Sr. Principal Scientist, Discovery Immunology

Merck & Co. • Cambridge, MA

285d • Onsite

About The Position

Our Company is on a quest for cures and is committed to being the world's premier, most research-intensive biopharmaceutical company. Today, we are doubling down on this goal. Our Company's Research Laboratories is a true scientific research facility of tomorrow and will take our Company's leading discovery capabilities and world-class small molecule and biologics R&D expertise to create breakthrough science that radically changes the way we approach serious diseases. Our Research Scientists are our Inventors. We identify and target steps in disease mechanisms or pathways that could be inhibited or enhanced. Our goal is to isolate a compound that is effective against a disease target. Using innovative thinking, state-of-the-art facilities, and robust scientific methodology we collaborate to discover the next medical breakthrough. Our company is seeking a highly motivated candidate for the position of Senior Principal Research Scientist (Senior Director) of Immunology Discovery research, reporting to the Executive Director of Autoinflammation, Autoimmunity and Atopy (AAA) in Immunology Discovery. This position is a senior role, responsible for leading an Immunology research group focused on Autoinflammation therapeutics and Companion Diagnostics (CDx). We recognize team diversity as our strength and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Successful candidates must demonstrate inclusive behaviors in working with a diverse group of scientists to drive our core mission.

Requirements

• PhD in Immunology/Cell biology or related field, with 10+ years of immunology research experience, MS with 15+ years of immunology research experience, or BS with 20+ years of immunology research experience. Must have at least 7 years of direct industry experience.
• Knowledge and experience of immune-mediated diseases including a strong understanding of relevant clinical trial results and competitive landscape in immunology and autoinflammation.
• Experience developing clinically relevant biomarkers for target engagement and pharmacodynamic measures.
• A minimum of 5 years of direct management experience overseeing multiple teams and proven leadership with the ability to align, motivate and empower team members and a demonstrated passion for team building and talent development.
• Experience in compound (small molecules and biologics) discovery and design for a variety of relevant disease targets.
• Strong awareness of safety and environmental requirements.
• A good understanding of integration and partnering necessary for pharmaceutical development with Translational Medicine, Clinical, CMC, Regulatory, Operations, and other functional areas.
• Critical thinking ability and innovative mindset.
• Effective communication, collaboration, and negotiation skills with the ability to work with senior level managers in meeting venues that include multiple cross-functional representatives.

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience leading the development of CDx assays to enable precision patient profiling and inform strategies for therapeutic intervention.
• Experience developing and validating innovative methodologies to monitor disease progression and therapeutic efficacy in a variety of clinical settings and disease indications.
• Experience in collaborating with Search & Evaluation teams to evaluate external business development opportunities that complement existing internal programs.
• Experience with regulatory submissions and interactions with health authorities is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of scientists (Ph.D. and Non-Ph.D.) that advances multiple research projects for Autoinflammation from target validation through Candidate Selection (GLP Tox Nomination) stages through effective leadership of matrixed, multi-disciplinary teams.
• Lead, in partnership with Digital AI and Genomics Sciences (DAGS), a research team that envisions, develops and implements integrated approaches for patient profiling methodologies and assay development to deliver companion diagnostics (CDx) and biomarkers for disease monitoring and patient stratification.
• Shape and lead program strategy in the context of autoinflammatory diseases.
• Provide expertise in immunology; anticipate future trends within this scientific discipline.
• Partner with Research, Translational, and Clinical colleagues to manage early and late-stage discovery programs including FIH and POC clinical studies.
• Define clear objectives, vision for each project and set short- and long-term project strategies.
• Partner with DAGS to innovate translational/biomarker/CDx approaches for novel therapeutic concepts or modalities for immune-mediated diseases.
• Develop talent and strategically maximize diversity to strengthen their team.
• Foster a high-performance culture of collaboration, engagement, accountability, and inclusion.
• Effectively partner with leaders of the Autoimmunity and Atopy disease area within the AAA team and other therapeutic area (TA) functions to achieve the organizational objectives of the Immunology TA.
• Collaborate with organizational partners to sustain and foster a culture of integration, innovation and continuous improvement in drug development.
• Establish cross functional collaboration and support in the preparation of INDs and other submissions to health agencies for human clinical studies.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Industry: Chemical Manufacturing
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree