Senior Principal Scientist - Molecular Innovation and Discovery

Novo Nordisk; Måløv; On-site; DKK 847,000 - 1,245,000; Full time

Job summary

Novo Nordisk in Måløv, Denmark is seeking a Senior Principal Scientist to build an interdisciplinary Global Research team and translate biology into molecular interventions. You will shape early discovery and co-create therapeutic concepts for cardiometabolic disease and healthspan, leading design of molecules and pharmacological evaluation.

You will provide scientific leadership at the interface of molecular design, biology and pharmacology, mentor colleagues, and collaborate across disciplines

Qualifications

• PhD in a related discipline with at least eight years of post-PhD research experience; candidates from academia, biotech or pharma are eligible.
• Deep expertise in molecular design and understanding how molecular properties affect pharmacological activity.
• Experience connecting chemistry with biological assays and in vivo findings to guide molecular optimisation.
• Proven ability to lead scientific work and influence decisions across multidisciplinary collaborations.

Responsibilities

• Originate therapeutic concepts linking biology with opportunities for molecular intervention and design drug candidates.
• Develop strategies involving peptides, small molecules, conjugates or other modalities.
• Guide iterative molecular design using in vitro, in vivo pharmacology and DMPK findings.
• Contribute hands-on to experimental research such as molecular preparation and pharmacological evaluation.
• Identify technologies that expand ability to modulate targets or deliver activity.
• Assess evidence and recommend concepts to advance or discontinue.
• Mentor colleagues and communicate strategies and findings across disciplines.

Skills

Molecular design

Pharmacology

Biology assays

In vivo findings

Leadership in multidiscip

Scientific communication in English

Education

PhD in medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, molecular pharmacology, peptide chemistry or related discipline

≥8 years post-PhD research experience

Job description

Job title: Senior Principal Scientist – Molecular Innovation and Discovery

Department: Global Research

Location: Måløv, Denmark

Your impact begins here

As Senior Principal Scientist, you will play a key role in building a new interdisciplinary team in Global Research and contribute to shape how it turns emerging biology into molecular interventions. You will co-create new therapeutic concepts in cardiometabolic disease and healthspan, design the molecules that test them and establish their pharmacological potential. Your work will bring new projects into the early discovery pipeline, because lasting health starts with the science we build today.

What You Will Bring

You hold a PhD in medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, molecular pharmacology, peptide chemistry or a related discipline, typically complemented by at least eight years of relevant post-PhD research experience, or equivalent scientific contributions and leadership. Relevant experience may come from academia, biotechnology or the pharmaceutical industry.

• Deep expertise in molecular design and a strong understanding of how molecular properties influence pharmacological activity.
• A record of turning original ideas into experimental tools, therapeutic candidates or discovery projects, evidenced through publications, patents, project progression or other relevant contributions.
• Experience connecting chemistry with biological assays and in vivo findings to guide molecular optimisation.
• The ability to evaluate therapeutic modalities and select approaches suited to the target, mechanism and intended site of action.
• Experience leading scientific work and influencing decisions across multidisciplinary collaborations.
• Creativity, sound scientific judgement and a willingness to pursue unfamiliar approaches while testing assumptions rigorously.
• Clear scientific communication in written and spoken English.

Useful, But Not Essential

• Peptide engineering, peptide–drug conjugates or targeted delivery.
• Multi-receptor pharmacology or approaches combining complementary mechanisms.
• Neuropharmacology, cardiometabolic disease or healthspan research.
• Receptor pharmacology and mechanistic assay development.
• Collaborations connecting molecular design, synthesis and biological evaluation.

You are not expected to bring expertise across every modality or therapeutic area.

What You Will Do

You will provide scientific leadership at the interface of molecular design, biology and experimental pharmacology.

• Originate therapeutic concepts that connect biological mechanisms with opportunities for molecular intervention, and design molecular tools and drug candidates to establish pharmacological proof of concept.
• Develop strategies involving peptides, small molecules, conjugates or other modalities, choosing the approach that fits the biological question.
• Guide iterative molecular design using findings from in vitro assays, in vivo pharmacology and relevant DMPK studies.
• Contribute hands‑on to experimental research, such as molecular preparation, characterisation or pharmacological evaluation, according to project needs and available capabilities.
• Identify technologies that expand our ability to modulate biological targets or deliver pharmacological activity.
• Assess evidence critically and recommend which concepts to advance, redirect or discontinue.
• Mentor colleagues and communicate molecular strategies, findings and recommendations across disciplines.

Who You Will Work With

You will join a new interdisciplinary team in Global Research within Research & Development, combining expertise in physiology, pharmacology, neuroscience and molecular innovation. Day to day, you will work closely with scientists and laboratory technicians. The team, headed by Christoffer Clemmensen, is currently recruiting at multiple levels, so you contribute to shape the new team from the onset.

You are expected to establish close collaborations across the organisation with colleagues in chemistry, biology, DMPK and relevant technology functions to develop and test new therapeutic concepts. Bringing these perspectives together early helps the team make clear, evidence‑based decisions at pace.

What You Can Expect Here

You will shape the molecular innovation agenda of a new team and contribute to its first generation of discovery projects. The role combines scientific ownership with close involvement in experimental work, using emerging biological findings to guide the development of molecular approaches.

Salary:

For this role, the Annual Base Salary ranges from 847,000.00 to 1,245,100.00 DKK, corresponding to the level of the position.

The placement within the salary range will be assessed during the recruitment process based on the candidate’s skills, competencies, knowledge, and relevant experience.

Incentives and Benefits:

The salary package may include short‑term and/or long‑term incentives as well as other employee benefits based on position level, location, functional area, and relevant market benchmarks.

Learn more about our Reward Philosophy here.

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