Principal Scientist - In Vitro Immunotherapy

Merck • Billerica, MA

2d

About The Position

Help to shape next generation cancer immunotherapies at EMD Serono. As an In Vitro Principal Scientist, you will not only execute experiments but also lead and represent the in vitro strategy on discovery teams supporting Tumor Immunology projects. Our goal is to mobilize adaptive and innate immunity—spanning antibody therapeutics, T‑cell engagers, checkpoint modulators, and myeloid/NK activators—turning bold ideas into high‑quality clinical candidates in a fast‑paced, highly collaborative environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree with 8+ years of experience, or Master’s degree in Immunology, Cancer Immunology, Oncology, Molecular/Cell Biology, or other Science field with 5+ years of hands‑on immunology/immuno‑oncology (T‑cell biology) experience in academia or industry setting OR PhD in Immunology, Cancer Immunology, Oncology, Molecular/Cell Biology, or other Science field with 2+ years post‑PhD of hands‑on immunology/immuno‑oncology (T‑cell biology) experience in academia or industry setting.
• This role does not offer sponsorship for work authorization. External applicants must be eligible to work in the US.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with driving early drug discovery projects and leading cross-functional teams
• Expertise developing, running complex T‑cell functional assays (activation receptors, costimulatory molecules, checkpoint receptors) and interpreting mechanistic data to inform early development
• Experience in designing, executing, and interpreting in vitro assays for drug discovery, including tumor models and pharmacology experiments
• Clear, crisp communicator; highly organized multi-tasker who adapts quickly to deliver on‑time data packages
• Confident influencer who engages senior leadership and thrives in a matrixed organization
• Proven scientific impact—publications and contributions advancing new therapeutic concepts

Responsibilities

• Provide creative, strategic input—conceive new project ideas and help design execution‑ready workplans
• Drive early drug discovery projects in immuno-oncology by designing, conducting and overseeing in vitro/ex vivo pharmacology studies (human immune cell / tumor cell co‑culture assays; profile function via flow cytometry, cytokine/biomarker readouts, and high‑content imaging) to support development of novel biological and small molecule agents
• Build and validate human immunology models that complement animal studies to improve translational predictivity and de‑risk candidates
• Scout, implement, and champion new assay platforms to investigate novel MOAs, boost data quality, throughput, and decision‑making speed
• Independently generate in vitro data for target selection, lead optimization, candidate nomination; and enable program decisions toward IND‑enabling studies
• Analyze, document, and present results to multidisciplinary teams and senior leadership; manage studies at CROs and academic collaborations where needed

Benefits

• health insurance
• paid time off (PTO)
• retirement contributions
• other perquisites

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal