Associate Principal Scientist, Antibody Discovery Innovation Full-time

Associate Principal Scientist

We are on a quest for cures and are committed to be the world's premier, most research-intensive biopharmaceutical company. Our teams combine leading drug discovery capabilities and world-class R&D with the purpose of turning breakthrough science into life-changing medicines.

We are seeking an exceptional and experienced scientist in the role of Associate Principal Scientist in the South San Francisco Discovery Biologics group. The qualified candidate will be a scientist with a breadth and depth of expertise in immunization-based antibody discovery, including but not limited to expertise in adaptive immunity and B-cell biology, immunogen design, and experience with multiple hit finding platforms (e.g. high throughput microfluidics & NGS), in order to improve existing antibody discovery processes to help meet the needs for challenging targets and aggressive timelines. They will work closely with other team members and groups throughout the organization to help manage, perform, and troubleshoot antibody discovery programs.

We recognize that our team is our strength, and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Successful candidates must demonstrate inclusive behaviors in working with a group of researchers to drive our core mission.

What You Will Do:

• Propose and lead technology development initiatives for in vivo de novo antibody discovery to increase hits and decrease timelines
• Serve as the antibody discovery representative on project teams to help define Target Candidate Profiles (TCP) and lead de novo hit finding strategies and campaigns
• Stay abreast of external advancements in relevant scientific and technology fields
• Promote the external reputation of our company's Discovery Biologics department

What You Will Need To Be Successful In This Role:

Education:

• Master's (with 8+ years) or Ph.D. (with 4+ years) in biophysics, biochemistry, structural biology or related science discipline and relevant industry experience

Required Experience and Skills:

• Experience in antibody drug discovery supporting therapeutic programs
• Depth of knowledge in adaptive immunity and B-cell biology
• Track record of driving scientific and platform innovations
• Experience leading therapeutic antibody discovery campaigns
• Strong hands-on laboratory skills, including but not limited to cell culture, molecular biology, assay development, and flow cytometry
• Established external reputation through publications, presentations, and/or scientific community engagement
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• Ideal candidate will have experience in protein therapeutics beyond traditional mAbs including alternative non-Ig scaffolds, bi- or multi-specifics, fusion proteins, and ADCs

Required Skills:

Antibody Discovery, Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADC), Assay Development, B Cells, Biochemistry, Cell Cultures, Flow Cytometry, Immune Response, Immunizations, Microbiology, Microfluidics, Molecular Biology, Proteins, Structural Biology

Preferred Skills:

The salary range for this role is $159,600.00 – $251,200.00. This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee's position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs.

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.

You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.

San Francisco Residents Only: We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Los Angeles Residents Only: We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles' Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance