Principal Scientist, Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences

Job Description

Are you passionate about revolutionizing drug delivery and shaping the future of pharmaceutical sciences? Join our dynamic and multidisciplinary research group that is at the forefront of drug discovery and development. Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences (DPS) is a multidisciplinary research group that enables drug discovery and drug product development through application of pharmaceutical science to drug delivery research from target identification through clinical candidate selection for both small and large molecules as well as vaccines. DPS influences molecular design of these clinical candidates through physicochemical property profiling and application of insights to better understand and resolve drug product developability risks. Our deliverables include identification of oral and parenteral preclinical formulations for pharmacology and toxicology studies across modalities (small molecules, peptides, biologics, and vaccines). We closely collaborate with other key functions required for selection and progression of clinical candidates, including Biology, Medicinal Chemistry, Drug Safety, Process Research, Vaccine Development, Analytical Research, Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics. In aggregate, our team enables the transition of optimized molecules from discovery to clinical formulation development with clinical formulation strategies in place.

Primary Responsibilities

DPS in West Point, PA is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Principal Scientist to lead initiatives in RNA vaccine drug product development. This pivotal role will involve driving innovative and effective vaccine solutions, addressing unique challenges in RNA vaccine delivery, and maintaining DPS’s leadership in pharmaceutics assessment. The ideal candidate will possess a deep understanding of vaccine formulation and process development, with a proven track record of successful drug product development contributions. The candidate should have a creative passion for identifying and applying effective drug delivery technologies and pharmaceutics methods as well as a history of driving results and rapidly progressing ideas from conception to in vitro/in vivo evaluation.

In this role the candidate will: 

• Identify and champion innovative and impactful solutions to pipeline-driven challenges pertaining to the delivery of RNA vaccines.
• Inspire scientific rigor and challenge the existing scientific direction within the RNA vaccine space to bring novel tools and technologies to the forefront of pharmaceutics assessment.
• Represent DPS in program leadership and strategic scientific discussions, collaborating with key areas such as Chemistry, Biology, Drug Safety, and Analytical Research to drive pipeline progression.
• Mentor and develop scientific talent within the team, fostering a high-performing, diverse, and inclusive work environment.
• Actively explore and engage with external opportunities in academia and industry to identify and integrate innovative drug delivery technologies and methodologies.
• Enhance our external collaboration network and elevate our scientific presence through publications, patents, and participation in conferences.

Education

• Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, or a related discipline with a minimum of 7 years of relevant industry experience, or an M.S. with at least 10 years of relevant experience.

Required Experience and Skills

• Proven experience in driving innovative research pertaining to vaccine drug product process development and characterization.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills with a demonstrated ability to work collaboratively within cross-functional teams.
• Expertise in mentoring and developing scientific staff.
• Enterprise mindset with a balanced approach to decision-making that incorporates business objectives and staff development.
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills leveraging strong scientific fundamentals across organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, physical chemistry, biopharmaceutics, and process development.
• Familiarity with early development and commercialization challenges related to drug product development.

Preferred Experience and Skills

• Experience in pre-clinical and clinical formulation development along with physicochemical characterization.
• Proficiency in advanced computation, data analysis, and visualization techniques.
• A strong record of patent applications and issued patents.
• A robust portfolio of peer-reviewed publications in relevant scientific fields.
• Demonstrated external scientific presence and influence through engagement in the scientific community.

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US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

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We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. 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 diverse, talented, and committed people together. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when diverse ideas 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 Model

Effective 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”.

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

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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:

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Job Posting End Date:

03/6/2025

• A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.

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