Job DescriptionThe Distinguished Scientist within our company's Vaccines Analytical Research & Development organization (V-AR&D) is accountable for providing scientific research direction and will partner with the executive management team to refine and advance the strategic directions for our Vaccines portfolios. The ideal candidate should be a visionary with extensive experience in human vaccine process and analytical development and be adept at independently directing research and scientific problem solving. They should have demonstrated commitment towards advancing Vaccines products through innovation, strategic decision making, and partnership with Manufacturing, Quality, and Regulatory Affairs.
In this role, they will be responsible for steering scientific strategy and policy with broad pipeline oversight. As a scientific leader, they will partner with the respective leadership teams to drive innovation, scientific excellence, and advance strategic initiatives including due diligence activities.
Primary Responsibilities:- Leveraging experience working on many types of human vaccine candidates, drive an End-to-end Integrated Control Strategy for new programs
- Build an innovative and strategic scientific vision for the Analytical Research and Development teams through strong scientific leadership.
- Anticipate Analytical opportunities proactively, including acting as a key interface for collaborating departments.
- Serve as technical lead for setting specifications and responding to regulatory feedback.
- Drive Adjuvant strategy through partnership with Strategy and Development teams
- Advocate and sponsor evaluation of progressive methodologies, driving implementation to the development and commercialization space.
- Accountable for mentoring the next generation of scientific talent. Serve as a role model and scientific mentor to the department and cross-functional collaborators, with responsibility to develop scientific talent aligned with organizational strategy.
- Maintaining recognition as an internationally known expert in their field through regular publication in peer reviewed journals and participating actively in scientific meetings, including chairing sessions. May serve on expert committees outside our Company, on editorial boards, planning committees or major scientific meetings.
- Interface with Discovery interface teams to ensure scientific rigor and strategy for FIH studies
- Apply principles of predictive stability across the vaccine portfolio.
- Interface with Manufacturing teams to proactively guide method transfers and serve as POC for any troubleshooting
- Own Analytical Cross-functional Forum, setting agenda and driving collaboration across the various interfaces
- Lead Vaccines Analytical Tier Escalation, highlighting wins and areas of current concern to management with the appropriate level of details.
Education:Bachelors, Masters, or Ph.D. in biochemistry or other related field with 20+ years of product development experience
Required Experience and Skills:The Distinguished Scientist should demonstrate effectiveness in the following key dimensions:
- Strong experience in Process Development and a willingness to apply learnings to develop relevant Analytical methods
- Commercialization and licensure of human vaccines products.
- Strong experience in applying separations techniques and high-throughput automation in process development in a phase-appropriate manner.
- Provides strategic scientific influence, originates and develops new project/program ideas. Contributes expertise and creativity to the collective knowledge and aids in solving complex pipeline problems.
- Recognized as a scientific expert, strongly influences senior leaders and helps steer scientific strategy and policy.
- Recognized nationally/ internationally for scientific expertise in large molecules.
- Demonstrated experience in Phase Appropriate Validation, data trending, and biological critical reagents used in validated methods.
- Dynamic mentorship and scientific direction to develop scientific excellence in the team. Strong role model, coach and mentor of junior scientists.
- A track record of consistently delivering innovations and implementing novel approaches to impact across the pipeline.
- Interest and experience to adopt and integrate automation and data sciences/machine learning solutions.
- Demonstrated ability in steering scientific strategy
- Incumbent must have excellent interpersonal, communication, and collaboration skills.
Location: West Point PA, with < 10% travel to other Research and Development sites.
Required Skills: Accountability, Accountability, Analytical Chemistry, Analytical Method Development, Business Decisions, Cell-Based Assays, Collaborative Communications, Communication, Cross-Cultural Awareness, Cross-Functional Teamwork, Data Science, Dosage Forms, Exercises Judgment, Foster Innovation, Innovation, Instrumental Analysis, Intellectual Curiosity, Management Process, Mentorship, Molecular Structure, Process Builders, Process Engineering, Product Development, Production Process Development, Professional Networking {+ 4 more}
Preferred Skills: Current Employees apply HERE
Current Contingent Workers apply HERE
US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.
As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:
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We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another's thinking and approach problems collectively.
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U.S. Hybrid Work ModelEffective September 5, 2023, employees in office-based positions in the U.S. will be working a Hybrid work consisting of three total days on-site per week, Monday - Thursday, although the specific days may vary by site or organization, with Friday designated as a remote-working day, unless business critical tasks require an on-site presence.This Hybrid work model does not apply to, and daily in-person attendance is required for, field-based positions; facility-based, manufacturing-based, or research-based positions where the work to be performed is located at a Company site; positions covered by a collective-bargaining agreement (unless the agreement provides for hybrid work); or any other position for which the Company has determined the job requirements cannot be reasonably met working remotely. Please note, this Hybrid work model guidance also does not apply to roles that have been designated as "remote".
The salary range for this role is
$206,200.00 - $324,600.00
This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee's position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs.
The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.
We offer a comprehensive package of benefits. Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.
You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.
San Francisco Residents Only: We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance
Los Angeles Residents Only: We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles' Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance
Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.
Employee Status: Regular
Relocation:No relocation
VISA Sponsorship:No
Travel Requirements:10%
Flexible Work Arrangements:Not Applicable
Shift:1st - Day
Valid Driving License:No
Hazardous Material(s):N/A
Job Posting End Date:10/21/2025
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