Discovery Postdoctoral Fellow, Oncology Translational Research

Job Description Summary

We are excited to invite applications for the Novartis Biomedical Research Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, a unique training opportunity designed for exceptional early‑career scientists eager to tackle some of the most challenging problems in biomedical research and drug discovery. As a Discovery Postdoctoral Fellow, you will join the Oncology Translational Research team in Cambridge, Massachusetts and pursue an innovative research project at the forefront of biomedical science and drug discovery.

Position:
Discovery Postdoctoral Fellow.

Location:

Cambridge, MA (on site). This full‑time training position is up to three years in duration. The start date for the 2026 cohort is October1,2026.
* This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.
* Relocation support is not available. Please confirm your availability to meet this date in your cover letter.

Cell surface proteins play critical roles in mediating interactions between cells and their environment and represent important therapeutic targets in oncology, including radioligand therapies, antibody‑drug conjugates, and immune cell engagers. This three‑year postdoctoral fellowship, co‑mentored by scientists from Oncology Translational Research and Discovery Sciences, offers a unique opportunity to build a broadly enabling surface proteomics platform while uncovering disease‑relevant cancer proteoforms that may reveal novel therapeutic targets and translational biomarkers.

• Work with expert translational, proteomics, and microscopy teams using state‑of‑the‑art instrumentation and technologies.
• Develop and validate novel cell surface proteoform enrichment and mass spectrometry characterisation methods in vitro.
• Apply validated approaches to identify and characterise surface protein and proteoform composition across cancer models.
• Investigate how proteoform composition differs across biomarker‑defined cancer subtypes and evolves during treatment response and resistance.
• Optimize methods for tissue analysis and extend findings from cell culture into preclinical and patient‑derived samples.
• Contribute to the identification of novel therapeutic targets and translational biomarkers.

• Co‑create a comprehensive research plan with scientific mentors, integrating emerging scientific literature and innovative methodologies.
• Execute experiments, interpret results, and drive scientific decision‑making.
• Develop and validate novel in vitro methods for cell surface proteoform enrichment and mass spectrometry‑based characterisation.
• Apply scalable approaches to characterise surface protein and proteoform composition in models of therapeutic response and resistance.
• Optimize methods for tissue‑based applications and translational studies.
• Communicate scientific findings to cross‑functional project teams and key stakeholders.
• Present research at internal and external scientific meetings.
• Publish novel discoveries in peer‑reviewed scientific journals.

The starting salary for this position is $87,000 per year. US‑based eligible employees will receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, life and disability benefits, a 401(k) with company contribution and match, and a variety of other benefits. Employees are eligible for a generous time‑off package including vacation, personal days, holidays and other leaves.

• Mentorship from accomplished scientific leaders and subject matter experts.
• Access to advanced technologies, platforms, and research capabilities.
• Collaboration across disciplines and organisational boundaries.
• Participation in a global and diverse postdoctoral community.
• Dedicated learning and development programming to support long‑term career growth.
• Personalised experiential learning opportunities through the Postdoc Practicum.
• Opportunities to publish research, present at leading scientific conferences, and build an international scientific network.
• Exposure to emerging technologies and artificial intelligence applications that are shaping the future of biomedical research.
• Salary Range $57,800.00 – $.

• PhD or equivalent doctoral degree in a relevant…