Principal Scientist I - siRNA / Principal Scientist I - siRNA

Job ID

REQ-10043484

Date: May 13, 2025

Location: Basel, Switzerland

Summary

We are seeking a highly motivated and curious Principal Scientist to focus on siRNA discovery within the xRNA Team at our Biomedical Research facility in Basel. Our team is dedicated to developing next-generation xRNA therapeutics in a collaborative and innovation-driven environment, aiming to transform the lives of millions of patients with unmet medical needs. The successful candidate will possess strong expertise in siRNA biology and/or therapeutics and will play a pivotal role in advancing the xRNA platform while mentoring lab team members.

About the Role

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead matrix-oriented platform teams for the development of siRNA therapeutics.
• Oversee end-to-end NGS experiments, including library preparation, sequencing, and analysis.
• Drive innovation through data mining, from hypothesis generation to collaborative studies across Biomedical Research.
• Design, plan, and supervise siRNA cell-based screening activities.
• Develop and optimize novel assays for cell-based experiments with a focus on enhancing throughput through automation.
• Supervise and mentor junior scientists in the lab and with data analysis.
• Represent the xRNA team on cross-functional project teams, advancing siRNA programs through the development pipeline.
• Document experiments in the lab notebook, conduct data analysis, interpretation, and present findings to the team in a timely manner.

Role Requirements:

• PhD in biochemistry, biology, or a related scientific discipline.
• 3 - 5 years of post-PhD research experience gained in academia as a Postdoc and/or in industry.
• Research experience in siRNA biology; knowledge of siRNA therapeutics is an advantage.
• Strong genomics background with expertise in RNA-Seq from experimentation to data processing.
• Able to run R scripts independently.
• Expertise in mammalian cell culture from immortalized to primary cells.
• Experience with cross-functional teams and ability to serve as a point of contact for the team with minimal supervision.
• Strong multi-tasking, organizational, attention to detail, as well as verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate and thrive in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.

Desired Requirements:

• Experience with BioMek or Opentrons liquid handlers.
• Proficiency in R and/or Python; experience in machine learning is a plus.

Accessibility and Accommodation: Novartis is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to all individuals. If you require assistance due to a medical condition or disability during any part of the recruitment process, or need more detailed information about the essential functions of a position, please send an e-mail to inclusion.switzerland@novartis.com and provide your contact information and the nature of your request. Please reference the job requisition number in your message.

Why Novartis

At Novartis, we understand that helping people with diseases and their families requires more than just innovative science. It takes a community of smart, passionate individuals who support, collaborate, and inspire each other. Together, we will achieve breakthroughs that change patients' lives. Ready to create a brighter future together? Learn more about us.

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Benefits and Rewards

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Company Information:

• 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

Novartis is dedicated to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment with diverse teams that reflect the patients and communities we serve.