Associate Principal Scientist, Vendor Management

Merck•North Wales, PA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Our company is a global health care leader with a diversified portfolio of prescription medicines, vaccines, and animal health products. The difference between potential and achievement lies in the spark that fuels innovation and inventiveness; this is the space where our company has codified its legacy for over a century. Our company’s success is backed by integrity, forward momentum, and an inspiring mission to achieve new milestones in global healthcare. Our company is on a quest for cures and is committed to be the world’s premier, research-intensive biopharmaceutical company. Today, we’re doubling down on this goal. Our company is a scientific research facility and will take our company leading discovery capabilities and world-class small molecule and biologics R&D expertise to create breakthrough science that radically changes the way we approach serious diseases. We are currently seeking an Associate Principal Scientist, Biomarker Operations Vendor Management to be an integral part of a Biomarker Operations team in our company’s translational medicine area. You will serve as a functional interface between internal project teams, internal molecular biomarker lab and diagnostic vendors. Your responsibilities will include maintaining a high level of vendor productivity, proactively assessing new capabilities and technologies, participating in external vendor audits and due diligence, ensuring both internal and external compliance, creation and adherence to vendor standardization and managing problem resolution. You will also closely partner with internal scientists and alliance and relationship managers, as well as colleagues in our company’s Licensing, Procurement, Finance, and Quality Assurance departments. This position will report into the Biomarker Operations Vendor Management Director and be based either at one of our company’s Pennsylvania or New Jersey sites. You will have experience in molecular biomarkers, clinical trial central and specialty lab processes and demonstrated success in biomarker operations vendor management. You will have strong verbal and written communication skills and be expected to operate in a highly collaborative and matrixed environment. You will excel under fast-paced and fluid conditions and be a strong advocate for operational excellence.

Requirements

For BA/BS: ≥ 8 years in a Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacology, Pharmaceutical or Health/Life Science related degrees
For MS or higher degree: ≥ 5 years in a Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacology, Pharmaceutical or Health/Life Science related degrees
Experience working at a clinical trial central laboratory or specialty laboratory vendor and managing sponsors
Experience in biomarker operations from a vendor oversight perspective
Project Management experience within a science context
Excellent communicator
Problem resolution and mitigation experience in a complex multilevel hierarchy company
Demonstrates advanced understanding of omics (ex. proteomics, genomics, multiomics) assay workflows, including assay execution, data generation, quality control, and results reporting processes.

Nice To Haves

Molecular biomarker and diagnostic experience
Drug discovery experience, including familiarity with clinical trial execution
Formal Project Management certification or training
Leadership roles

Responsibilities

Ownership to ensure assigned vendor deliverables and timelines are clear, resources are appropriately planned and managed, communications are effective, risk management plans are in place, and information is accurately tracked and accessible.
Work with vendors to continuously improve their level of service
Identify, troubleshoot, and solve operational issues
Collect metrics on vendor performance and develop action plans when needed
Ensure vendor agreements and other appropriate vendor documents are in place
Manage budget forecasts, tracking, and invoice payments as needed
Guarantee vendor capacity meets demand
Assess, pilot and onboard new vendors, capabilities, and technologies to our company’s standards
Participate in external vendor audits and due diligence
Ensure both internal and external compliance
Monitor processes and identify opportunities for improvement
Maintain effective communication and working relationships with project team members, vendors and other internal supporting teams