Pilot Scientist for Purification Campaigns — Novo Nordisk, Gentofte (Denmark)

Novo Nordisk is looking for a Pilot Scientist to join its Purification team within the Mammalian Pilot Plant in Gentofte, Denmark. If you have a background in downstream processing, chromatography, or filtration — and you enjoy working hands-on in a GMP-regulated pilot plant environment — this role is worth a serious look. The position involves planning and driving purification campaigns that directly support the development of new biopharmaceutical products for clinical trials.

Quick Job Overview

About Novo Nordisk

Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company headquartered in Bagsværd, Denmark, with over 30,000 employees worldwide. For more than 100 years, the company has focused on defeating serious chronic diseases — particularly diabetes, obesity, and rare blood and endocrine disorders. Novo Nordisk designs, manufactures, and distributes medicines that reach millions of patients across the globe.

What makes Novo Nordisk stand out as an employer is the scale of its operations combined with a genuine sense of purpose. The company invests heavily in research and development, and its production facilities in Denmark are among the most advanced in the pharmaceutical industry. Working here means being part of an organisation where your daily work has a direct line to patient outcomes. The culture is collaborative, international, and geared toward continuous learning.

What This Role Involves

As a Pilot Scientist in the Purification team, your primary responsibility is to plan, coordinate, and execute purification campaigns at pilot scale. These campaigns are a critical step between lab-scale development and full manufacturing — they produce the drug candidates that go into clinical trials.

You will work closely with technicians, other scientists, and support functions within the Mammalian Pilot Plant (MPP). The MPP operates at approximately 1,000L scale and handles mammalian cell-based production of therapeutic proteins. Your day-to-day will involve a mix of scientific planning and hands-on operational execution.

Key responsibilities include:

• Planning and driving purification campaigns in collaboration with technicians and colleagues across the pilot plant
• Working with downstream purification processes, including chromatography and filtration operations at pilot scale
• Coordinating campaign readiness — materials, documentation, and operational requirements
• Monitoring campaign progress and supporting troubleshooting when processes do not perform as expected
• Handling deviations, investigations, and change requests in accordance with GMP requirements
• Contributing to continuous improvement initiatives and implementation of new equipment and systems
• Maintaining a strong presence on the shop floor and supporting daily operations

This is not a desk job. The role requires you to be actively present in the pilot plant, working alongside the team. If you are the kind of person who prefers being close to the operation rather than watching from a distance, this position will suit you well.

Required Skills and Qualifications

Novo Nordisk has listed the following as must-have requirements:

• Experience working with downstream purification processes, including chromatography and/or filtration
• Experience planning, coordinating, or executing manufacturing or pilot plant campaigns in a GMP-regulated environment

In addition, the following are expected or considered advantageous:

• A Master’s degree in biochemical engineering, biotechnology, chemical engineering, pharmaceutical sciences, natural sciences, or a related discipline
• Experience handling deviations, investigations, change requests, or other GMP documentation
• Strong planning and coordination skills with the ability to manage multiple activities simultaneously
• A collaborative mindset and interest in working closely with technicians and operational teams
• Ability to simplify complex challenges and drive practical solutions
• Experience with cLEAN (Lean) methodologies, process optimisation, or equipment introduction
• Professional proficiency in English; Danish language skills or willingness to learn Danish are considered an advantage

The emphasis on GMP experience is worth noting. If your background is purely academic or limited to lab-scale research without any GMP-regulated production exposure, this role may not be the right fit. Novo Nordisk is specifically looking for someone who understands what it takes to operate within a regulated manufacturing environment.

Salary, Benefits, and Relocation Support

The salary for this position is explicitly stated by Novo Nordisk. The annual base salary ranges from 570,200 DKK to 838,100 DKK (before tax). The exact placement within this range is determined during the recruitment process based on your skills, competencies, and relevant experience.

For context, Denmark has one of the highest income tax rates in the world, but also one of the highest standards of living. After tax, this salary range would translate to roughly 340,000–500,000 DKK annually, depending on your tax bracket. Denmark also provides free healthcare, free education, and generous social benefits, which significantly offset the tax burden.

Novo Nordisk mentions that the salary package may include short-term and/or long-term incentives as well as other employee benefits. However, the company has not published a detailed breakdown of benefits for this specific role on the job page. Relocation support is not explicitly mentioned on the listing.

Work Permit / Visa Note

The job listing does not explicitly mention whether visa sponsorship or work permit support is available for this position. Novo Nordisk has not stated anything about relocation assistance or work authorization on the listing page.

For general context: Denmark operates a Positive List for Skilled Work under its immigration system. If a role meets certain salary and qualification thresholds, non-EU/EEA applicants can apply for a residence and work permit through this scheme. Biopharmaceutical process development roles at this salary level would typically fall within the scope of the Positive List. However, this is general information about Denmark’s immigration framework — not a guarantee or confirmation that this specific role qualifies or that Novo Nordisk will sponsor a permit. You would need to confirm directly with Novo Nordisk’s recruitment team whether they offer visa sponsorship for this position.

Who This Role May Suit

This position could be a strong fit if you:

• Have hands-on experience in downstream purification (chromatography, filtration) in a GMP environment
• Enjoy the balance between scientific thinking and operational execution
• Want to work in pharmaceutical manufacturing at a globally recognised company
• Are comfortable being physically present in a pilot plant environment rather than working exclusively in a lab or office
• Have a Master’s degree in a relevant scientific or engineering discipline
• Are proficient in English and open to learning Danish over time

This role is less likely to suit you if your experience is limited to upstream processes only, if you have never worked in a GMP-regulated setting, or if you are looking for a purely office-based or research-only position.

How to Apply Officially

Applications should be submitted through the official Novo Nordisk careers page. The direct link to this Pilot Scientist position is:

https://www.novonordisk.com/content/nncorp/global/en/careers/find-a-job/job-ad.342513.en_GB.html

Novo Nordisk has stated that applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, and the deadline is 2 July 2026. The company has also noted that it may amend or withdraw the posting at any time, including before the advertised closing date. So if this role interests you, it makes sense to apply earlier rather than later.

If you are applying from outside Denmark and want to structure your approach, our 15-step international job search plan covers everything from preparing your documents to following up after submitting an application.

Required Documents

The job listing does not provide a specific checklist of required documents. Based on Novo Nordisk’s general recruitment process and the nature of this role, you would typically need:

• An up-to-date CV/resume focused on your professional and educational background
• A cover letter or motivation letter
• Any relevant certificates or documentation of GMP training

Novo Nordisk has also requested that applicants remove personal information such as photos, dates of birth, gender pronouns, and marital status from their CVs to support a fair recruitment process. Your CV should focus on professional qualifications, education, and contact details only.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “pilot scale” mean in this context?

Pilot scale refers to the intermediate production stage between laboratory research and full commercial manufacturing. At Novo Nordisk’s Mammalian Pilot Plant, this means working with bioreactors at approximately 1,000L scale. The output from these campaigns is used for clinical trials, not for commercial sale.

Is Danish language fluency required?

No. The job listing states that professional proficiency in English is required, while Danish language skills or a willingness to learn Danish are considered an advantage — not a requirement.

What is the work schedule for this role?

The job listing does not specify the work schedule or shift pattern. Standard working hours in Denmark are typically 37 hours per week, but the actual schedule for this specific role is not confirmed on the listing.

Does Novo Nordisk offer relocation support for this position?

The job listing does not mention relocation support. This is something you would need to discuss directly with Novo Nordisk’s recruitment team during the application or interview process.

Is this role open to applicants who do not currently live in Denmark?

The job listing does not explicitly address this. Novo Nordisk has not stated whether visa sponsorship or relocation assistance is available for this position. If you require a work permit to work in Denmark, you should confirm with the recruitment team before applying whether they can support your work authorization.

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