Sr. Director for Peptide Innovation

Do you have a passion for pioneering peptide innovation? Are you interested in shaping the future of this field and expanding an exciting portfolio of research projects?

If you are motivated by making a real difference, we may have the perfect role for you as chair of our new peptide technology innovation group within Peptide Research at Novo Nordisk in Måløv, Denmark. Submit your application today and join Novo Nordisk's mission to improve lives with innovative pharmaceutical solutions!

The position

As Sr. Director for Peptide Innovation, you will report to the Head of Peptide Research and drive peptide technology innovation as chair of a dedicated innovation group. You will serve as a scientific lighthouse that promotes innovation with a focus on peptide opportunities via strong teamwork and a collaborative mindset.  Based on your extensive strategic mapping and guidance to senior leadership on peptide innovation opportunities, you will lead dedicated innovation tracks to boost peptide chemistry technology. With your world class peptide expertise, you will enable opportunities externally as well as internally with dedicated resources.

You are part of the Protein and Peptide Research area that is heavily involved in the early research project space with a focus on providing innovative protein and peptide compounds across all therapy areas of Novo Nordisk. This work relies on state-of-the-art drug discovery capabilities, intellectual property insights, and world-leading expertise in protein and peptide drug discovery.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Chairing a peptide technology innovation group with clear deliverables for boosting peptide innovation in our research projects.
• Provide senior leadership with guidance on the strategic fit and an implementation plan for internal and external peptide innovation opportunities.
• Provide scientific mentoring and serve as a role-model to promote peptide innovation both internally and externally.
• Promoting a sustainable, fun, ambitious, and curiosity-driven culture, while actively supporting personal development and setting your scientific colleagues up for long-term success.
• Fostering and maintaining cross-functional collaboration across the entire R&D organization.
• Setting scientific direction and driving change in a dynamic research environment.

As part of a dedicated leadership team, you will participate in setting up the strategic scientific direction for the Peptide Research area.

Qualifications

To thrive and succeed in the role, we expect you to have:

• 15+ years post PhD experience within peptide drug design and discovery.
• Proven track record of strong scientific leadership and world class expertise in peptide chemistry innovation as evidenced by publications/patents.
• Profound international network in the field of peptide chemistry. 
• Strong scientific insight across broad areas spanning protein chemistry, molecular biology, biotechnology and peptide/protein design relevant for drug development and general understanding of the drug discovery process.
• Proactive and visible project leadership style and ability to set meaningful and clear directions in a complex environment with many stakeholders.
• Strong commitment to people's development, guiding project teams, and fostering a continuous learning and growth mindset.
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills across all organizational levels, functions, and cultures.

In addition, you possess a high level of personal engagement, drive, independence, and integrity. You recognize the value of diverse perspectives and know how to engage and empower your project team. You are a cultural role model, who leads by example to ensure a sustainable and engaging working environment.

About the department

Peptide Research is a well-established area within Therapeutics Discovery, which is part of Research and Development. We excel in the discovery and development of peptides and proteins as a molecular format aiming to sustain a portfolio of oral and injectable biologics across the entire Novo Nordisk research portfolio. Design and synthesis of peptides and modified proteins are core elements of our daily work. We are expanding both within our core of project execution and a stronger focus on technologies.  Peptide Research is therefore expanding to continue supporting the discovery pipeline.

In Måløv (Greater Copenhagen area, Denmark), where this position will be placed, we are organized into three departments sharing office and lab space and working closely together across departments.  We share office and laboratories with our colleagues from Protein and Peptide Discovery focusing on early project ideation.

In Peptide Research you will be surrounded by skilled and open-minded colleagues with diverse backgrounds and multiple nationalities, who enjoy each other’s company and have fun together while exploring and executing complex science.  You can expect an inclusive workplace with a focus on continuous development of each individual employee so that everybody can realise their full potential. We believe that people thriving is the key to success and hence have an intense focus on work-life balance and make room for diverse life situations, always putting people first.

Research & Development is vital to Novo Nordisk’s continuous growth. We combine world-class scientific, pharmaceutical, and clinical expertise with the highest ethical standards to continue to improve the quality of life of millions of patients across the world. 

Deadline 

6 April 2026

Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

You do not need to attach a cover letter to your application, but please include a few sentences about why you are applying in your CV. To ensure an efficient and fair recruitment process, please refrain from adding a photo to your CV.

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 preventing 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.