Associate Principle Scientist, Biology-Discovery

Merck KGaA Darmstadt Germany • Omaha, NE

114d • $139,600 - $219,700 • Onsite

About The Position

The successful candidate will be responsible for managing a team responsible for execution of in vitro and in vivo experiments to evaluate antibody-based therapeutics for treatment of various animal diseases. This individual will work as part of a rapidly growing bio-therapeutics group focusing on lead selection for new projects and development of leads from established discovery pipeline projects. The successful candidate should be able to utilize the appropriate assay systems and models to support bio-therapeutic drug development.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in a biological discipline
• A minimum of 5 years of experience working in a field relevant to antibody therapeutics.
• Practical experience and deep understanding of a variety of biophysical and functional assays and the use of reporter cell assays
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to interpret and analyze data from key biological, biochemical and immunological assay systems and design appropriate follow-on experiments
• Ability to contribute or manage more than one project at a time.

Nice To Haves

• 10 years of experience working in a field relevant to discovery or development of antibody therapeutics
• Strong background in R&D of antibody or other biologics with experience in their identification, selection and pharmacology
• Broad knowledge of molecular immunology including expertise in modulation of antibody structure-function relationship is an asset
• Broad set of skills related to experience with the characterization of in vitro and ex-vivo activity of antibodies across a variety of therapeutic areas
• Experience with lead identification via phage antibody display platforms is a plus
• Creativity and a proven track record will be an advantage
• Experience in leading teams and people management is a plus

Responsibilities

• Design, plan and manage the conduct of laboratory experiments to assess the in vitro potency and safety of new biological treatments for animals
• Lead activities related to generation of reporter cell lines, generation and characterization of new reagents, and performance of experiments utilizing biophysical and functional assays.
• Apply knowledge of key signal transduction pathways to design appropriate assay systems for characterization of biological and pharmacological effects of new veterinary therapeutics.
• Design target-focused in vitro antibody discovery strategies and carry out discovery campaigns using phage-displayed antibody libraries.
• Develop and manage project specific milestones and timelines.
• Manage the R&D relationships with external service providers.
• Prepare progress reports and make presentations to stakeholders.
• Stay informed of external advances & technologies to enhance the product development portfolio.
• Communicate progress and plans to a variety of stakeholders with diverse expertise.
• Provide support, coaching or assistance to other team members.

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: Senior
• Industry: Chemical Manufacturing
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree