Sr. Scientist I, Histology & Imaging (Metabolic Disease)

Zealand Pharma U.S., Inc.; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job description

Are you excited by uncovering the neuroscience basis of metabolic disease, and do you have hands‑on histology and imaging experience? If this sounds like you, and you are ready to take on a broad area of responsibilities, then you could be our new colleague.

Your new position

As a Sr. Scientist I in Histology & Imaging, you will run tissue preparation, staining, and imaging workflows end-to-end — from brain processing, staining, and confocal imaging, to data analysis and quantification.

You will work hands‑on at the bench and collaborate closely with in vivo Pharmacology and broader Biology colleagues to generate high‑quality histological and imaging data supporting our metabolic disease research.

You will also help build out automation‑enabled staining and slide‑scanning capabilities as the lab scales.

Responsibilities

• Perform rodent brain sample preservation and processing with attention to neuroanatomical structure
• Conduct immunofluorescence (IF) and IHC staining for biomarkers relevant to metabolic disease
• Operate and help implement automated staining and slide‑scanning workflows to increase throughput, quality, and reproducibility
• Acquire and analyze images, including quantitative image analysis
• Support in vivo experiments as needed, working flexibly across the research team
• Maintain rigorous documentation and contribute to a strong data‑quality and scientific‑integrity culture

Your profile

We are looking for candidates with strong hands‑on histology and imaging skills, ideally with direct exposure to neuroanatomy and/or obesity, diabetes, or broader metabolic disease research.

Candidates who bring innovative thinking and a strong hands‑on track record, even without extensive industry tenure, are encouraged to apply.

Education & experience (industry experience scales inversely with degree level)

• Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Physiology, Biology, or a related field, with 0–3 years of relevant industry or postdoctoral experience. Recent Ph.D. graduates with strong hands‑on histology/imaging skills are especially welcome to apply
• M.S. in a related life sciences field, with approximately 3–6 years of relevant industry experience
• B.S./B.A. in a related life sciences field, with approximately 5–8+ years of relevant industry experience
• Solid understanding of basic brain and neuroanatomical structure with relevance to metabolic regulation
• Hands‑on experience with tissue preservation, cryosectioning, and IF/IHC staining
• Experience with confocal microscopy, image quantification, and ideally automated staining/slide‑scanning platforms

Your new team

You will join Global Biology, In Vivo Pharmacology/Translational Pharmacology, working alongside talented scientists across Chemistry, in vitro Pharmacology, and in vivo Pharmacology who share a passion for drug discovery in obesity and metabolic disease.

Let's bond and be bold. We have a unique culture, characterized by excellent teamwork and strong engagement across the organization. And we want you to help us strengthen this culture. Making bonds is at the core of everything we do. From discovering and developing the best new peptide drugs for patients, to engaging with our partners or connecting with each other. We bond through curiosity and playfulness as a team, allowing ourselves to challenge common thinking and drive future innovation. Join us and let's bond and be bold.

Salary

Salary Range: $110K - $150K/Year

Equal opportunity

We are committed to an inclusive recruitment process and welcome applications from all job applicants.

About Zealand Pharma A/S

Zealand Pharma A/S (Nasdaq: ZEAL) is a biotechnology company focused on advancing medicines for obesity and metabolic health. Combining more than 25 years of peptide R&D expertise with a proprietary data platform that leverages advanced data‑driven and AI/ML approaches, Zealand Pharma aims to lead a new era in obesity and metabolic health.

To date, more than ten Zealand Pharma‑invented drug candidates have entered clinical development, of which two products have reached the market and three candidates are in late‑stage development. The Company has collaborations with global pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners for research, development, and commercialization.

Founded in 1998, Zealand Pharma is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, with a U.S. presence in Cambridge Massachusetts. Learn more at www.zealandpharma.com.

Since our founding in 1998, Zealand Pharma has built a core expertise in the discovery, design, and development of therapeutic peptides. This expertise has led to an R&D pipeline of innovative investigational candidates designed to address a broad range of disease areas. We have four therapeutic focus areas: obesity, rare diseases, chronic inflammation, and type 1 diabetes.

In obesity, our peptide capabilities place us in a unique position to address a vast global health challenge and positively impact hundreds of millions of lives. Within rare diseases, we have a long‑standing commitment to deliver new treatments to patients living with congenital hyperinsulinism and short bowel syndrome. For chronic inflammatory diseases, we are progressing peptide programs focused on high‑profile targets shown to be difficult to address with small molecules and antibodies. For type 1 diabetes, we aspire to change the management of this disease. Our strategy is to pursue global co‑development and commercialization partnerships that complement and extend our capabilities across the value chain to deliver new peptide therapies to people who need them.