Principal Scientist / Principal Scientistess

Novartis Pharma AG - July 8, 2025

Job ID

REQ-10055008

June 20, 2025

Switzerland

Summary

Location: Basel, Switzerland
Onsite, full time, #LI-onsite

About the Role

We are seeking a dedicated, innovative, and skilled neuroscientist to leverage research experience in neurodegenerative diseases and investigate age-related pathophysiological changes in the central nervous system (CNS) that lead to progressive structural and functional decline. Join our global, dynamic research environment dedicated to discovering new medicines that target neurodegenerative diseases associated with aging.

Your Responsibilities

As part of the Diseases of Aging and Regenerative Medicine (DARe) disease area within Biomedical Research, you will contribute to our global efforts to elucidate and target the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases, ultimately aiding in the development of pharmacological interventions for patients.

Major Accountabilities

Your responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Managing a small in vivo laboratory team, designing and conducting state-of-the-art in vivo mouse and rat experiments to support research aimed at developing novel therapeutics for age-related neurodegenerative diseases, with a particular focus on Alzheimer’s disease.
  • Mentoring and fostering career development for direct reports.
  • Conducting cutting-edge research on pathophysiological changes in neurons and other CNS cell types, including synaptic dysfunction and metabolic changes related to aging and disease.
  • Collaborating across the DARe In-vivo Physiology, In-vitro Biology, and Data Science teams, as well as with scientists from the Neuroscience disease area to drive our research goals.
  • Supporting the identification of biomarker candidates, elucidating the mode of action of drugs, and understanding cross-communication between CNS cell types, brain subregions, and other organs to delineate disease trajectories and novel drug intervention strategies.
  • Integrating laboratory research of in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo tissue and biofluid analyses by applying a broad range of molecular and cellular techniques.
  • Interpreting and presenting results in both written and oral formats at project team meetings and management decision boards.

What You'll Bring to the Role

Essential:

  • PhD with 3+ years of post-doctoral research in neuroscience, with hands-on experience in designing and conducting experiments with rodents, supported by publications.
  • Accreditation for animal experimentation (LTK1/LTK2, FELASA B, or equivalent).
  • Deep understanding of human and animal pathophysiology related to neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease; additional expertise in neuro-endocrine systems, metabolism, and CNS tissue homeostasis is advantageous.
  • Proficiency in handling and analyzing large datasets, integrating genomic, proteomic, and metabolomic data into research.
  • Strong motivation to learn about targeting neurodegenerative diseases of aging and regenerative medicine.
  • Proactive and dynamic attitude with a demonstrated inquisitive mindset and a proven ability to formulate, articulate, and critically evaluate scientific experiments.
  • Excellent teamwork mindset with a high aptitude for working in cross-disciplinary teams; strong learning agility and a desire to stay updated with the latest in vivo methodologies.
  • Fluency in written and oral English, complemented by excellent communication skills.

Desirable Requirements:

  • Knowledge in aging biology.
  • Experience in assessing pathophysiological cross-talk between different CNS cell types, CNS subregions, and peripheral organs.

Accessibility and Accommodation

Novartis is committed to working with individuals and providing reasonable accommodations to all. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of this process due to a medical condition or disability, please reach out via email at inclusion.switzerland@novartis.com. Include the nature of your request along with your contact information and the job requisition number.

Why Novartis:

Helping people with disease and their families requires more than innovative science; it takes a community of smart, passionate individuals like you. Together, we can achieve breakthroughs that transform patients’ lives. Are you ready to create a brighter future with us?

Join Our Novartis Network

If this role isn't the right fit for you, sign up for our talent community to stay connected and learn about suitable career opportunities as they arise: https://talentnetwork.novartis.com/network.

Benefits and Rewards

Explore our handbook to learn about the diverse ways we’ll help you flourish both personally and professionally: https://www.novartis.com/careers/benefits-rewards.

Apply Online

Apply online using the form below. Please note that only applications matching the job profile will be considered.

Division

Biomedical Research

Business Unit: Pharma Research

Location: Switzerland

Site: Basel (City)

Company / Legal Entity: C028 (FCRS = CH028) Novartis Pharma AG

Functional Area: Research & Development

Job Type: Full time

Employment Type: Regular

Shift Work: No

Location : BASEL
Country : Switzerland

Application Form

Please enter your information in the following form and attach your resume (CV)

Only pdf, Word, or OpenOffice file. Maximum file size: 3 MB.