Research Scientist, in vivo Pharmacology-Oncology

Job Description Summary Are you a scientist who combines strong hands-on in vivo pharmacology expertise with independent scientific thinking? In this role, you will design and lead preclinical oncology studies to investigate drug exposure, target engagement, pharmacodynamic responses and anti-tumor efficacy. You will integrate in vivo and ex vivo data to address key scientific questions and provide actionable recommendations to multidisciplinary drug discovery teams. Location: Cambridge, USA #LI-Onsite This role is based in Cambridge, USA. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support for this role: please only apply if this location is accessible for you.   Job Description Responsibilities: • Independently design, plan and execute preclinical in vivo oncology studies to test scientific hypotheses, evaluate candidate medicines and inform project decisions. • Perform animal procedures such as dosing, tumor implantation, monitoring and sample collection, following procedures and welfare requirements. • Establish, characterize and critically select relevant tumor models for efficacy and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic studies. • Define study objectives and experimental strategies, including dose selection, treatment schedules, controls and pharmacodynamic sampling plans. • Develop, optimize and troubleshoot protein-based pharmacodynamic assays, including MSD, ELISA and Western blot, to assess target engagement and pathway modulation. • Design and interpret RNA-based gene-expression analyses alongside protein measurements to investigate pharmacodynamic and biomarker responses. • Oversee robust tumor and normal tissue processing and optimize sample preparation and assay workflows to ensure reliable downstream analyses. • Critically integrate efficacy, drug exposure and pharmacodynamic datasets to evaluate exposure–response relationships, identify limitations and recommend next experiments. • Record experiments accurately and promptly in the electronic laboratory notebook. • Communicate scientific conclusions, study limitations and data-driven recommendations to cross-functional project teams through presentations and study reports. Essential for the role: • Bachelor's or Master's degree in pharmacology, biology, cancer biology, molecular biology or a related scientific subject. • Relevant industry or academic research experience demonstrating scientific independence and expertise appropriate for a Scientist role. • Strong hands-on experience with mouse studies, including dosing, tumour implantation, animal monitoring and sample collection. • Hands-on experience with protein-based assays such as Meso Scale Discovery assays, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays or Western blot. • Demonstrated ability to independently design, execute, analyze and troubleshoot in vivo pharmacology studies, beyond following established study plans. • Strong attention to detail and organizational skills. • Strong scientific judgement, with the ability to translate biological questions into testable hypotheses and fit-for-purpose experimental designs. • Ability to interpret complex datasets, communicate clear scientific conclusions and collaborate effectively with Biology, DMPK/PK and other disciplines. Desirable for the role: • Experience with oncology models (xenograft, patient-derived xenograft or syngeneic), integrated in vivo efficacy and PK/PD studies, and RNA-based pharmacodynamic analyses. • Strong understanding of PK/PD principles and exposure–target engagement–efficacy relationships; proficiency with GraphPad Prism or equivalent quantitative analysis tools. Benefits & Rewards: At Novartis, we’re committed to reimagining medicine together - and rewarding the people who make it happen. Expected Annual Base Salary Range for rol