Internal Job Title: Discovery Postdoctoral Fellow

Position Location: Onsite, Cambridge, MA #LI-onsite

About the Role:

We are thrilled to open applications for our Discovery Fellowship track of the Novartis Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. Come join Novartis Biomedical Research as a Discovery Postdoctoral Fellow and pioneer innovative research on brain vasculature biology in neurological disorders. You will be an integral member of our Cellular & Molecular Neuroscience team in Cambridge, MA.

The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in the decoding of molecular mechanisms governing brain vasculature function in health and disease. You will integrate and combine state-of-the-art technology with complex cellular models, multi-omics approaches, and translational pharmacology, and you will pioneer strategies to enhance CNS drug accessibility. This role bridges fundamental research and therapeutic innovation, offering a unique opportunity to bring transformative advancement to the treatment of patients with debilitating neurological diseases.

As part of the Discovery Fellowship track of the Novartis Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, you will join our vibrant, dedicated postdoctoral community for events, including the monthly postdoc seminars and other scheduled events for postdocs. Fellows are surrounded by a supportive, collaborative community of postdocs and scientists, who would contribute to the acceleration of your scientific growth, along with building your professional skillset, e.g. you will have the opportunity to do a Postdoc Practicum in another laboratory or in a business function of Novartis. This applied research program is up to 3 years in length, with the option of applying for an extension of up to 1 year (pending review by the Head of Biomedical Education & Innovation and the postdoc supervisor).

Discovery Postdoctoral Fellows have a unique opportunity to conduct innovative, interdisciplinary research and are expected to publish their results in leading journals. We collaborate across scientific and organizational boundaries, with a focus on powerful new technologies that have the potential to help produce therapeutic breakthroughs for patients. 

Through the Novartis Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, you will build your competency as a drug hunter, and as a scientific leader in the field. You will join a professional network that will support your growth as a research scientist, and you will have the opportunity to tackle disease and make an impact, by reimagining medicine together.

Key responsibilities:

As a Discovery Postdoctoral Fellow, you will:

• Perform independent and collaborative research to study mechanisms regulating neurovascular integrity and molecules transport in the context of neurological diseases, using multiomics, in vitro systems, and animal models.
• Design and optimize strategies for in vitro modeling of brain vasculature.
• Collaborate with global cross-functional teams (e.g., data science, analytics, drug discovery, biochemistry) to advance preclinical candidates for targeted therapy to treat neurological diseases.
• Design and write high impact scientific papers
• Present results at internal and external scientific forums and conferences.

Role Requirements:

• PhD in a relevant field such as cell biology, neuroscience, or bioengineering; Note that PhD students in the last year of their thesis work are eligible to apply. Applicants are only eligible to apply up to 2 years from the date of receiving their PhD (i.e. PhD degrees must have been awarded May 2023 or later).
• Hands-on expertise in human iPSC, vascular cells, and/or complex cell culture, proficiency in various laboratory methodologies including protein -biochemistry, imaging and molecular profiling
• Strong publication record or other scientific achievements (i.e. awards, patents, grants)
• Excellent analytical, communication, presentation, organizational and problem-solving skills
• Expertise in mouse models of neurovascular development/biology/pathology is an asset but not required
• Passion for fundamental exploratory research and boundless curiosity

How to apply:

Please submit your CV and cover letter by July 18th 2025 for consideration. Please make sure to discuss in the cover letter how this training program will help you fulfill your career goals. 

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. In addition, employees are eligible for a generous time off package including vacation, personal days, holidays and other leaves. #PDX