Associate Scientist, Postdoctoral Research Fellow - Translational Imaging

MSD•South San Francisco, CA

8d•$82,000 - $92,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Translational Imaging group at the company’s Research Laboratories in South San Francisco, California, seeks a highly motivated scientist for a postdoctoral fellowship. The fellow will develop and apply advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) approaches to investigate skeletal muscle physiology, muscle metabolism, and muscle health in metabolic disease. The work focuses on quantitative imaging biomarker development and translational imaging technologies for noninvasive assessment of muscle composition, function, and energetics in preclinical models. The role combines MRI physics, imaging technology development, and muscle physiology research in a multidisciplinary drug discovery environment. The Research Laboratories’ Postdoctoral Research Fellow Program is designed to provide industrial postdoctoral researchers with an academic focus in a commercial environment, supported by the resources and expertise of a large pharmaceutical company. Fellows are expected to drive innovative research while developing scientific independence and technical leadership. The candidate must currently hold a Ph.D. or receive one no later than spring 2027. The salary range is $82,000–$92,000. The successful candidate is eligible for an annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, and other insurance benefits for employees and family, retirement benefits including a 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. Domestic relocation is listed, visa sponsorship is available, and travel requirements are 10%.

Requirements

Must currently hold a Ph.D. or receive a Ph.D. no later than spring 2027.
Ph.D. in Physics, Medical Physics, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Imaging Science, Biophysics, Applied Mathematics, or a related quantitative discipline.
Strong foundation in MRI physics and magnetic resonance theory.
Experience with MRI pulse sequence development and/or pulse sequence programming.
Experience with quantitative image analysis and scientific computing.
Programming experience in Python, MATLAB, C++, or related languages.
Demonstrated scientific productivity through publications and presentations.
Excellent problem-solving, communication, and collaborative skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience with MRI/MRS method development, pulse sequence programming, image reconstruction, or quantitative imaging.
Experience with ³¹P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (³¹P MRS) and/or other advanced spectroscopy techniques.
Experience working with preclinical or clinical MRI systems.
Experience in obesity, diabetes, metabolic disease, skeletal muscle biology, adipose biology, or related fields.
Experience working with and handling laboratory animals in a research setting.
Familiarity with machine learning, AI, or quantitative biomarker development.
Interest in translational imaging and muscle physiology research.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement advanced MRI/MRS methodologies for preclinical research.
Design, optimize, and validate imaging acquisition and analysis workflows.
Contribute to MRI pulse sequence development and programming.
Analyze and interpret complex imaging datasets using quantitative and computational approaches.
Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across imaging, biology, pharmacology, and data science.
Present research findings at scientific conferences and publish results in peer-reviewed journals.
Drive innovative research projects while developing scientific independence and technical leadership.