Associate Principal Scientist, Immunology Discovery

Merck•San Diego, CA

3d•$142,400 - $224,100•Onsite

About The Position

Our company is a global health care leader with a diversified portfolio of prescription medicines, vaccines and animal health products. As an R&D driven pharmaceutical company, we strive to excel and deliver for patients worldwide through leading edge research, scientific breakthroughs and dedication to improving the lives of patients. The Discovery Immunology organization is developing and advancing innovative therapies for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases across Gastroenterology, Rheumatology and Dermatology, to address significant unmet medical needs. We are seeking an Associate Principal Scientist with strong background in Immunology and experience in drug discovery to join our Immunology Discovery team in San Diego, CA. This role will serve as Biology Lead on early-stage immunology programs, driving the design and implementation of innovative strategies and technologies to enable target validation, differentiation and derisking, and development of next-generation modalities. The successful candidate will participate in and lead cross-functional teams, defining and executing the discovery strategy for multiple programs to support advancement of immunology and inflammation therapeutics from early discovery to clinical candidates.

Requirements

Ph.D. (with 5+ years) in immunology, cell biology or related biomedical science and relevant drug discovery experience with demonstrated experience contributing to or leading discovery-stage programs or initiatives
Strong immunology background with extensive knowledge of immune-mediated diseases across Gastroenterology, Rheumatology or Dermatology, and related preclinical models
Broad experience in cell biology techniques (including culture of cell lines, immune cells and other primary cells, in vitro and ex vivo cell-based assays, multi-color flow cytometry), immunoassay platforms (e.g. ELISA, meso scale discovery and molecular biology (e.g. RT-PCR)
Proficiency in data analysis using Excel, Prism (GraphPad), FlowJo
Ability to work independently and operate effectively within cross-functional and matrixed teams
Strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills
Ability to lead by influencing and mentoring others
Ability to communicate data and program strategies effectively to broad audiences

Nice To Haves

Experience leading cross-functional biologics or chemistry discovery programs for Gastroenterology, Dermatology, and/or Rheumatology, especially autoimmune or immune-mediated disorders, including in both large and small pharma contexts
Experience in translational research and biomarker discovery
Prior experience working with multiple therapeutic modalities (small molecule, peptide, biologic, etc.)

Responsibilities

Define and drive drug discovery immunology project/program strategies and collaborate effectively with colleagues within Discovery Immunology and across other functional areas (i.e. Discovery Biologics, Quantitative Biosciences, Pharmacokinetics, Dynamics, Metabolism and Bioanalytics) to achieve organizational objectives
Participate in and/or lead multiple cross-functional teams to advance therapeutic candidates from early discovery to clinic, ensuring successful and timely completion of project/program milestones
Lead from the bench - independently designing, executing and interpreting complex in vitro and ex vivo studies aligned with program goals, while also leading and overseeing the experiments of others
Identify, validate and implement new and innovative approaches (including novel technologies) to increase efficiency and productivity and drive program progression
Share expertise with colleagues and provide mentorship to less experienced scientists to ensure a culture of scientific rigor, collaboration and continuous learning
Integrate and interpret complex data and communicate science and strategy to stakeholders and management