Principal Scientist I/II —CAR-T Lead

Novartis AG; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 109,000 - 202,000; Full time

Job summary

Novartis seeks a highly motivated PhD scientist to join a multidisciplinary cell therapeutics discovery team in Cambridge, MA, focusing on CAR-T engineering and T-cell biology to advance next-generation cell therapies.

You will design, generate, and evaluate complex lentiviral CAR constructs, perform functional testing, analyze data, and collaborate across teams to inform candidate selection and translational opportunities.

Qualifications

• PhD in immunology or related field with relevant experience.
• Hands-on CAR-T engineering experience.
• Experience with multicolor flow cytometry and cytokine profiling.
• Experience isolating immune cells and culturing primary human T cells.
• Experience designing and generating lentiviral CAR constructs.
• Strong independent design and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Strong collaboration and scientific communication.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute research to advance next-gen CAR-T approaches.
• Design, generate, and evaluate complex lentiviral CAR constructs.
• Perform functional testing and optimize CAR-T cells; test new analytical methods.
• Engineer cell lines to evaluate function and inform construct choice.
• Integrate findings across disciplines to guide candidate prioritization.
• Drive projects to meet timelines with high data quality.
• Follow SOPs and maintain rigorous lab records.
• Draft technical documents for programs and regulatory submissions.
• Present results and recommendations to teams and leadership.

Skills

CAR-T engineering

Flow cytometry

Immune cell isolation

Lentiviral constructs

Data interpretation

Experimental design

Collaboration

Scientific communication

Education

PhD in immunology

Tools

Flow cytometer

Lentiviral vectors

ELISA

MSD

Luminex

Job description

Summary

Location: Cambridge, MA, USA

We are seeking a highly motivated PhD scientist with 1–2 years of relevant experience to join a multidisciplinary cell therapeutics discovery team within Oncology Immune Therapeutics and contribute to pioneering CAR-T cell therapies. As a key individual contributor, the successful candidate will work closely with cross-functional research partners, applying expertise in CAR-T engineering and T-cell biology to investigate novel cell therapy platforms and design, generate, and evaluate CAR constructs. The candidate will generate high-quality data that deepens our understanding of emerging CAR-T therapies, informs research and development decisions, and contributes to the design of future clinical trials. This position is ideal for a talented, results-oriented scientist who wishes to combine an interest in cancer immunobiology with a strong desire to discover and develop innovative cellular therapeutic approaches.

About The Role

Key Responsibilities

• Design and execute innovative research to advance next-generation CAR-T approaches, translating project objectives into experimental plans and decision criteria.
• Design, generate, and evaluate complex lentiviral constructs for logic-gated CAR-T approaches.
• Perform hands-on functional testing and optimization of CAR-T cells, and collaboratively develop and test novel analytical methods.
• Execute cell-line engineering to develop fit-for-purpose experimental models to evaluate function and inform construct selection.
• Critically analyze and integrate findings across engineering, in vitro biology, and in vivo pharmacology to inform candidate prioritization and translational opportunities.
• Collaboratively drive projects to meet established timelines while maintaining the highest quality and data integrity standards.
• Comply with established protocols and SOPs while performing experiments, and record and maintain meticulous records in an electronic laboratory notebook.
• Contribute to drafting technical documents and, where relevant to the program, scientific content for regulatory submissions.
• Present results, project updates, and recommendations to cross-functional teams, department meetings, and scientific leadership.

Essential Requirements

• PhD in immunology, cell biology, molecular biology, bioengineering, or a related discipline, with 1–2 years of relevant research experience.
• Hands-on experience in CAR-T engineering or engineered T-cell approaches.
• Expertise in ex vivo cell characterization using multicolor flow cytometry (FACS) and cytokine profiling methods such as ELISA, MSD, or Luminex.
• Prior experience with immune-cell isolation techniques and the culture of primary human T cells.
• Experience designing and generating lentiviral CAR constructs and interpreting functional data to guide iterative construct optimization.
• Demonstrated ability to independently design and execute experiments, prioritize research activities, solve complex problems, and make evidence-based recommendations.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment and adapt to changing research directions and priorities.
• Strong collaboration and scientific communication skills, meticulous documentation practices, and a commitment to research quality and data integrity.

Desirable Requirements

• Experience partnering with computational biology, target discovery, and in vivo pharmacology teams to advance engineered cell therapies.
• Experience with engineered T-cell manufacturing and culture.
• Understanding of synthetic biology principles applied to cell engineering.
• Experience developing functional profiling approaches and experimental models that support candidate selection and translational decision-making.

Novartis Compensation And Benefit Summary

The salary for this position is expected to range between

• Principal Scientist I: $108,500 - $201,500 USD Annual per year.
• Principal Scientist II: $119,700 - $222,300 US Annual per year.

The final position and salary offered is determined based on factors like, but not limited to, relevant skills and experience, and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically. Novartis may change the published salary range based on company and market factors.

Your compensation will include a performance-based cash incentive and, depending on the level of the role, eligibility to be considered for annual equity awards.

US-based eligible employees will receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, life and disability benefits, a 401(k) with company contribution and match, and a variety of other benefits. In addition, employees are eligible for a generous time off package including vacation, personal days, holidays and other leaves.

Why Novartis:

Helping people with disease and their families takes more than innovative science. It takes a community of smart, passionate people like you. Collaborating, supporting and inspiring each other. Combining to achieve breakthroughs that change patients’ lives. Ready to create a brighter future together? https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture

Benefits and Rewards:

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EEO Statement

The Novartis Group of Companies are Equal Opportunity Employers. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Accessibility & Reasonable Accommodations

The Novartis Group of Companies are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or to perform the essential functions of a position, please send an e-mail to [email protected] or call [phone] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.