Senior Scientist I/II, Oncology Pharmacology
About this opportunity
Job Title: Principal Scientist I, Oncology Pharmacology#LI-OnsiteLocation: San Diego, United StatesRelocation Support: This role is based in San Diego, United States. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support: please only apply if accessible.Imagine being at the forefront of breakthrough oncology research, where your work directly shapes the next generation of cancer therapies. In this role, you will play a key part in advancing innovative drug candidates by developing and applying cutting-edge in vivo pharmacology approaches. Working within a dynamic and highly collaborative research environment, you will contribute to the design and execution of preclinical studies, generating critical data that drives decision-making and accelerates the journey of new treatments toward patients. This is an opportunity to combine scientific expertise with real-world impact, helping reimagine medicine for people living with cancer.
Key ResponsibilitiesDesign, execute, and analyze in vivo and ex vivo pharmacology studies for oncology drug developmentDevelop and utilize preclinical tumor models to evaluate efficacy and safety of novel therapiesPerform animal handling procedures, including dosing, tumor measurement, and tissue and blood collectionApply cellular and biochemical assays to interpret pharmacodynamic responses and support study outcomesEnsure accurate data recording, documentation, and adherence to good laboratory practicesPresent scientific findings clearly in team, department, and cross-functional project meetingsCollaborate effectively within a matrixed research environment to advance oncology programsEssential RequirementsBachelor’s or master’s degree in pharmacology, biology, biochemistry, or a related life science disciplineStrong hands-on experience with rodent handling and in vivo pharmacology techniques, including multiple dosing routesProven experience with preclinical oncology models and development of in vivo tumor modelsProficiency in cell culture techniques, including cell maintenance, passaging, and harvestingAbility to design, execute, and interpret pharmacology studies with strong attention to detail and data accuracyEffective collaboration, communication, and multitasking skills within a fast-paced, matrixed research environmentDesirable RequirementsHands-on experience with advanced ex vivo pharmacodynamic assays, including flow cytometry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, or polymerase chain reactionExperience using data analysis and visualization tools such as GraphPad Prism for pharmacology data interpretationNovartis Compensation and Benefit Summary: The salary for this position is expected to range between $93,800.00 - 174,200.00 USD Annual 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. Inaddition, employees are eligible for a generous time off package including vacation, personal days,holidays and other leaves.
Job details
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 188 comparable Senior Drug Discovery & Preclinical Research roles across 30 biopharma companies.
Salary context
61 of 188 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.
Where these roles are based
Top locations among the 188 comparable roles
+ 6 more countries
Seniority mix
188 of 188 peers have a known seniority level
Therapeutic area mix
28 of 188 peers have a known therapeutic area; the rest are genuinely unlabeled, not hidden
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.
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.
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.