Scientist 3, Microbiology

The businesses of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany•Bedford, MA

50d•$110,000 - $135,000•Onsite

About The Position

As a Scientist III in the Microbiological Sciences group, you will leverage your scientific and engineering expertise to develop, validate, and advance microbiological test systems that support product development and manufacturing within Process Solutions R&D. You will lead the design and implementation of robust bacterial ingress and retention testing methods, contribute to system automation initiatives, and collaborate cross-functionally to ensure scientific rigor, regulatory compliance, and product reliability. Your work will directly enable innovation in sterile filtration, contamination control, and microbial risk assessment—driving excellence in product quality, supply, and scientific leadership.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology, Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or other Life Science or Engineering discipline.
5+ years of experience in microbiological method development, bacterial retention/ingress testing, or bioprocess system validation.
OR
Master’s Degree in Microbiology, Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or other Life Science or Engineering discipline.
3+ years of experience in microbiological method development, bacterial retention/ingress testing, or bioprocess system validation.
OR
PhD in Microbiology, Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or other Life Science or Engineering discipline.

Nice To Haves

Experience in designing method development, bacterial retention/ingress testing, or bioprocess system validation.
Strong understanding of sterile filtration, contamination control, and regulatory standards (Annex 1, ASTM, PDA TRs, etc.).
Proficiency in data analysis, risk assessment, and technical documentation.
Excellent collaboration, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Experience with automated retention stands or development of custom bioprocess test rigs.
Familiarity with cleanroom practices, BSL-2 testing environments, and digital data acquisition systems.
Experience translating complex microbiological data into actionable design and process insights.
Hands-on experience with microbial challenge testing and aseptic system design.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute bacterial ingress and retention studies for filtration and single-use systems.
Design challenge models to evaluate system integrity and microbial barrier performance.
Author study protocols, analyze data, and prepare technical reports.
Collaborate with engineering and digitalization teams to automate bacterial retention testing systems.
Lead system integration projects to modernize microbial testing platforms across R&D and manufacturing labs.
Contribute to new equipment and test methods development aligned with regulatory standards (e.g., Annex 1, ASTM F838).
Plan and execute method development and validation studies for microbiological assays.
Support microbiological expertise in product/process changes, raw material qualification, and contamination control strategies.