Associate Principal Scientist, In Vivo Pharmacology

MSD • South San Francisco, CA

8d • $159,600 - $251,200 • Onsite

About The Position

We are recruiting an Associate Principal Scientist to join our In Vivo Pharmacology team located at our South San Francisco research laboratories. This role will focus on developing in vivo pharmacology strategy and pharmacodynamics (PD) and efficacy models for cardiometabolic, renal, and respiratory diseases, as well as establishing quantitative PK/PD relationship and preclinical proof-of-concept. Working with a team of multidisciplinary scientists, this individual will apply knowledge of translational animal models, in vivo technology platforms, and quantitative pharmacology to advance pipeline of therapeutic programs. The ideal candidate will possess deep scientific and technical expertise as well as strong leadership and communication skills to manage complex projects both internally and with external partners.

Requirements

• Bachelor's (with 12+ years), Master's (with 8+ years) or Ph.D./PharmD/DVM/MD (with 4+ years) in Pharmacology or a related scientific discipline and relevant drug discovery experience.
• Quantitative and translational pharmacology expertise with a solid understanding of key pharmacology principles and concepts including target occupancy, in vitro/in vivo correlation, PK/PD, translational biomarker, and methods for human dose projection.
• Proven record of success in driving in vivo pharmacology strategy and model/assay development.
• Strong expertise in cardiometabolic, renal, or respiratory models and a wide range of in vivo methodologies (physiological, surgical, etc.).
• Highly skilled in the design and execution of animal studies to evaluate target engagement, PK/PD, efficacy and safety profiles of drug candidates, with a range of in vivo and ex vivo techniques.
• Exceptional critical thinking and organizational skills and attention to details, with a proven ability to manage complex preclinical projects in a matrix environment.
• Strong teamwork and stakeholder management skills with a track record of building productive cross-functional partnerships and influencing without direct authority.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills, with the ability to effectively communicate complex scientific, technical, and business information to audiences, including senior leadership.
• Strong work ethic and flexibility, able to respond quickly to shifting priorities and multitasking needs.
• Must be willing to work onsite five days per week.

Nice To Haves

• Experience as pharmacology lead or representative on cross-functional project teams.
• Experience with in vivo imaging techniques (ultrasound, MRI, optical imaging, etc.).
• Prior experience working with multiple therapeutic modalities (small molecule, peptide, biologic, etc.).

Responsibilities

• Drive in vivo pharmacology strategy: Act as a scientific leader, defining and executing in vivo model development and pharmacology strategy for preclinical programs.
• Design and execute target engagement, PD, and efficacy studies, ensuring high scientific and ethical standards.
• Provide expert troubleshooting for complex study design and protocols.
• Leverage quantitative pharmacology and disease area expertise for project support: Apply pharmacology principle and best practices as well as relevant expertise in cardiometabolic, renal, or respiratory disorders to guide model/assay selection and development.
• Lead model development & validation: Drive the development, characterization, and validation of relevant in vivo models and assays for target validation, compound profiling, and mechanism-of-action studies.
• Represent QB on project teams and collaborate with adjacent functions (Biology, Med Chem, DMPK, Safety, etc.) to enable a comprehensive pharmacology strategy that supports robust assessment of target engagement, in vitro/in vivo correlation, PK/PD relationship, and human dose projection.
• Perform rigorous quantitative data analysis, interpret key findings, and translate complex results into actionable insights that inform on project decisions.
• Effectively communicate complex scientific, technical, and business information to audiences (project teams, governance bodies, external partners, etc.).
• Maintain experimental documentation and contribute to internal reports, governance discussions, regulatory submissions, and publications.
• Work effectively with internal stakeholders and external partners on the design and execution of studies, ensuring data quality and timely delivery of results.

Benefits

• medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family)
• retirement benefits, including 401(k)
• paid holidays
• vacation
• compassionate and sick days

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree