Senior Scientist - MPS Cardiometabolic Disease

About the Department                                                                                                                                               

Our Research & Development organization brings together the best minds in life science innovation. The teams located in facilities in Lexington, Watertown, Cambridge and Seattle reflect the full R&D continuum, from early research through late-stage clinical development. Here, we are building for the future, creating a distinct R&D community based on collaboration, partnerships, and cutting-edge research across multiple modalities and therapeutic areas. We recognize that improving human health starts here and that patients rely on us. Our R&D hub merges biotech speed and agility with large pharmaceutical company quality, resources, and stability, uniting the best of both worlds to develop new medicines for patients.

The Position

Global Drug Discovery (GDD) is establishing a dedicated microphysiological systems (MPS) department in Watertown with the purpose of identifying and integrating the next generation of human disease models into our drug discovery efforts within cardiometabolic disease. The department will be anchored in the Integrated Physiology Research area and will have strong integration with the biology areas across GDD.

The Senior Scientist will be part of a highly ambitious multidisciplinary team dedicated to setting up and implementing human cell-based disease relevant MPS platforms to support validation and progression of early drug candidates. The position will report to the Head of the MPS. Working closely with the cardiometabolic therapeutic areas across Research & Early Development (R&ED) organization the individual will lead the organ-specific disease model development efforts with the initial focus of developing multicellular cardiometabolic disease models. In addition, the Senior Scientist will help establish this new unit by setting scientific direction and utilizing its network in the MPS field. The individual will drive the in vitro technology development in multidisciplinary teams requiring being hands-on in the lab, guiding junior scientists, and working closely with the external partners on specific model development projects.

Relationships

The senior scientist will report to the head of the Microphysiological Systems (MPS) department at Novo Nordisk in Greater Boston (Watertown).

Internal relationships include working closely with technical staff and scientists within the MPS department as well as with the head of MPS. Moreover, the individual will work closely with scientists within the cardiometabolic therapeutic areas across the global Research & Early Development (R&ED) organization, with project managers, and with other technical experts across the global organization.

The senior scientist will interact with external research collaborators both academia- & industry. The individual may supervise and mentor less experienced team members.

Essential Functions

• Proven subject matter expertise in the field of: Microphysiological Systems, cardiometabolic disease research (in particular obesity & Type 2 Diabetes biology, preferred experience with skeletal muscle biology and or neurobiology).

• Demonstrates a specialized depth of expertise and engages relationships with other key areas related to drug discovery and development in the pharmaceutical industry.

• Work with full autonomy on complex tasks requiring highly specialized knowledge of strategic importance to SVP area.

• Lead the organ-specific disease model development efforts especially within skeletal muscle, brain, insulin resistance and multi-organ models. 

• Drive the in vitro technology development in multidisciplinary teams, guiding junior scientists, and working closely with the external partners on specific model development projects. 

• Contribute with subject matter expertise to develop the research agenda with a clear understanding of the link between scientific project goals and overall long-term business needs. 

• Effectively communicate and collaborate across global sites and sets project strategy by providing leadership of cross-functional project teams. 

• Propose and lead external collaborations and strategic partnerships to develop the MPS technology platform

Qualifications

• PhD with 6 years relevant industry or post-doctorate experience OR Master's Degree with 12 years relevant industry or post-doctorate experience OR Bachelors with 18+ years’ relevant experience can be considered. 

• Profound expertise in developing advanced human in vitro model systems is required. Specifically, multicellular obesity/cardiometabolic models including setting up disease relevant functional endpoints. 

• Experience in condensing complex multifactorial disease into tangible in vitro functional read outs is required. 

• Establishing, shaping and driving complex cross-functional collaborations both within an organization and with external partners, commercial and academic.

• Demonstrates excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to create presenations and effectively present to diverse audiences.  

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

At Novo Nordisk we recognize that it is no longer good enough to aspire to be the best company in the world. We need to aspire to be the best company for the world and we know that this is only possible with talented employees with diverse perspectives, backgrounds and cultures. We are therefore committed to creating an inclusive culture that celebrates the diversity of our employees, the patients we serve and communities we operate in. Together, we’re life changing.

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.