Job Description

Attention NJ Applicants: In April 2020, our Company announced plans to consolidate our New Jersey campuses into a single New Jersey headquarters location in Rahway, NJ by 2023. Therefore, the NJ work location for this role will be temporarily based and the exact timing of the departmental move to Rahway, NJ will be communicated at a future date.

The Sterile and Specialty Products (SSP) group is responsible for developing non-oral dosage forms (injections, implants, inhaled, ocular) for small, intermediate, and large molecules from preclinical toxicology studies to commercialization. Our development teams ensure robust composition, primary packaging/device, and process selection through deep fundamental understanding and characterization such that the process is scalable without compromising stability, safety, efficacy, and delivery. During development, we leverage smart experimental design, cutting edge analytical tools, and predictive approaches to inform molecule, formulation and process selection. In summary, our team enables the translation of preclinical candidates into non-oral drug products.

Our team is looking for a strong candidate for the position of Principal Scientist (R5) within the Biologics product development group.

Primary duties:

• Be a seasoned biologics product developer responsible for designing and developing sterile products for injectable, ophthalmic, and inhaled routes of administration.

• Support both early and late-stage development candidates that will include ensuring screening and development of robust drug product composition, scalable process, primary packaging, compatibility characterization for processing and administration, and supporting regulatory filings.

• Have deep fundamental knowledge around large molecule drug product development and mentor a small group of scientists during product development to ensure completion of key milestones and laboratory / regulatory documentation.

• Active strategic and technical leadership on program development teams, interfacing with key stakeholders, and collaborating across functions to drive defined milestones will be required.

• Responsible for ideating, leading, and championing organizational strategic and innovation objectives aligned with organizational goals. Has prior experience with process scale up, modeling, regulatory filings and/or driving key capability evaluation/ build

• Be willing to take initiative, motivated to excel, have a strong technical background, have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, ability to multi-task, mentor scientists, and a strong desire to learn and contribute.

• Proven demonstration of leadership behaviors

• 10% travel required

Education:

• Masters with a minimum of 12 years or Ph.D. with a minimum of 6 years of industry experience and a Degree in Chemical/ Biomedical Engineering, Pharmaceutics, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Biochemistry or related field.

Required Experience and Skills:

• The candidate should have a strong track record in biologics product development/ regulatory filing/ drug delivery/ complex formulation and process development (including mAbs, ADCs, fusion proteins, combinations such as doublet or triplet co-formulations and drying technologies such as lyophilization) reflected through industry experience and external publications and patents.

• The candidate should have experience in designing and executing appropriate DOE studies to inform on biologic drug product risks such as oxidation or light exposure

• The candidate should be well-versed in QbD principles and have experience applying the QbD tools and principles to drug products in development

• The candidate should have experience authoring regulatory filings for sterile dosage forms especially biologics (liquid/ lyophilized/ complex systems).

• The candidate should have experience with technology transfer to facilitate scale-up of early phase and late phase biologic drug product manufacturing processes to GMP production facilities

• The candidate should have strong familiarity with relevant biologic analytical methods and specifications for drug products as well as drug substance downstream formulation considerations

• The candidate should have experience, desire and a track record of effective mentorship of junior scientists towards timebound goals.

• The candidate should demonstrate scientific leadership in the field of biologics product development

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• Experience in pharmaceutical sciences, physical pharmacy, physiology, pharmacokinetics, biochemistry, protein sciences, chemical kinetics or transport phenomenon is highly desirable.

• Experience in formulation/process, definition of critical attributes for process scale-up, analytical development and experience with Biologics License Application filing for non-conventional sterile dosage forms including ocular dosage forms or peptide therapeutics, and/or alternate delivery technologies (e.g. high concentration, hydrogels, emulsions, suspensions, injectable depot) is a plus.

We are a research-driven biopharmaceutical company. Our mission is built on the simple premise that if we “follow the science” that great medicines can make a significant impact to our world. We believe that a research-driven enterprise dedicated to world-class science can succeed by inventing medicine and vaccine innovations that make a difference for patients across the globe.

Who we are …

We are known as Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, USA in the United States and Canada and MSD everywhere else. For more than a century, we have been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world's most challenging diseases. Today, our company continues to be at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions and advance the prevention and treatment of diseases that threaten people and animals around the world.

What we look for …

Imagine getting up in the morning for a job as important as helping to save and improve lives around the world. Here, you have that opportunity. You can put your empathy, creativity, digital mastery, or scientific genius to work in collaboration with a diverse group of colleagues who pursue and bring hope to countless people who are battling some of the most challenging diseases of our time. Our team is constantly evolving, so if you are among the intellectually curious, join us—and start making your impact today.

NOTICE FOR INTERNAL APPLICANTS

In accordance with Managers' Policy - Job Posting and Employee Placement, all employees subject to this policy are required to have a minimum of twelve (12) months of service in current position prior to applying for open positions.

If you have been offered a separation benefits package, but have not yet reached your separation date and are offered a position within the salary and geographical parameters as set forth in the Summary Plan Description (SPD) of your separation package, then you are no longer eligible for your separation benefits package. To discuss in more detail, please contact your HRBP or Talent Acquisition Advisor.

Employees working in roles that the Company determines require routine collaboration with external stakeholders, such as customer-facing commercial, or research-based roles, will be expected to comply not only with Company policy but also with policies established by such external stakeholders (for example, a requirement to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to access a facility or meet with stakeholders). Please understand that, as permitted by applicable law, if you have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 and an essential function of your job is to call on external stakeholders who require vaccination to enter their premises or engage in face-to-face meetings, then your employment may pose an undue burden to business operations, in which case you may not be offered employment, or your employment could be terminated. Please also note that, where permitted by applicable law, the Company reserves the right to require COVID-19 vaccinations for positions, such as in Global Employee Health, where the Company determines in its discretion that the nature of the role presents an increased risk of disease transmission.

Current Employees apply HERE

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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.

For more information about personal rights under Equal Employment Opportunity, visit:

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Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination

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. We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.

Under New York City, Washington State and California State law, the Company is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the salary range for this job. Final determinations with respect to salary will take into account a number of factors, which may include, but not be limited to the primary work location and the chosen candidate’s relevant skills, experience, and education.

Expected salary range:

$129,800.00 - $220,500.00

Available benefits include bonus eligibility, health care and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, paid holidays, vacation, and sick days. For Washington State Jobs, a summary of benefits is listed here.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

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:

Domestic

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):