Senior Scientist, Enzyme Kinetics

Merck • Upper Gwynedd Township, PA

5d • Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a collaborative, self-motivated Senior Scientist to join the Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK) Group within the Pharmacokinetics, Dynamics, Metabolism and Bioanalytic (PDMB) organization at our Company's Research Laboratories in West Point, PA. The main goal of this position is to support the advancement of drug candidates through characterization of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination (ADME) properties of therapeutics. Successful candidates will provide enzymology expertise and independently design and execute experiments utilizing in silico, in vitro, and in vivo methodologies to assess drug disposition and drug‑drug interaction risk and contribute to decision‑making for lead discovery and development. The role requires strong laboratory execution, data analysis and documentation skills, the ability to work across interdisciplinary project teams, and the capacity to design novel approaches to solve complex mechanistic and analytical problems. Successful candidates will set high standards for scientific rigor and timely delivery of results while collaborating with colleagues to drive operational impact. This position offers an opportunity to grow professionally while contributing to the discovery and development of innovative medicines.

Requirements

• Experience performing enzyme kinetics experiments and kinetic data analysis to address mechanistic questions that inform project decision‑making.
• Hands‑on experience with quantitative bioanalysis (LC‑MS/MS or equivalent) for drugs and biological molecules.
• Proficiency in data analysis and documentation tools (Excel, GraphPad Prism, electronic lab notebooks; familiarity with Spotfire or similar platforms preferred).
• Strong problem solving, attention to detail, autonomy, critical thinking, and growth mindset; demonstrated ability to prioritize, plan with ownership and accountability to deliver high quality results on time.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; with a track record of collaborating effectively within cross‑functional teams and presenting results to project stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

• Proven ability to design, execute and interpret in vitro ADME/DMPK studies (e.g. metabolic stability, substrate phenotyping, inhibition, induction, protein binding) using tissues, cell systems, subcellular fractions, and recombinant enzymes.
• Experience supporting projects across multiple therapeutic areas and modalities (e.g. small molecules, peptides, biologics).
• Experience handling radiolabeled materials, tissue preparations, and biological matrices.
• Experience developing or implementing automation for in vitro ADME assays and leveraging informatics platforms for data collation/interpretation.
• Prior experience in a research‑driven pharmaceutical or biotech environment.
• Demonstrated mentoring experience with associate scientists.
• Understanding of regulatory guidance for in vitro DDI risk assessment and translating results to program teams.
• Familiarity with translational/in vivo study design or integration of in vitro–in vivo data to support pharmacokinetic and safety assessment.

Benefits

• The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.
• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits. Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees