Novartis Posted July 9, 2026

Principal Scientist II - Pharmacology

Cambridge (USA), United States Regular
Drug Discovery & Preclinical Research Principal

Novartis is the source of truth for this posting and owns the application process. We surface normalized context and market comparison you won't find on the original listing.

About this opportunity

#LI-Onsite Location: Cambridge, MAThis position is located in Cambridge, MA and does not have the ability to be located remotely. Please only apply if this area is accessible to you.Over 40 therapies in the clinic! NIBR Oncology strives to reimagine medicines for cancer patients through a combination of treatment approaches including targeted therapies, immunotherapies, CAR-T, and radioligand therapy. NIBR is seeking an in vivo scientist to join our Oncology Pharmacology team in Cambridge, MA. The successful candidate will join a dynamic, multi-disciplinary team and play a key role in the development and application of in vivo models for evaluating novel cancer therapies and advancing the early-stage drug discovery pipeline. This is a labhead-based position, where the ideal candidate is expected to lead efforts in the design and execution of in vivo anti-tumor efficacy and PK/PD studies aimed at evaluating drug candidates in CDX, PDX, and syngeneic models. Applicants are expected to develop novel in vivo assays to interrogate key scientific questions and deliver high-value translationally relevant data that can inform clinical development. Qualified candidates will have extensive experience in a variety of molecular biology skills. A strong background and expertise in antibody drug conjugates is preferred. We are looking for highly motivated, inquisitive, and creative individuals, who thrive in a highly matrixed work environment, and can effectively communicate within multidisciplinary project teams.

Responsibilities:Design pre-clinical in vivo studies to explore novel hypotheses, screen candidate molecules, and establish proof-of-concept of new modalitiesDevelop in vivo CDX, PDX, and syngeneic models to evaluate anti-tumor activity, PK/PD relationships, relevant biomarkers, and key translational questionsManage associate-level scientistsCollaborate with cross-functional project teamsCritically analyze and present results within a multidisciplinary team environmentCareful adherence to animal protocols and proper documentation of data and methods in electronic laboratory notebookQualifications:PhD with 5-8 years of research experience as a postdoc or in the pharmaceutical/biotech industryDeep knowledge of antibody drug conjugatesExtensive experience working with CDX and PDX xenograft tumor models and/or syngeneic modelsExpertise in cell culture, PCR, ELISA, western blot, and flow cytometryStrong analytical, communication (written and verbal), and organizational skills, including a proficiency with PowerPoint and commonly used data analysis programs, such as Prism and ExcelNovartis Compensation and Benefit Summary: The salary for this position is expected to range between $126,000 and $234,000 per year.The final salary offered is determined based on factors like, but not limited to, relevant skills andexperience, and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically. Novartis may change the publishedsalary range based on company and market factors.Your compensation will include a performance-based cash incentive and, depending on the level of therole, eligibility to be considered for annual equity awards.US-based eligible employees will receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, life anddisability benefits, a 401(k) with company contribution and match, and a variety of other benefits. In addition, employees are eligible for a generous time off package including vacation, personal days, holidays and other leaves.

Job details

Seniority
Principal
Function
Drug Discovery & Preclinical Research
Therapeutic area
Not listed
Location
Cambridge (USA), United States
Employment type
Regular

How this role compares

Computed from every other active Drug Discovery & Preclinical Research role in our database, not just this employer's listings.

We currently track 193 comparable Principal Drug Discovery & Preclinical Research roles across 31 biopharma companies.

193Comparable roles tracked
172Currently active
31Companies hiring similar roles
12Countries represented

Salary context

64 of 193 peers report a salary range (USD, annualized)

Peers share this role's job function and a matching or adjacent seniority level -- not necessarily the same therapeutic area or country.

This roleSubject $126,000/yr – $234,000/yr
Peer group range $105,700 – $322,000 (median $165,300)

Where these roles are based

Top locations among the 193 comparable roles

United States158
India9
United Kingdom5
Canada4
China's Mainland3
China3

+ 6 more countries

Seniority mix

193 of 193 peers have a known seniority level

Senior111
Principal56
Director26

Therapeutic area mix

29 of 193 peers have a known therapeutic area; the rest are genuinely unlabeled, not hidden

Oncology16
Immunology5
Cardiovascular / CVRM5
Neuroscience1
Vaccines & Infectious Disease1
Respiratory1

Similar opportunities

The closest matches from our peer group, ranked by how similar they are, not how well you'd qualify for them -- treat this as market context, not a guaranteed shortlist; a weak match is labeled as one below.

60%similar
AstraZeneca Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States of America Principal
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Lilly Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America Principal
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Lilly Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America Principal
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Lilly San Francisco, California, United States of America Principal
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Lilly Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America Principal
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
AbbVie Cambridge, MA Principal
Same function Same seniority Same country

How we calculate "similar"

No black box, no LLM guesswork: a deterministic score built from four normalized attributes. Here's this role's own peer group at different match levels, so you can see the mechanism, not just the result.

Every comparison starts from the same 100-point budget: 25 for working in the same function, 40 for the same therapeutic area, 20 for the same or adjacent seniority, 15 for the same country. A dimension we can't confirm on both sides contributes nothing, never a guess, never a free pass.

60%
Principal Scientist Drug Product Development
AstraZeneca · Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States of America · Principal
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
60%
Sr Scientist/Principal Scientist, Discovery Oncology (in vivo Biology)
Lilly · San Francisco, California, United States of America · Principal
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
60%
Principal Research Scientist I, Process Chemistry (Biocatalysis)
AbbVie · North Chicago, IL · Principal
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
60%
Associate Principal Scientist, Immunology Discovery
Merck · San Diego, California, United States of America · Principal
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
Unmatched or unknown dimensions score exactly the same: 0 points, never a partial guess. A role we know almost nothing about beyond its function bottoms out at 25%; it never inflates to 100% just because there's little to compare against. Seniority uses a defined ladder (Associate → Manager → Associate Director → Senior → Principal → Director → Senior Director → Executive/VP) so "Director" and "Senior Director" count as adjacent, but "Director" and "Executive/VP" do not.