Novo Nordisk
Senior Automation & Screening Scientist
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Your impact starts here
As Senior Automation & Screening Scientist, you’ll play a key role in transforming our functional genomics capabilities by developing scalable automated workflows that enable validated functional cell-based assays to be deployed on end-to-end screening platforms. This is an exciting opportunity to combine expertise in cell biology, laboratory automation and data-driven experimentation to expand our medium-throughput screening capabilities, accelerate target discovery and unlock deeper biological insights at scale.
What You’ll Bring
You are a curious and collaborative scientist who thrives at the interface of biology, technology and innovation. You enjoy solving complex challenges, identifying opportunities for improvement and working with diverse stakeholders to deliver impactful scientific solutions.
To Succeed In This Role, You Will Have
- A PhD or Master’s degree in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, or a related scientific discipline.
- Typically, 5+ years of hands-on experience running and optimizing automated in vitro functional and phenotypic screens in a pharmaceutical or biotechnology setting, including the use of laboratory automation platforms, high-content screening technologies and data-driven workflow optimization.
- Demonstrated experience designing and adapting laboratory automation platforms to support functional and phenotypic assays, including protocol development, workflow optimization and troubleshooting of automated screening processes.
- Experience implementing, optimizing or troubleshooting digital tools and laboratory technologies that support scientific workflows and FAIR data practices.
- Strong independent problem-solving and analytical skills, with demonstrated experience optimising automated screening workflows, troubleshooting assay and platform performance, and leveraging experimental data to drive continuous process improvement.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary and cross-functional teams.
Useful, But Not Essential
Experience within functional genomics, coding, scripting, AI-enabled tools or digital transformation initiatives would be advantageous.
What You’ll Do
As Senior Automation & Screening Scientist, you will play a critical role in advancing automated screening capabilities that support target discovery across Novo Nordisk Global Research. Working at the intersection of biology, automation and digital innovation, you will collaborate closely with Functional Genomics scientists to ensure that newly developed functional and phenotypic assays are automation-ready and can be efficiently onboarded onto end-to-end screening platforms. Partnering with automation engineers, you will optimize, troubleshoot and scale automated workflows, enabling robust, reproducible and high-quality medium-throughput functional genomics screening.
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Your Responsibilities Will Include
- Collaborate closely with Functional Genomics scientists to translate validated functional and phenotypic assays into automation-ready protocols, ensuring assay robustness, reproducibility and compatibility with automated screening platforms.
- Design, adapt, optimize and validate automated workflows for cell-based functional and phenotypic screening assays, supporting their deployment and scale-up on end-to-end automation platforms.
- Partner with automation engineers to troubleshoot, refine and improve automated protocols, identifying and resolving workflow, instrumentation and process challenges to maximize screening performance and reliability.
- Execute and support automated medium-throughput functional genomics and phenotypic screening campaigns, ensuring high-quality data generation, operational excellence and adherence to established workflows.
- Analyze and interpret assay performance and screening datasets to evaluate workflow readiness, monitor platform performance and drive continuous improvement of automated screening processes.
- Contribute to the implementation of new automation technologies, digital tools and data-enabled solutions that enhance screening capabilities, increase operational efficiency and support reproducible science.
- Work collaboratively with scientists, automation specialists, software developers and external partners to establish next-generation automated screening capabilities that accelerate target discovery and biological insight generation.
You will contribute to the development of scalable automated screening capabilities by combining expertise in cell biology, laboratory automation and data-driven experimentation. Through close collaboration with scientists and automation engineers, you will help accelerate the deployment of functional and phenotypic assays, enabling robust medium-throughput functional genomics screening and enhancing our ability to discover and validate novel therapeutic targets.
Who You’ll Work With
The Target Identification and Maturation (TIM) department, based at Novo Nordisk Research & Development UK (NNRDUK) in Oxford, is part of Novo Nordisk Global Research. TIM plays a pivotal role in discovering, validating, and advancing novel therapeutic targets that address unmet patient needs across Novo Nordisk’s research portfolio. Leveraging cutting-edge human biology, advanced experimental platforms, computational approaches, and translational science, the department generates insights that enable target identification, mechanistic understanding, and target maturation towards project initiation.
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Our multidisciplinary teams work across the target discovery value chain, integrating in vitro and in silico capabilities, functional genomics, screening technologies, data science, and disease biology to uncover and de-risk new therapeutic opportunities. While maintaining a strong focus on cardiometabolic diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and related co-morbidities, TIM also supports the exploration of emerging therapeutic areas and novel biological pathways.
The Oxford research centre thrives on collaboration. We maintain strong partnerships with leading academic institutions, particularly the University of Oxford, as well as biotechnology and technology partners worldwide. As part of a global research organisation, TIM works closely with colleagues in Denmark, Boston, and across Novo Nordisk Global Research to translate scientific discoveries into the next generation of innovative medicines for patients.
What You Can Expect Here
You will join a scientific community where curiosity and patient focus are central to how we work, and where your expertise can help shape important decisions. You will be trusted to take ownership and make your voice heard, while being supported to grow through mentorship, collaboration, and challenging work across therapeutic areas and development stages.
Application Support
We are an equal opportunities employer, and we are committed to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our applicants. If you are a person with a disability, or if you are neurodivergent and require adjustments during the application or selection process, please email AZZQ@novonordisk.com. Please include your name, the role you are interested in, and the type of adjustment you need, so we can support you throughout the process.
Start now
Your impact begins today. If you are ready to turn complex safety data into insights that protect patients and guide development decisions, apply for the role by 11 October 2026. Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.
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