What is a Software Engineer at Novo Nordisk?

As a Software Engineer at Novo Nordisk, your work bridges the gap between digital innovation and life-saving physical manufacturing. Unlike traditional tech companies where software exists purely in the cloud, software engineering here is deeply integrated with automation, pharmaceutical production, and complex supply chains. You are building, maintaining, and optimizing the systems that allow us to manufacture critical treatments—such as our insulin and GLP-1 products—safely and at a massive scale.

Your impact in this position is profound. Whether you are working as an API Manufacturing Specialist in Boulder, an Automation Technician in Clayton, or supporting cleaning and packaging engineering processes in West Lebanon, your code directly influences product quality and patient safety. You will develop automated workflows, integrate complex APIs for supplier management, and ensure that our manufacturing execution systems operate flawlessly under strict regulatory standards.

This role requires a unique blend of traditional software development and an understanding of industrial automation. You will face complex challenges involving real-time data processing, legacy system integration, and rigorous compliance documentation. If you are passionate about writing software that has a tangible, life-changing output in the real world, this role offers an unparalleled opportunity to drive strategic influence within a global pharmaceutical leader.

Getting Ready for Your Interviews

Preparing for an interview at Novo Nordisk requires a strategic mindset. Your interviewers are not just looking for someone who can write clean code; they are looking for an engineer who understands how that code interacts with physical processes, quality assurance protocols, and cross-functional teams.

Focus your preparation on the following key evaluation criteria:

Technical and Domain Expertise – You will be evaluated on your core software engineering skills, as well as your familiarity with automation, system integration, and API development. Strong candidates demonstrate an ability to apply software principles to manufacturing and industrial environments.

Problem-Solving in Regulated Environments – Interviewers want to see how you approach complex technical issues while navigating strict compliance frameworks like Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). You must show that you can innovate without compromising on safety, quality, or regulatory standards.

Cross-Functional Collaboration – Software Engineers here rarely work in silos. You will be assessed on your ability to communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, including process engineers, packaging specialists, and quality assurance teams.

Culture Fit and The Novo Nordisk Way – We are a deeply patient-centric organization. You will be evaluated on your alignment with our core values, your commitment to continuous improvement, and your ability to thrive in a highly collaborative, purpose-driven culture.

Interview Process Overview

The interview process for a Software Engineer at Novo Nordisk is thorough and highly structured. Because our software systems impact patient health, our hiring teams take the time to ensure you possess both the technical rigor and the cultural alignment required for the role. The process typically begins with an initial recruiter screen to discuss your background, location preferences, and high-level technical experience.

Following the recruiter screen, you will move to a technical interview with a hiring manager or a senior engineer. This round focuses heavily on your past projects, your understanding of API integrations, and your familiarity with automated systems. You should expect a mix of technical probing and behavioral questions designed to see how you handle real-world manufacturing software challenges.

The final stage is a comprehensive panel interview, which may be conducted virtually or onsite at one of our manufacturing hubs. This panel usually consists of cross-functional team members, including software engineers, automation specialists, and quality assurance managers. The panel will dive deeply into system design, problem-solving scenarios, and your ability to embody The Novo Nordisk Way.

This visual timeline outlines the typical progression of your interview stages, from the initial recruiter screen to the final panel rounds. Use this to pace your preparation, ensuring you are ready for both the deep technical discussions and the cross-functional behavioral assessments that occur later in the process. Keep in mind that specific stages may vary slightly depending on your location and the exact focus of your team.

Deep Dive into Evaluation Areas

Automation and Systems Integration

Because Novo Nordisk relies heavily on automated manufacturing, your ability to integrate software with physical systems is a primary focus. Interviewers will assess your understanding of how data flows between manufacturing equipment, supervisory control systems, and enterprise databases. Strong performance means you can confidently discuss bridging IT (Information Technology) and OT (Operational Technology).

Be ready to go over:

• API Development and Management – Designing and securing APIs that connect supplier management systems with internal manufacturing databases.
• SCADA and PLC Concepts – Understanding how software interacts with programmable logic controllers and supervisory systems on the factory floor.
• Data Pipelines – Moving high-volume, real-time data from packaging and cleaning systems into centralized analytics platforms.
• Advanced concepts (less common) –
  • Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) protocols (e.g., MQTT, OPC UA).
  • Real-time operating systems (RTOS) and deterministic networking.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Walk me through how you would design an API to pull real-time sensor data from a manufacturing line."
• "Describe a time you had to integrate a modern software application with a legacy hardware system."
• "How would you handle a scenario where a critical data feed from a packaging machine suddenly drops?"

Quality, Compliance, and GMP

In the pharmaceutical industry, software bugs can lead to product recalls or patient harm. You will be heavily evaluated on your understanding of quality assurance and compliance. Interviewers want to see that you prioritize testing, documentation, and validation just as much as feature development. Strong candidates seamlessly weave quality considerations into their technical answers.

Be ready to go over:

• Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) – Following rigorous, documented processes from requirements gathering to deployment.
• Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) – Understanding the regulatory standards that govern pharmaceutical production.
• Testing and Validation – Implementing automated testing, unit tests, and computer system validation (CSV) protocols.
• Advanced concepts (less common) –
  • FDA 21 CFR Part 11 compliance (electronic records and signatures).
  • GAMP 5 (Good Automated Manufacturing Practice) guidelines.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "How do you ensure your code is fully traceable from requirement to deployment?"
• "Tell me about a time you found a critical bug late in the development cycle. How did you handle the documentation and resolution?"
• "What is your approach to writing software that will be audited by regulatory bodies?"

Cross-Functional Problem Solving

As a Software Engineer, you will collaborate with cleaning support teams, packaging engineers, and API manufacturing specialists. Interviewers will test your ability to translate physical engineering problems into software solutions. A strong performance in this area demonstrates empathy for the end-user (often a factory operator or process engineer) and a structured approach to troubleshooting.

Be ready to go over:

• Requirements Gathering – Translating vague requests from non-software teams into precise technical specifications.
• Root Cause Analysis – Systematically diagnosing complex issues that span both software and physical machinery.
• Stakeholder Communication – Explaining technical limitations or architectural decisions to business leaders and operational staff.
• Advanced concepts (less common) –
  • Lean manufacturing principles and Six Sigma methodologies.
  • Designing user interfaces (UI/HMI) specifically for gloved operators in cleanrooms.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Tell me about a time you had to explain a complex technical issue to a non-technical stakeholder."
• "An operator reports that the automated cleaning system software is freezing. Walk me through your troubleshooting steps."
• "How do you prioritize feature requests when multiple engineering teams are demanding your attention?"

Key Responsibilities

As a Software Engineer at Novo Nordisk, your day-to-day work is dynamic and heavily integrated with our manufacturing operations. You will be responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining the software applications and APIs that drive our production lines. This includes writing code to automate API (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient) manufacturing processes, optimizing supplier management systems, and ensuring seamless data flow across the facility.

A significant portion of your time will be spent collaborating with adjacent teams. You will work side-by-side with process engineers to understand the nuances of chemical mixing and packaging, and you will partner with quality assurance professionals to ensure your software meets strict regulatory standards. When a new production line is built or a cleaning process is upgraded, you will be the one writing the software integrations that bring the hardware to life.

You will also drive continuous improvement projects. This might involve modernizing legacy applications, migrating on-premise manufacturing data to secure cloud environments, or developing new dashboards that give floor managers real-time visibility into production metrics. Your deliverables are not just lines of code; they are robust, validated systems that guarantee the safety and efficacy of our medicines.

Role Requirements & Qualifications

To be a successful Software Engineer at Novo Nordisk, you need a solid foundation in software development combined with an aptitude for industrial environments. The ideal candidate is highly detail-oriented, comfortable with rigorous documentation, and motivated by the company's patient-first mission.

• Must-have skills – Proficiency in core programming languages (such as Python, C#, or Java), strong experience with relational databases (SQL) and API development (RESTful services), and a deep understanding of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). You must also possess excellent technical writing skills for compliance documentation.
• Nice-to-have skills – Experience with industrial automation software (SCADA, Ignition, Rockwell), familiarity with FDA regulations (GMP, 21 CFR Part 11), and prior experience in the pharmaceutical, medical device, or manufacturing industries.
• Experience level – We hire across various levels, from Project Engineering Internships to Specialist roles. Mid-level roles typically require 3-5 years of software engineering experience, ideally with exposure to cross-functional or regulated environments.
• Soft skills – Exceptional stakeholder management, the ability to communicate clearly across disciplines, and a proactive, problem-solving mindset. You must be comfortable working in a team-oriented culture where consensus and quality trump speed.

Common Interview Questions

The questions below represent the types of inquiries you can expect during your interviews. They are drawn from common patterns for this role and are designed to test both your technical depth and your alignment with our manufacturing environment. Do not memorize answers; instead, use these to practice structuring your thoughts.

Technical and Automation Systems

This category tests your core engineering skills and your ability to build software that interacts with physical processes and data pipelines.

• How do you design a robust RESTful API for a high-traffic internal system?
• Walk me through your approach to database schema design for a system that logs real-time sensor data.
• Explain how you would optimize a slow-running SQL query that is critical for a manufacturing dashboard.
• How do you handle error logging and alerting in a distributed system?
• Describe your experience with version control and CI/CD pipelines in a strictly regulated environment.

Quality, Compliance, and SDLC

These questions evaluate your commitment to software quality, testing, and your ability to work within strict regulatory frameworks.

• Tell me about your strategy for unit testing and automated integration testing.
• How do you ensure your code modifications do not break existing, validated systems?
• Describe a time when you had to write extensive documentation for a software release. How did you ensure accuracy?
• What steps do you take to secure sensitive data within an application?
• How do you balance the need to deploy software quickly with the requirement for rigorous quality assurance?

Behavioral and Problem-Solving

This category assesses your cultural fit, your ability to collaborate across teams, and how you handle ambiguity and conflict.

• Tell me about a time you solved a complex problem that required input from multiple different departments.
• Describe a situation where you disagreed with a process engineer or a stakeholder on a technical approach. How did you resolve it?
• Walk me through a time when a project you were working on failed or did not meet expectations. What did you learn?
• How do you prioritize your tasks when you receive urgent requests from multiple manufacturing teams simultaneously?
• Why do you want to work at Novo Nordisk, and how do you connect your work to our patient-first mission?

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How difficult is the interview process, and how much should I prepare? The process is rigorous but fair. Because of the regulatory nature of our business, interviewers will dig deep into your commitment to quality and testing. Expect to spend a solid 1-2 weeks preparing, focusing heavily on how your past software projects can translate to a manufacturing or pharmaceutical environment.

Q: What differentiates a successful candidate from an average one? Successful candidates look beyond the code. They demonstrate a clear understanding of the end-user—often a factory operator or process engineer—and they show a deep respect for compliance and safety. Candidates who can articulate how their software impacts the physical world stand out.

Q: What is the working style and culture like for this role? The culture is highly collaborative, methodical, and purpose-driven. We prioritize "The Novo Nordisk Way," which means consensus-building and quality are highly valued. The pace may feel more deliberate than a typical tech startup, as every software change must be carefully validated.

Q: Are these roles remote, hybrid, or onsite? Because this Software Engineer role involves supporting physical manufacturing, APIs, and automation systems, these positions are typically onsite or hybrid. Roles in Clayton, NC, Boulder, CO, and West Lebanon, NH require a strong physical presence to collaborate directly with process and packaging engineering teams on the factory floor.

Other General Tips

• Master the STAR Method: When answering behavioral questions, strictly follow the Situation, Task, Action, Result format. Be highly specific about your individual contribution, especially in cross-functional projects.
• Emphasize "Patient First": Always tie your technical decisions back to the end goal: patient safety and product quality. Showing that you understand the stakes of pharmaceutical manufacturing will score you major points.

• Showcase Your Documentation Skills: Do not shy away from discussing documentation. In our environment, writing clear specifications, test plans, and validation protocols is just as celebrated as writing elegant code.
• Ask Manufacturing-Specific Questions: At the end of your interviews, ask questions that show you are thinking about the intersection of software and physical production. Ask about their biggest automation bottlenecks or how they handle software updates on active production lines.

Summary & Next Steps

Stepping into a Software Engineer role at Novo Nordisk means joining a team where your technical expertise directly contributes to improving the lives of millions of patients worldwide. Whether you are optimizing API manufacturing, building automation tools for packaging, or ensuring data integrity across our supply chain, your work is critical to our operational success. This is a role for engineers who crave tangible impact and thrive in complex, cross-functional environments.

As you prepare, focus on demonstrating a balanced skill set. Be ready to prove your technical depth in software architecture and API development, but equally important, showcase your respect for quality, compliance, and rigorous problem-solving. Review your past experiences and frame them around reliability, cross-team collaboration, and delivering solutions that scale safely.

This compensation data provides a high-level view of the salary ranges associated with various software and engineering roles across our different manufacturing sites. Keep in mind that your specific offer will depend heavily on your exact title, location, and years of experience, with total compensation often including bonuses and comprehensive benefits. Use this information to set realistic expectations as you move toward the offer stage.

Approach your interviews with confidence and curiosity. Your unique blend of software skills and systems thinking is exactly what we need to continue scaling our life-saving treatments. For more insights, practice scenarios, and detailed preparation resources, be sure to explore the tools available on Dataford. You have the skills and the potential to succeed—now it is time to show us how you can make a difference at Novo Nordisk.