integrity, cooperation and mutual respect within the team and across the organization.
• Serves as a mentor for peers and supervises junior staff members as required.

Qualifications

• PhD with at least 6 years of relevant experience required; master’s degree with 10 years of relevant experience or BS/BA degree with 12 years of relevant experience can be considered. A degree within pharmacological, biological or biochemical sciences preferred.
• Relevant required experience includes:
• profound understanding of molecular pharmacology principles and practical experience working with cutting-edge in vitro screening technologies
• hands-on experience in developing and improving in vitro cell-based models and detection systems for pharmacodynamic studies and compound screening
• broad understanding of pharmaceutical industry dynamics and drug discovery processes in a matrix organization from ideation to lead candidate selection
• proven experience in leading projects of strategic importance, including managing relationships with external partners (CROs, biotech companies, academic groups)
• track record in contributing to design and execution of early screening strategies, supporting target validation and maturation, and informing mode-of-action studies
• ability to interpret and solve complex issues with innovative mindset, recommend best practices and solutions, stretching beyond core subject matter expertise
• proficiency in communicating and presenting scientific data internally, externally, and in regulatory submissions
• prior experience working in cross-disciplinary research teams, dynamically evolving laboratory environment, and demonstrated contribution to change management
• competence in onboarding, utilizing and integrating industry standard laboratory equipment and instrumentation suitable for medium-to-high throughput screening
• demonstrated digital mindset i.e., experience with applications, software and/or other types of computational tools for electronic record-keeping, entity registration, inventory management tools, data processing and visualization
• Preferred experience includes:
• experience working with targets implicated in pathogenesis and of therapeutic relevance for obesity, diabetes, cardiometabolic and/or rare diseases
• knowledge and practical skills in studying G protein-couple receptors structure-function relationships
• familiarity with external sourcing and/or partnering opportunities within in vitro assay development and compound screening and profiling, both locally and globally
• mentorship experience within the field of scientific expertise
• exposure and/or relevant experience within any other closely related scientific disciplines, such as cell imaging, biophysics, protein-protein interactions, structural biology, enzymology, formulation, analytical chemistry or other

We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.

At Novo Nordisk, we're not chasing quick fixes – we're creating lasting change for long-term health. For over 100 years, we've been driven by a single purpose: to defeat serious chronic diseases and help millions of people live healthier lives. This dedication fuels our constant curiosity and inspires us to push the boundaries of what's possible in healthcare. We embrace diverse perspectives, seek out bold ideas, and build partnerships rooted in shared purpose. Together, we're making healthcare more accessible, treating and defeating diseases, and pioneering solutions that create change spanning generations. When you join us, you become part of something bigger – a legacy of impact that reaches far beyond today.

Novo Nordisk is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal laws, rules or regulations.

If you are interested in applying to Novo Nordisk and need special assistance or an accommodation to apply, please call us at 1-855-411-5290. This contact is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.