Principal Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry

Global Discovery Chemistry, working across five disease areas in Novartis BioMedical Research, is seeking a highly talented and motivated medicinal chemist to join our department in Cambridge, MA. Here, we value your ideas, personal growth, and career aspirations. You will be surrounded by and learn from curious colleagues across multiple disciplines. You will have opportunities to explore the power of cutting-edge science and technology and will be empowered to take smart risks and to use your creativity and resourcefulness to tackle the world’s toughest medical challenges. We are looking for individuals with cross-disciplinary knowledge and scientific leadership skills. Successful candidates will be dynamic and curious lab-based scientists with high learning agility.

Your key responsibilities:

• Contribute chemistry expertise at all stages of a project, from inception, early project validation, optimization, candidate selection, and through to early development.
• Apply experience and innovative methods to solve challenges in compound synthesis and diversification; advise other chemists locally and globally on matters of organic chemistry.
• Work closely with other experts in multi-disciplinary teams to analyze complex data, identify key drug discovery issues, propose creative solutions, and execute on medicinal chemistry designs that guide teams to success and decision points.
• Develop leadership skills to help drive project strategy and provide insightful guidance to tackle medicinal chemistry problems.

Essential requirements:

• PhD in organic chemistry with 0-3 years of industrial experience; BS or MS with >15 years' experience.
• A record of scientific achievement from the lab exemplified by peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and/or patent inventorship.
• Strong laboratory presence and experience mentoring scientists.
• Efficient time management skills, demonstrated by successful multi-tasking between driving projects from the bench, experimental design and data analysis.
• Outstanding communication skills.
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills, natural curiosity and desire for learning and growth.

Desirable skills:

• Familiarity with machine learning and/or AI tools and technologies.
• Experience with different drug modalities, such as peptides.

Why Novartis: Our purpose is to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people’s lives and our vision is to become the most valued and trusted medicines company in the world. How can we achieve this? With our people. It is our associates that drive us each day to reach our ambitions. Be a part of this mission and join us!

Join our Novartis Network: If this role is not suitable to your experience or career goals but you wish to stay connected to hear more about Novartis and our career opportunities, join the Novartis Network.

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 and 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 or call +1(877)395-2339 and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.