Senior Principal Scientist - Molecular Innovation and Discovery

Novo Nordisk A/S; Måløv; Remote; DKK 847,000 - 1,245,000; Full time

Job summary

Novo Nordisk A/S in Måløv, Capital Region of Denmark, seeks a Senior Principal Scientist to build a new interdisciplinary team in Global Research. You will shape how emerging biology becomes molecular interventions for cardiometabolic disease and healthspan, co-create therapeutic concepts, and design molecules for testing in early discovery projects.

The role combines leadership with hands-on research and cross-disciplinary collaboration, mentoring colleagues, and clear communication across

Qualifications

• PhD in medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, molecular pharmacology, peptide chemistry or related discipline.
• Typically complemented by at least eight years of post-PhD research experience or equivalent leadership.
• Experience in academia, biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry.

Responsibilities

• Originate therapeutic concepts linking biology to molecular intervention.
• Develop strategies using peptides, small molecules, conjugates or other modalities.
• Guide iterative design using in vitro and in vivo pharmacology and DMPK data.
• Contribute hands-on to experimental research and pharmacological evaluation.
• Mentor colleagues and communicate strategies across disciplines.

Skills

Molecular design

Scientific leadership

Biology collaboration

In vivo experience

English communication

Education

PhD in medicinal chemistry

PhD in chemical biology

PhD in molecular pharmacology

PhD in peptide chemistry

Job description

Senior Principal Scientist - Molecular Innovation and Discovery

Category: Research

Location: Måløv, Capital Region of Denmark, DK

Job title: Senior Principal Scientist – Molecular Innovation and Discovery

Department: Global Research

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 r ole, 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.