Principal Scientist, Immunology Biomarker Lead, Translational Medicine

Merck•Cambridge, MA

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

Translational Biomarkers (TB) develops and validates clinical biomarkers to support decision making across the development lifecycle for all therapeutic areas at our Company's Research laboratories. We are seeking a highly-motivated Principal Scientist to serve as an Immunology Biomarker Lead who will partner across functions to design and deliver biomarker strategies that connect drug mechanism, patient biology, and clinical endpoints across immune-mediated and inflammatory diseases. The role requires a scientist who leads through scientific expertise, decision-focused logic, and collaboration, building alignment among teams on biomarker hypotheses, plans, and readouts tied to development decisions in a fast-moving matrixed environment.

Requirements

PhD (or MD/PhD) 7+ years OR MS and 10+ years OR BS and 12+ years of experience in the biotech or pharmaceutical industry, specifically in translational or biomarker sciences.
Demonstrated ability to lead through influence in highly matrixed environments driving outcomes without formal authority through scientific credibility, relationship-building, and strategic stakeholder engagement.
Strong knowledge of immune-mediated and inflammatory disease biology and clinical development, spanning at least one of the following areas: gastrointestinal/mucosal inflammation, rheumatology, dermatology.
Demonstrated experience applying biomarkers to assess drug activity and patient response to inform therapeutic decision making.
Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills, with the ability to synthesize ambiguity into clear options and recommendations as needed.

Nice To Haves

Experience with fluid- and tissue-linked biomarker readouts and connecting them to clinical endpoints.
Working knowledge of biomarker platforms and multi-modal data integration (e.g., immunoassays, flow/immune profiling, NGS, omics) with effective partnership across data sciences, bioinformatics, and biostatistics.
Experience advancing precision medicine concepts and diagnostic considerations into clinical biomarker plans is advantageous.
External scientific engagement, including KOL collaborations, publications, presentations, and/or scientific consortia participation.

Responsibilities

Shape and align biomarker strategies for early and late-stage clinical programs, emphasizing clear hypotheses, fit-for-purpose readouts, and decision-linked plans.
Lead biomarker sub-teams within cross-functional development program teams and provide functional area point of view in governance interactions.
Build alignment across stakeholders with diverse technical backgrounds, priorities, and perspectives to converge on pragmatic biomarker choices and tradeoffs as needed.
Partner with subject matter experts to translate disease biology and drug mechanism into clinical stage biomarker plans that address key program questions and integrate diverse technical perspectives.
Facilitate fit-for-purpose selection of innovative biomarker technologies and methodologies (e.g., immune profiling, omics, digital pathology) grounded in disease pathophysiology and aligned with therapeutic mechanism of action.
Contribute to analysis planning and interpretation to ensure biomarker conclusions are scientifically rigorous, clinically meaningful, and clearly communicated, both internally and externally.