Senior Scientist - in vitro organ toxicity models expert

Job Description Summary

Are you passionate about advancing pharmaceutical research and ensuring drug safety at Novartis? The Preclinical Safety (PCS) department within Translational Medicine at Novartis BioMedical Research (BR) is seeking a laboratory scientist with experience in in vitro organ toxicity models to join our dynamic Mechanistic and Predictive Safety team.
More than 100,000 people across 140 countries are working for Novartis to discover, develop, and successfully market innovative products to prevent and cure diseases, ease suffering, and enhance the quality of life. As an in vitro organ toxicity models expert at Novartis, you will play a key role in supporting non-clinical safety assessment throughout drug discovery and development, with state-of-the-art regulatory compliance. Utilizing your expertise, you will collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure the delivery of high-quality and compliant research, and contribute to our mission of supporting pipeline projects through mechanistic and translational safety insights, and improved predictive models in line with the 3Rs.

Job Description

Your responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Uses complex in vitro models including organoids to support Novartis Biomedical Research and Development pipeline projects. This includes the monitoring of multiple endpoints requiring various approaches (immunofluorescent imaging, flow cytometry, qPCR, biochemical and functional assays) to investigate drug toxicity. This also includes the development and implementation of new methods to fit project needs.
• Manages study timelines and objectives, ensure accuracy and quality of generated data, document experiments and results in electronic systems.
• Communicates study results and data interpretation to cross-functional teams including reporting.
• Contributes to scientific collaboration within PCS and other departments
• Supervises visiting scientists and students
• Ensures the conduct of activities in compliance with Novartis Code of Conduct, safety, animal welfare, waste disposal and other regulatory guidelines.

Essential Requirements:

• BSc, MSc or recently graduated PhD in Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Biology, or related field with relevant work.
• Strong hands-on experience in working with complex in vitro models, notably with organoids.
• A solid knowledge of molecular biology and biochemistry techniques is expected, including Q-PCR, Flow cytometry and High content imaging.
• Experience with integration & visualization of complex data
• Previous software experience with Microsoft office, GraphPad PrismTM, SpotfireTM
• Curious mindset, strong team player and excellent oral and written communication skills in English are essential.
• Strong analytical skills and a commitment to scientific excellence.

Desirable Requirements:

• Strong data exploration and analysis skills.
• Experience with robotics (liquid handlers)
• Knowledge of the drug development process, Preclinical Safety, and New Approach Methodogies (NAMs)

Skills Desired