Associate Scientist, Post Doc Fellow

MSD•Upper Gwynedd Township, PA

6d•$82,000 - $92,000•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral research fellow to join the Large Molecule Analytical, in a collaboration with the Pharmaceutical Analysis & Digital Technologies Department at our company. The successful candidate will initiate an independent research project focused on developing and applying the innovative approach of MHC II-restricted peptide and polysaccharide (PS) epitope mapping. The goal of this work is to deepen our understanding underlying vaccine mechanism of action (MoA) and vaccine efficacy. This position offers broad opportunities for collaborations across our company, ranging from vaccine MoA understanding, polysaccharide separation, and Mass Spectrometry. The research will contribute to advancing vaccine understanding and data-driven decision-making in vaccine design. The expectation is that this work will enhance the current knowledge of how a polysaccharide conjugate vaccine is processed and presented by antigen presenting cells (APCs), enabling rational vaccine optimization. This approach is aimed to ultimately impact our company's pipeline of vaccine development, as well as the scientific community by yielding publications in high-tier scientific journals.

Requirements

Experience in mammalian cell culture, immunological assays including ELISA, Western Blot, and Flow Cytometry.
Significant experience in MHC I / MHC II-restricted epitope identification/mapping, preferably using immunoprecipitation and Mass Spectrometry analysis, including sample preparation, data collection, and data processing.
Motivated to solve complex problems by undertaking innovative approaches and applying state-of-the-art technologies.
Demonstrated ability to be self-driven to address scientific challenges.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Must currently hold a Ph.D. OR Receive a Ph.D. no later than spring 2027
Ph.D. degree in Immunology, Virology, Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmaceutical Science or a related discipline.

Nice To Haves

Have a deep understanding of immunology, virology, and/or bacteriology, and are capable of making contributions to advance these fields.
Familiarity with biophysical and biochemical characterization techniques such as Mass Spectrometry, size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) is a plus.
Ability to work independently, as well as collaboratively with peers within and across departments.
Effective organizational and multi-tasking skills.
Experience training and mentoring junior scientists.

Responsibilities

Independent end to end experimental design and execution to address the studies with model antigen selected and drive conclusions to next steps and MoA understanding.
Design, planning, and preparation of MHC II-peptide/glycopeptide complexes from various types of human APCs.
Purification of MHC II complexes through immunoprecipitation.
Identify peptide and PS epitopes isolated from different kinds of human APCs.
Assess human T-cell activation using synthesized immunodominant peptides or peptides conjugated with PS.
Collaborate with internal and external partners to design and execute the experiments, analyze results and interpret data.
Clearly communicate results with colleagues and the external scientific community through presentations and publications in leading peer-reviewed journals.