Scientific Director

Novo Nordisk; Lexington (MA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 290,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus program

Long-term incentive

Company vehicle

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Novo Nordisk is seeking a Scientific Director to lead obesity and cardiometabolic research in the US. You will shape strategy, guide translational efforts, and drive cross-functional teams across global sites to deliver high-impact data and portfolio decisions.

You will collaborate with external academia and industry partners, mentor teams, and represent the company in scientific forums while maintaining rigorous scientific standards and alignment with Novo Nordisk’s NNway culture.

Qualifications

• PhD with 7+ years of relevant experience or MD/DO with 3+ years in drug discovery.
• Diabetes drug discovery SME with strong translational biology background.
• Expert understanding of cardiometabolic disease and obesity biology.
• Proven ability to coordinate stakeholders across internal and external entities.
• Influence without direct authority and drive global results.
• Excellent scientific communication across international sites.
• Strong collaboration and teamwork in a diverse, global organization.
• Fluency in English, both written and spoken.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute a scientifically rigorous strategy for obesity and related comorbidities.
• Lead cross-functional teams to advance discovery programs and portfolios.
• Drive external innovation evaluations, due diligence, and partnerships.
• Mentor junior and senior colleagues and promote rigorous scientific standards.
• Represent Novo Nordisk in external forums and collaborations.
• Align strategy with therapeutic-area leaders and enabling functions globally.
• Oversee translational endpoints and decision frameworks for early discovery.

Skills

Cardiometabolic disease

Translational research

External partnerships

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic scientific vision

Communication skills

Mentorship

Global program management

Education

PhD

MD/DO (optional)

Job description

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 Plainsboro 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 Research is advancing a portfolio of discovery-stage programs in obesity and cardiometabolic disease, and obesity-related co-morbidities (MASH, CVD, Women’s Health). The organization integrates deep disease biology, human translational science, external innovation and cross-functional drug discovery to accelerate the development of differentiated therapies for people living with chronic disease. The Scientific Director will serve as a senior scientific leader and cardiometabolic disease subject matter expert. Reporting to the Senior Director of Obesity Research US, the Scientific Director will help define and execute the scientific strategy for address obesity, quality of weight loss and associated co-morbidities. The role will provide strategic scientific innovation leadership across Obesity Research US, lead external innovation and due-diligence activities, and drive high-impact academic collaborations with clear scientific, operational and decision-making deliverables. The individual will operate with a high degree of autonomy, influence portfolio and platform strategy, and lead cross-functional teams to deliver timely, decision-enabling data and new innovative projects for the pipeline.

Relationships

The Scientific Director will report to the senior director of Obesity Research US at Novo Nordisk in the Boston area.

Internal relationships include senior scientists and leaders across Global Research, including innovation groups within Obesity and Obesity related co-morbidities, Chemistry, Translational Medicine, Clinical Development, Data Science, Project Management, Business Development and Search & Evaluation. The role will work across global sites to align scientific strategy, priorities and execution.

The Scientific Director will establish and lead strategic interactions with external experts, academic investigators, biotechnology companies, technology providers and other innovation partners. The individual will represent Novo Nordisk in scientific forums and may provide scientific leadership, mentoring and development to colleagues and project-team members.

Essential Functions

• Serve as the senior scientific subject matter expert in cardiometabolic disease, obesity and related co-morbidities, with particular depth in CNS disease mechanisms, human translational research and quality of weight loss.
• Define and execute a scientifically rigorous strategy for innovation within Obesity and Obesity-related co-morbidities, relevant in vitro strategy emphasizing translational endpoints and decision frameworks that advance the early cardiometabolic and obesity discovery portfolio.
• Lead scientific strategy for assessing quality of weight loss, including preservation of lean mass, body composition, metabolic health, functional outcomes and co-morbidity-relevant biology.
• Provide expert scientific leadership to multidisciplinary project teams; translate emerging biology, CNS driven mechanisms and technology opportunities into clear, actionable research plans and portfolio decisions.
• Drive important collaboration between therapeutics discovery (chemistry) regarding small molecule, siRNA, and novel modalities.
• Operate autonomously on complex, strategically important problems; anticipate scientific and business challenges and recommend innovative solutions with broad impact across global research and Obesity & Cardiometabolic Research.
• Drive external innovation evaluations and scientific due diligence of targets, platforms, technologies and potential partnerships in cardiometabolic disease and obesity; synthesize findings into clear recommendations for senior leadership.
• Identify, shape, negotiate and govern academic collaborations and strategic partnerships; define scope, milestones, decision points, data standards, and clear, measurable deliverables.
• Build and maintain an international network of academic and industry experts; represent Novo Nordisk through scientific presentations, publications, patent contributions and participation in external scientific forums.
• Collaborate effectively across a global organization, aligning scientific strategy and execution with therapeutic-area leaders, project teams and enabling functions across sites.
• Lead global, cross-functional teams and workstreams to achieve program milestones; ensure work is scientifically robust, appropriately prioritized and delivered to agreed timelines.
• Mentor and develop junior and senior colleagues; promote rigorous scientific standards, knowledge sharing and an inclusive, high-performing research culture.

Physical Requirements

5-10% overnight travel required.

Qualifications

• PhD from an accredited university and 7+ years of experience required. Equivalent experience requirements for advanced degrees would be an MD/DO from an accredited university and 3+ years of experience
• A diabetes drug discovery SME with a high level of creativity & curiosity with a strong innovative mindset
• Expert level understanding of scientific & translational challenges related to drug development in T1D, with previous experience in industry
• Proven track record of coordinating and obtaining buy-in from internal & external stakeholders
• Ability to influence without direct authority, align cross-functional teams, and drive results globally
• Requires a high level of communication skills, including the development of clear agenda, meeting leadership, drawing groups to good conclusions, & communicating scientific results & content across international sites & stakeholders from many parts of a complex multinational organization
• A strong team player that brings people along through a supportive, engaged, & creative way of working
• Fluency in spoken & written English is a prerequisite for the role with good communication skills & cross-cultural understanding to interact in the global organisation
• Role models the NNway, encouraging a culture of engagement & dedication

The base compensation range for this position is $200,000 to $290,000. Base compensation is determined based on a number of factors. This position is also eligible for a company bonus based on individual and company performance. Novo Nordisk offers long-term incentive compensation and or company vehicles depending on the position's level or other company factors.

Employees are also eligible to participate in Company employee benefit programs including medical, dental and vision coverage; life insurance; disability insurance; 401(k) savings plan; flexible spending accounts; employee assistance program; tuition reimbursement program; and voluntary benefits such as group legal, critical illness, identity theft protection, pet insurance and auto/home insurance. The Company also offers time off pursuant to its sick time policy, flex-able vacation policy, and parental leave policy.

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

At Novo Nordisk, we're not chasing quick fixes – we're creating lasting change for long-term health. For over 100 years, we've been driven by a single purpose: to defeat serious chronic diseases and help millions of people live healthier lives. This dedication fuels our constant curiosity and inspires us to push the boundaries of what's possible in healthcare. We embrace diverse perspectives, seek out bold ideas, and build partnerships rooted in shared purpose. Together, we're making healthcare more accessible, treating and defeating diseases, and pioneering solutions that create change spanning generations. When you join us, you become part of something bigger – a legacy of impact that reaches far beyond today.

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.