Senior Scientist, Research Science

Merck•Elkhorn, NE

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Our Company's Global Animal Health Research & Development (R&D) division is a pioneer in the discovery, development and registration of vaccines and therapeutics for animals. To strengthen our team responsible for poultry vaccine projects, we are looking for a highly skilled and motivated Senior Scientist to join our R&D team. Reporting to the Director Biology-Discovery, this role will drive and provide scientific leadership for multifaceted animal vaccine development projects — partnering with Project Management and senior leadership to guide programs from discovery through late-stage development and licensure. This position combines hands-on scientific expertise with strategic project leadership, requiring both deep technical knowledge and the ability to influence cross-functional teams.

Requirements

PhD or DVM with research specialties in Immunology, Virology, Bacteriology Microbiology, Vaccinology, or related biological science with 2+ years of relevant industry experience.
OR a Master's degree in a related field with 5+ years of relevant industry experience.
OR Bachelor's degree in a related field with 8+ years of directly relevant industry experience demonstrating progressive scientific and leadership responsibility.
Strong understanding of vaccine development principles, including antigen design, adjuvant selection, immunogenicity evaluation, and/or formulation development.
Solid knowledge of assay development, qualification, and validation principles within a regulated environment.
Working knowledge of regulatory requirements for animal health biologics (USDA/CVB), including the product licensure pathway.
Demonstrated ability to lead or significantly influence cross-functional project teams.
Proven ability to communicate complex scientific concepts clearly to diverse audiences, including senior leadership, regulatory bodies, and external partners.
Analytical Thinking
Assay Development
Bacteriology
Bioanalytical Method Development
Bioanalytical Techniques
Biological Sciences
Clinical Judgment
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Data Analysis
Experimentation
Flow Cytometry
Immunoassays
Immunohistochemistry (IHC)
Microbiology
Production Process Development
Project Risks
Regulatory Compliance
Research Proposal Development
Scientific Leadership
Scientific Writing
Teamwork
Tissue Culture Techniques
Vaccinology

Nice To Haves

Hands on clinical experiences on Poultry diseases will be a plus
Direct experience in the development and licensure of animal vaccines (a plus with poultry species).
Experience leading cross-functional vaccine development project teams from discovery through late-stage development.
Track record of scientific contributions, including publications in peer-reviewed journals and/or presentations at scientific conferences.
Experience authoring technical reports and regulatory filing documents for USDA/CVB or equivalent regulatory agencies.
Familiarity with specific pathogen families or animal species relevant to the team's portfolio [viral vaccines and bacterial vaccines].

Responsibilities

Lead the scientific strategy for animal vaccine development projects, from candidate selection through licensure-enabling studies.
Design, execute, and analyze experiments related to vaccine candidate characterization, immunogenicity assessment, and assay development and validation.
Apply deep technical expertise to independently troubleshoot complex scientific problems and make data-driven decisions that advance project goals.
Serve as the scientific lead on cross-functional vaccine development project teams, partnering with the Project Manager on timeline management, milestone tracking, and resource coordination.
Define and drive project strategy, ensuring scientific rigor and alignment across functional teams (e.g., Discovery, Process Development, Analytical, Regulatory Affairs, Manufacturing).
Identify and escalate project risks, proposing mitigation strategies to maintain progress toward development milestones.
Author and review technical documents, including development reports, validation protocols, SOPs, and sections of regulatory submissions (e.g., USDA/CVB filings).
Ensure all development activities comply with relevant regulatory requirements and are aligned with the path to product licensure.
Serve as a scientific point of contact during regulatory interactions related to assigned projects.
Work closely with colleagues in Process Development, Quality, Regulatory Affairs, and Manufacturing to ensure seamless project progression from research through commercialization.
Represent the scientific function in governance meetings, providing clear technical assessments and recommendations to senior leadership.
Stay current with scientific literature, emerging technologies, and industry trends relevant to animal vaccine development.
Propose and evaluate innovative approaches to improve vaccine design, assay performance, and development efficiency.
Publish findings in peer-reviewed journals and present at external scientific conferences, contributing to the organization's scientific reputation.