The AI and Digital Research department (AIDR) is a global,
multidisciplinary team that puts AI at the center of drug discovery.
The department takes a human-centric approach to drug discovery,
utilizing cutting-edge data science, machine learning, and engineering
techniques to identify novel targets, biomarkers, and new drugs. By
doing so, they aim to accelerate the drug discovery process and unlock
a deeper understanding of disease and treatment outcomes.Through close
collaboration with other departments and teams across the
organization, the AI and Digital Research department works to bring
innovative therapies to patients more quickly and improve the lives of
those living with chronic conditions. With a focus on putting AI at
the forefront of drug discovery, the department is dedicated to
revolutionizing the pharmaceutical industry and bringing life-changing
treatments to those who need them most.
The Position
The Vice President (VP), Computational Drug Design (CDD)
will develop, lead and grow a computational drug design
department that delivers high quality insights to guide decision
making in Research & Early Development (R&ED) and
Development. The role will devise and execute on a
computational drug design strategy to be implemented across
R&ED and Development, drive the delivery of the cross-SVP
strategy through a leadership team, ensure a strong culture of
sharing knowledge on computational drug design across SVP
areas. The VP will have overall scientific responsibility for
delivering consistent high quality computational drug design
analyses across R&ED and Development, define and implement
the growth strategy, and ensure strategic investment in
computational drug design data and platforms is delivered.
Relationships
Reports to the Corporate Vice President for AI & Digital
Research (AIDR). Leads the Computational Drug Design unit
through other leaders.
Key stakeholders:
R&ED Senior Vice President (SVP) area management teams
R&ED SVP area Line oof Business (LoB) scientists
Project Vice Presidents (PVP)
Development SVP area management teams
Development SVP LoB scientists
University groups
Other pharma companies
External biotech’s with platforms omics, spatial
biology capabilities or AI based capabilities
Engagement with SVPs and their management teams through
presentations, 1:1 meetings and in-person visits to
demonstrate the value of in silico approaches and its
integration in their decision-making activities
Direct engagement with scientists and researchers on the
ground with outreach around computationally validated targets
and biomarkers through 1:1 meetings, learn more sessions,
workshops, and drop-in sessions
Engage early with project and portfolio managers through
in-person meetings and virtual meetings to include in silico
models and approaches in early-stage pipeline projects
Engagement with across relevant EVP areas (DDIT, Data
science) active participation in meetings and joint leadership meetings
Early engagement and influencing of research projects to
enable in silico approaches becoming critical decision-making
resource rather than a tick-box exercise
Regular participation in relevant (international)
computational drug design forums
Engage with local and international universities and
research institutions to influence research, develop
collaborations, training of students and recruitment
activities in computational drug design and related fields
Engage with biotech’s and technology companies around
potential platforms and tools, including AI and machine learning
Ensures global scalability of solutions and understands
the importance of involving various global stakeholders.
Considers the impact of decisions and initiatives on other
areas of the organization
All R&ED sites are within scope of the responsibility
of the role. Internal collaborations across all R&ED sites
will deliver value in silco approaches in a co-creation framework
Employees in the VP area are located at international
sites e.g. Denmark, UK, Boston, Seattle. Expansion to new
sites (south America, Barcelona) as a future footprint activity
Direct influence on research activities in different
geographies through providing expert knowledge drug discovery,
applied AI, drug design (antibody/peptide/protein engineering)
to inform internal research activities and external collaborations
Collaborate with other pharmaceutical companies and
organizations around potential computational drug
development-based initiatives
Navigate the proprietary nature of some computational
solutions offered by external vendors
Essential Functions
Develop and lead the AIDR Computational Drug Design
department: Set up and lead a cutting-edge computational drug
design unit that serves as a key resource for drug discovery.
This includes creating a collaborative environment where new
ideas and technologies can be nurtured and applied to identify
novel therapeutic designs and modalities. The leader will also
work to optimize resources and streamline processes, leading
to faster and more cost-effective drug design cycles. The VP
will work to secure buy-in across SVP and EVP areas and
integrate computational drug design approaches into all
relevant projects, while also working to establish the unit as
the industry leader externally
Develop and implement computational strategies for hit
identification, lead optimization, and candidate selection
across multiple therapeutic areas, with a focus on biologics
and protein engineering.
Lead a team of data scientists, computational chemists,
and biologists to design and execute computational
experiements and models to guide drug discovery efforts
Collaborate closely with other departments, such as
chemistry, pharmacology, biophysics and recombinant
technologies to integrate computational appoaches with
experimental data and to advance drug discovery programs
Apply data science and machine learning techniques to
analyze large and complex datasets, identify patterns and
trends, and make data-driven decisions
Drive culture of experimentation, innovation, and
continuous learning, and establish matrics and KPIs to measure
the impact and ROI data science and machine learning initatives
Stay up-to-date with the latest developments in
computational drug design and related fields, and apply new
methods and technologies to improve drug discovery processes
and outcomes
Build and maintain strong relationships with external
partners and academic institutions to access cutting-edge
computational tools and expertise
Devise and execute on a computational drug design
strategy: Responsible for developing and implementing a
strategy that leverages latest AI methods to help advance
molecular design to drive value across SVP areas and achieve
R&D goals. This includes identifying key areas of focus
and implementing state-of-the-art methods and approaches to
inform decision making and drive innovation in the drug
pipeline. The VP will also work to foster collaboration
between computational drug discovery teams and other
stakeholders across EVP areas to drive innovation and advance
the pipeline
Scientific responsibility within the VP area: Ensure that
project data is analyzed and interpreted appropriately to
design campaigns, inform decision making in the API strategy
and project gate ways. The VP will also provide scientific
leadership the CDD department and AIDR sub departments (e.g.,
Machine Intelligence, Research Engineering), to deliver
state-of-the-art, high-quality deliverables that span across
SVP areas and drive innovation in drug discovery. The VP will
also play a key role in supporting early innovation by
delivering high-quality novel computational discoveries to
R&D and will be involved in international collaborations
with key external partners in early discovery. Lead the
development and implementation of computational methods for
the design and optimization of Antibodies, RNA, peptide and
protein therapeutics
Ensure appropriate investment in enablers of computational
drug design research: Responsible for investigating and
implementing state-of-the-art computational, platforms and
technologies to accelerate drug discovery and innovation. This
includes working with external partners in industry and
academia to stay ahead of the curve in terms of computational
drug design methods and platforms
Organizational change management, new talent hires,
communication, training and development: Responsible for
managing organizational design, development, communication and
training within the unit. This includes communicating
frequently with key stakeholders, creating training courses
and internal conferences to build a community of advocates and
interpreters within the company, and actively recruiting
diverse talent to bring new perspectives and ideas to the unit
Management tasks: Ensure the area delivers according to
the Novo Nordisk annual wheel for line activities e.g.
Performance management (input to CVP Balance Score Card (BSC),
target setting for own area); Secure an optimal utilization of
resources and equipment by monitoring organizational
performance; Drive continuous improvements in the area to meet
business goals; Ensure budget and business targets are met;
Responsible for Occupational Health & Safety in the area;
Estimates of resource demand and bottlenecks, secure an
optimal utilization of resources and equipment in
collaboration with department heads
Consistently works with complex issues that require
broad-based sustainable solutions involving other functions
across NN. Builds capability across the function to develop
short- and long-term priorities consistent with Novo Nordisk’s
strategy. VP should have demonstrated significant results and
experiences as both a senior director and project manager in
an innovative matrix organization. VP should have demonstrated
consistent innovative novel approaches including impact beyond
their area of remit
Represent Novo Nordisk at large international conferences
and events related to computational drug design and machine
learning, such as International Conference on Learning
Representation (ICLR), The Conference and Workshop on Neural
Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS). Drive greater
exposure of Novo Nordisk's AI enabled drug design efforts
through publications in peer-reviewed journals and presenting
at conferences and events. Represent Novo Nordisk on various
joint steering committees for international partnerships and
collaborations in the field of Machine learning and
computational drug design. Share knowledge and expertise
internally through various forums such as the data science
academy, learn more sessions and local engagement
Physical Requirements
10-20% overnight travel required.
Development Of People
Supervisory, ensure that reporting personnel have individual
development plans (IDP), with annual goals and measurements that
are consistent with the priorities of the business, and that
interim reviews are held so that their work is focused on those
priorities, and they understand their level of accountability
for results and the measurement process. Ensure that the IDP
forms include completed learning and aspiration plans and are in
place for all reporting personnel to enable the achievement of
goals and capability to assume increased levels of
responsibility. Manage the application and communication of all
Novo Nordisk policies, procedures, and Novo Nordisk Way.
Qualifications
MSc in chemistry, bioinformatics, computer science, or a
related field is highly desirable. PhD desirable.
At least 10 years of experience in computational modelling
in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry, with a focus on
biologics and protein engineering
Proven track record of leading and managing computational
drug discovery programs
Strong computational skills and hands-on experience with
molecular modelling techniques, such as molecular docking,
molecular dynamics simulations, and homology modelling
Experience with data science and machine leanring
techniques applied to drug design
Proven track record of leading successful drug discovery
and development projects, ideally in the pharmaceutical or
biotech industry
Deep expertise of drug discovery and/or development from
work within a pharmaceutical, biotech or related company
Proven track record of working with cross-functional teams
Strong record of publications in peer-reviewed journals
and presentations at relevant conferences
Experience with managing budgets and resources for drug
discovery and development projects
Strong understanding of the IP/regulatory environment for
drug discovery and development
Previous supervisory experience required
We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality
of opportunity for all our job applicants.
At Novo Nordisk we recognize that it is no longer good
enough to aspire to be the best company in the world. We need to
aspire to be the best company for the world and we know that
this is only possible with talented employees with diverse
perspectives, backgrounds and cultures. We are therefore
committed to creating an inclusive culture that celebrates the
diversity of our employees, the patients we serve and
communities we operate in. Together, we’re life changing.
Novo Nordisk is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified
applicants will receive consideration for employment without
regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender
identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability,
protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected
by local, state or federal laws, rules or regulations.
If you are interested in applying to Novo Nordisk and need
special assistance or an accommodation to apply, please call us
at 1-855-411-5290. This contact is for accommodation requests
only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.
