About the Department
Our Boston Research & Development hub, anchored in the greater Boston area, brings together the best minds in life science innovation. The teams located in facilities in Lexington, Watertown and Cambridge 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 greater Boston 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 team is comprised of collaborative, diverse and passionate people who have a true sense of pride in their work and are committed to helping others grow and develop their careers. You'll also have a platform to engage with key stakeholders on a global scale throughout the entire pipeline process. And while changing the future of diabetes and obesity treatment is no easy task, we also recognize the importance of an enjoyable workplace, which is why we've cultivated a culture of fun, ingenuity and innovation. And our competitive compensation package and support of a healthy work-life balance all add to a best-in-class employee experience. We are changing lives for a living. Are you ready to make a difference?
The Position
The Target Discovery Engine (TDE) is a global, multidisciplinary team that focuses on accelerating the path of target discovery and validation at Novo Nordisk. Scientists, in the TDE, take a human-centric approach to drug discovery, utilizing cutting-edge approaches to model human disease combined with advanced techniques in functional genomics and machine learning to identify and characterize novel targets. By doing so, the TDE team aims to redefine how the industry approaches target discovery, with the ambition of accelerating the drug discovery process, through unlocking a deeper understanding of disease and treatment outcomes.
The Senior Scientist, Discovery Biology, TDE Boston, will be responsible for developing and implementing innovative research strategies and technologies to model human cardio-metabolic disease in vitro, and leverage these systems for novel target
Relationships
Reports to the Director, Discovery Biology (TDE US). The person in this role will interact closely with TDE scientists in Boston, Oxford and Beijing, and collaborate with global Therapy Area and Biology Innovation teams, to ensure efficient delivery of target discovery and validation efforts. Additional internal relationships include working with research employees, project managers, as well as with global colleagues in other areas across Novo Nordisk Inc. This position may mentor or indirectly supervise junior scientists and research associates. External relationships include those with contract research organizations, key opinion leaders, innovative academic and biotech partners.
Essential Functions

• Development and application of iPSC derived models of human cardio-metabolic disease to support TDE strategy in obesity target discovery and validation, and accelerate advancement of new drug targets into the NN pipeline
• Drive innovative research strategies to deliver scalable, human and disease-relevant cells and assays and generate high-quality translatable in vitro data for obesity drug discovery.
• Function as subject matter expert for pluripotent stem cell biology, cell line development and engineering, and lead cross-functional, global projects and teams to support TDE goals
• Develop and communicate a vision and engage people in that vision
• Establish and manage project goals, timelines and deliverables for efficient go/no-go decisions
• Mentor and coach team members to help achieve the project goals
• Communicate strategies, progress, and challenges across the organization and to leadership
• Promote relevant cross-organizational collaborations and ensure efficient transfer and knowledge sharing with key stakeholders and customers across global sites, including China, UK and Europe
• Build and maintain strong relationships and collaborations with external researchers
• Establish relevant external collaborations with academia to facilitate constant development of core technologies
• Develop and manage CRO relationships in support of research goals

Qualifications

• PhD in Biological Sciences and/or Stem cell biology, or related degree, with a minimum of 6 years relevant work experience, industry preferred; MS with 12 years or BA/BS with 18 years work experience may be considered
• 6 or more years drug discovery experience in a biotechnology or biopharmaceutical setting strongly preferred
• Extensive experience with induced-pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology for cell model development, characterization and quality control across multiple differentiated cell types
• Expertise in molecular biology, advanced cell engineering techniques and functional genomics assay platforms
• Experience with fluorescence microscopy, high-content imaging and cellular functional assay technologies.
• Familiarity with application of in vitro cell models and assays for high-throughput in vitro screens.
• Knowledge of metabolic biology relevant to obesity, diabetes and other cardiometabolic-related disorders
• Demonstrated track record of scientific leadership and delivery on early discovery projects
• Experience building and maintaining productive internal relationships across complex research organizations, and the ability to effectively represent Novo Nordisk in external settings
• Experience in development and ownership of shared resources
• Excellent written and oral communication skills

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.