Principal Scientist Jobs in Massachusetts
Principal Scientist jobs in Massachusetts are among the most actively recruited in the country, concentrated in biopharma, medical devices, and academic research with demand from postdoctoral-level candidates through senior and staff scientist roles. The heaviest hiring is in the Greater Boston area, Cambridge, and Worcester, where organizations like Moderna, Pfizer, and Massachusetts General Hospital maintain major research operations. Drug discovery, immunology, and computational biology are the most consistently in-demand specialties across these employers. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 4 of 61+ Principal Scientist jobs
Summary
Location: Cambridge, MA, USA
We are seeking a highly motivated PhD scientist with 1–2 years of relevant experience to join a multidisciplinary cell therapeutics discovery team within Oncology Immune Therapeutics and contribute to pioneering CAR-T cell therapies. As a key individual contributor, the successful candidate will work closely with cross-functional research partners, applying expertise in CAR-T engineering and T-cell biology to investigate novel cell therapy platforms and design, generate, and evaluate CAR constructs. The candidate will generate high-quality data that deepens our understanding of emerging CAR-T therapies, informs research and development decisions, and contributes to the design of future clinical trials. This position is ideal for a talented, results-oriented scientist who wishes to combine an interest in cancer immunobiology with a strong desire to discover and develop innovative cellular therapeutic approaches.
About the Role
Key Responsibilities
- Design and execute innovative research to advance next-generation CAR-T approaches, translating project objectives into experimental plans and decision criteria.
- Design, generate, and evaluate complex lentiviral constructs for logic-gated CAR-T approaches.
- Perform hands-on functional testing and optimization of CAR-T cells, and collaboratively develop and test novel analytical methods.
- Execute cell-line engineering to develop fit-for-purpose experimental models to evaluate function and inform construct selection.
- Critically analyze and integrate findings across engineering, in vitro biology, and in vivo pharmacology to inform candidate prioritization and translational opportunities.
- Collaboratively drive projects to meet established timelines while maintaining the highest quality and data integrity standards.
- Comply with established protocols and SOPs while performing experiments, and record and maintain meticulous records in an electronic laboratory notebook.
- Contribute to drafting technical documents and, where relevant to the program, scientific content for regulatory submissions.
- Present results, project updates, and recommendations to cross-functional teams, department meetings, and scientific leadership.
Essential Requirements
- PhD in immunology, cell biology, molecular biology, bioengineering, or a related discipline, with 1–2 years of relevant research experience.
- Hands-on experience in CAR-T engineering or engineered T-cell approaches.
- Expertise in ex vivo cell characterization using multicolor flow cytometry (FACS) and cytokine profiling methods such as ELISA, MSD, or Luminex.
- Prior experience with immune-cell isolation techniques and the culture of primary human T cells.
- Experience designing and generating lentiviral CAR constructs and interpreting functional data to guide iterative construct optimization.
- Demonstrated ability to independently design and execute experiments, prioritize research activities, solve complex problems, and make evidence-based recommendations.
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment and adapt to changing research directions and priorities.
- Strong collaboration and scientific communication skills, meticulous documentation practices, and a commitment to research quality and data integrity.
Desirable Requirements
- Experience partnering with computational biology, target discovery, and in vivo pharmacology teams to advance engineered cell therapies.
- Experience with engineered T-cell manufacturing and culture.
- Understanding of synthetic biology principles applied to cell engineering.
- Experience developing functional profiling approaches and experimental models that support candidate selection and translational decision-making.
Novartis Compensation and Benefit Summary:
The salary for this position is expected to range between
- Principal Scientist I: $108,500 - $201,500 USD Annual per year.
- Principal Scientist II: $119,700 - $222,300 US Annual per year.
The final position and salary offered is determined based on factors like, but not limited to, relevant skills and experience, and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically. Novartis may change the published salary range based on company and market factors.
Your compensation will include a performance-based cash incentive and, depending on the level of the role, eligibility to be considered for annual equity awards.
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.
Why Novartis: Helping people with disease and their families takes more than innovative science. It takes a community of smart, passionate people like you. Collaborating, supporting and inspiring each other. Combining to achieve breakthroughs that change patients’ lives. Ready to create a brighter future together? https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture
Benefits and Rewards: Learn about all the ways we’ll help you thrive personally and professionally.
Read our handbook (PDF 30 MB)
EEO Statement:
The Novartis Group of Companies are Equal Opportunity Employers. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.
Accessibility & Reasonable Accommodations
The Novartis Group of Companies are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or to perform the essential functions of a position, please send an e-mail to us.reasonableaccommodations@novartis.com or call +1(877)395-2339 and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.
Summary
Location: Cambridge, MA, USA
We are seeking a highly motivated PhD scientist with 1–2 years of relevant experience to join a multidisciplinary cell therapeutics discovery team within Oncology Immune Therapeutics and contribute to pioneering CAR-T cell therapies. As a key individual contributor, the successful candidate will work closely with cross-functional research partners, applying expertise in CAR-T engineering and T-cell biology to investigate novel cell therapy platforms and design, generate, and evaluate CAR constructs. The candidate will generate high-quality data that deepens our understanding of emerging CAR-T therapies, informs research and development decisions, and contributes to the design of future clinical trials. This position is ideal for a talented, results-oriented scientist who wishes to combine an interest in cancer immunobiology with a strong desire to discover and develop innovative cellular therapeutic approaches.
About the Role
Key Responsibilities
- Design and execute innovative research to advance next-generation CAR-T approaches, translating project objectives into experimental plans and decision criteria.
- Design, generate, and evaluate complex lentiviral constructs for logic-gated CAR-T approaches.
- Perform hands-on functional testing and optimization of CAR-T cells, and collaboratively develop and test novel analytical methods.
- Execute cell-line engineering to develop fit-for-purpose experimental models to evaluate function and inform construct selection.
- Critically analyze and integrate findings across engineering, in vitro biology, and in vivo pharmacology to inform candidate prioritization and translational opportunities.
- Collaboratively drive projects to meet established timelines while maintaining the highest quality and data integrity standards.
- Comply with established protocols and SOPs while performing experiments, and record and maintain meticulous records in an electronic laboratory notebook.
- Contribute to drafting technical documents and, where relevant to the program, scientific content for regulatory submissions.
- Present results, project updates, and recommendations to cross-functional teams, department meetings, and scientific leadership.
Essential Requirements
- PhD in immunology, cell biology, molecular biology, bioengineering, or a related discipline, with 1–2 years of relevant research experience.
- Hands-on experience in CAR-T engineering or engineered T-cell approaches.
- Expertise in ex vivo cell characterization using multicolor flow cytometry (FACS) and cytokine profiling methods such as ELISA, MSD, or Luminex.
- Prior experience with immune-cell isolation techniques and the culture of primary human T cells.
- Experience designing and generating lentiviral CAR constructs and interpreting functional data to guide iterative construct optimization.
- Demonstrated ability to independently design and execute experiments, prioritize research activities, solve complex problems, and make evidence-based recommendations.
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment and adapt to changing research directions and priorities.
- Strong collaboration and scientific communication skills, meticulous documentation practices, and a commitment to research quality and data integrity.
Desirable Requirements
- Experience partnering with computational biology, target discovery, and in vivo pharmacology teams to advance engineered cell therapies.
- Experience with engineered T-cell manufacturing and culture.
- Understanding of synthetic biology principles applied to cell engineering.
- Experience developing functional profiling approaches and experimental models that support candidate selection and translational decision-making.
Novartis Compensation and Benefit Summary:
The salary for this position is expected to range between
- Principal Scientist I: $108,500 - $201,500 USD Annual per year.
- Principal Scientist II: $119,700 - $222,300 US Annual per year.
The final position and salary offered is determined based on factors like, but not limited to, relevant skills and experience, and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically. Novartis may change the published salary range based on company and market factors.
Your compensation will include a performance-based cash incentive and, depending on the level of the role, eligibility to be considered for annual equity awards.
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.
Why Novartis: Helping people with disease and their families takes more than innovative science. It takes a community of smart, passionate people like you. Collaborating, supporting and inspiring each other. Combining to achieve breakthroughs that change patients’ lives. Ready to create a brighter future together? https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture
Benefits and Rewards: Learn about all the ways we’ll help you thrive personally and professionally.
Read our handbook (PDF 30 MB)
EEO Statement:
The Novartis Group of Companies are Equal Opportunity Employers. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.
Accessibility & Reasonable Accommodations
The Novartis Group of Companies are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or to perform the essential functions of a position, please send an e-mail to us.reasonableaccommodations@novartis.com or call +1(877)395-2339 and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.
See All 61 Principal Scientist Jobs in Massachusetts
Find roles in Massachusetts that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Principal Scientist JobsPrincipal Scientist Jobs by City in Massachusetts
Where Massachusetts roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Principal Scientist Job Market in Massachusetts
A snapshot from current Massachusetts openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
- Science & Research
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
- Distribution & Wholesale
- Transportation & Logistics
What Massachusetts Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in principal scientist jobs across Massachusetts.
- PhD in life sciences, chemistry, or a closely related field required
- Five or more years of independent research experience in a relevant discipline
- Demonstrated publication record in peer-reviewed scientific journals
- Deep expertise in a specialized area such as immunology, oncology, or structural biology
- Experience leading cross-functional project teams or mentoring junior researchers
- Proficiency with relevant laboratory platforms, computational tools, or analytical instrumentation
Principal Scientist Jobs in Massachusetts: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a principal scientist in Massachusetts?
Most principal scientist roles in Massachusetts require a doctoral degree in a life science, chemistry, engineering, or computational discipline. Massachusetts does not issue a state license for this role, so advancement depends on building a strong research portfolio, publishing in peer-reviewed journals, and accumulating progressive lab or industry experience. Many candidates enter through postdoctoral fellowships at institutions like Harvard, MIT, or Dana-Farber Cancer Institute before moving into industry.
Which companies hire principal scientists in Massachusetts?
Employers hiring principal scientists in Massachusetts right now include Novartis, AbbVie, and Waters, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Massachusetts's dense concentration of biopharma headquarters and major academic medical centers makes it one of the most active states for this level of scientific hiring year-round.
Which Massachusetts cities have the most principal scientist jobs?
Cambridge, Boston, and Milford have the most principal scientist openings in Massachusetts. Greater Boston and Cambridge drive the majority of postings because the Kendall Square biopharma corridor and affiliated academic medical centers are headquartered there, while Worcester's growing life-science campus attracts openings from UMass Medical School and its surrounding industry partners.
Are there remote principal scientist jobs in Massachusetts?
Yes, but they're rare. Principal scientist roles are predominantly hands-on, requiring bench work, instrumentation, or direct team oversight that cannot be done remotely. About 47% of principal scientist openings tied to Massachusetts are remote or hybrid as of November 2026. The portions of the role most likely to allow remote flexibility are computational biology, data analysis, and regulatory writing functions.
How can I get hired as a principal scientist in Massachusetts with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a postdoctoral fellowship at a Massachusetts research institution such as the Broad Institute, Whitehead Institute, or a Dana-Farber program, which transitions directly into industry associate scientist roles. Large Massachusetts employers like Biogen and Sanofi Genzyme run structured postdoc-to-industry pipelines. Candidates moving from academia should build a publication record and seek out associate or scientist roles first, using those as a bridge to principal-level positions.
Where can I find and apply to principal scientist jobs in Massachusetts?
You can find and apply to principal scientist jobs in Massachusetts on Migrate Mate, which lists current Massachusetts openings updated regularly. Search the listings, find the roles that match your background and target location, and apply directly to each one.
See All 61 Principal Scientist Jobs in Massachusetts
Find roles in Massachusetts that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Principal Scientist Jobs