Principal Scientist - Global Drug Discovery

About the Department

Our Research & Development organization brings together the best minds in life science innovation. The teams located in facilities in Lexington, Watertown, Cambridge and Plainsboro reflect the full R&D continuum, from early research through late‑stage clinical development. We are building a distinct R&D community based on collaboration, partnerships, and cutting‑edge research across multiple modalities and therapeutic areas. We recognize that improving human health starts here and that patients rely on us.

Our R&D hub merges biotech speed and agility with large pharmaceutical company quality, resources, and stability, uniting the best of both worlds to develop new medicines for patients.

The Principal Scientist will provide scientific leadership in the identification, validation, and advancement of new drug targets related to CNS‑obesity biology and appetite regulation. The role drives in vivo pharmacology strategies across early and late‑stage pipeline programs, enabling translation of novel biology into therapeutic opportunities. As a subject‑matter expert, the Principal Scientist defines experimental strategies, guides cross‑functional teams, evaluates emerging targets and technologies, and leads external collaborations.

The role also includes mentoring colleagues and representing the organization through high‑impact scientific contributions, advancing novel therapies to the clinic, and developing technologies to accelerate drug research.

Reports to the Director of Obesity Pharmacology US. The Principal Scientist works closely with technical staff and other members of the scientific leadership team, regular collaborations with members of other research departments, and frequent interaction with project managers and colleagues across global R&D. The Principal Scientist may mentor team members and will interact with external research collaborators both academia‑ and industry‑based.

• Hands‑on planning and designing in vivo pharmacology studies, working with technical scientists, and advising on the execution, interpretation, as well as communication of results of complex state‑of‑the‑art in vivo experiments.
• Proven subject matter expertise related to CNS‑obesity biology and appetite regulation; demonstrates a specialized depth and/or breadth of expertise and engages relationships with other key areas related to drug development in the pharmaceutical industry.
• Provide expert‑level guidance for project teams related to experimental strategies to evaluate emerging targets, biology or technologies.
• Effectively communicate and collaborate across global sites, setting project strategy by providing leadership of cross‑functional project teams (in vitro, omics, translational, clinical teams).
• Contribute subject matter expertise to develop the research agenda with a clear understanding of the link between scientific project goals and overall long‑term business needs.
• Propose new projects that support the strategic agenda and address gaps in technological capabilities and therapeutic areas related to obesity and appetite regulation.
• Represent the organization through external communication of impactful scientific research in the form of presentations at external conferences and publication in scientific journals and patents.
• Maintain a deep understanding of theoretical knowledge and a connection to the external scientific community through continuous evaluation of relevant literature.
• Guide and/or lead global, cross‑functional experimental teams to achieve project goals.
• Provide mentorship and training to colleagues within the field of expertise.
• Maintain, identify, and initiate key relationships with KOLs and academic partners.
• Guide other research teams regarding suitable assays/techniques to interpret and translate in vivo studies to progress the obesity pipeline.

• Bachelor’s degree with 22+ years’ relevant experience;
  Master’s degree with 16 years relevant industry experience;
  PhD with 10 years relevant industry or post‑doctoral experience.
• Demonstrates excellent verbal and written communication skills.

The base…