Senior Scientist – Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences Full-time

Senior Scientist

Join our Discovery Pharmaceutical Science (DPS) team in West Point, PA and play a central role in shaping the next generation of drug candidates. DPS is a cross-functional research organization that delivers drug delivery, solid-state science, pharmaceutical chemistry, and formulation expertise to accelerate Drug Discovery and early Drug Product Development. As a Senior Scientist on our team, you will directly influence the physicochemical design and formulation strategies of preclinical drug candidates across multiple modalities.

What You'll Do:

• Lead physicochemical characterization of potential preclinical candidates, using those insights to guide design and formulation decisions.
• Identify and develop fit-for-purpose oral and parenteral formulation strategies for preclinical and clinical studies.
• Plan and execute R&D studies across a variety of administration routes and modalities, including small molecules, peptides, biologics, and vaccines.
• Generate, analyze, and present high-quality data that informs go/no-go decisions for candidate progression to clinical assessment.
• Perform studies such as solubility and crystalline-phase analysis, physical and chemical stability testing (including biologics and vaccines), and in vitro evaluation of modified-release dosage forms, as relevant to modality and delivery route.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional partners—including Safety Assessment, Process Research, Analytical Chemistry, and DMPK—to support selection and advancement of clinical candidates.
• Act as an embedded scientific contributor on multidisciplinary discovery teams within infectious disease and neuroscience, helping translate pharmaceutical science principles into actionable program decisions.

Your work will directly impact which molecules advance toward clinical testing and how they are formulated for safety, stability, and patient delivery. You'll join a dynamic team where scientific insight, creativity, and collaboration accelerate real-world drug development.

Educational Requirements:

• Postdoctoral training or Ph.D. in Chemistry or related field or M.S. in one of the above fields plus at least 3 years of industry experience or B.S in one of the above fields plus at least 5 years of industry experience

Experience & Skills

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills are required.
• Strong leadership/interpersonal skills.
• Motivation to work in a team environment with cross functional interactions are essential.

Required Skills: Accountability, Adaptability, Analytical Chemistry, Bioprocessing, Clinical Evaluations, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Cross-Functional Teamwork, Data Analysis, Drug Delivery, Drug Delivery Technology, Drug Development, Flow Cytometry, High-Throughput Screening, Immunotherapy, Innovative Thinking, Interpersonal Relationships, In Vitro Assays, In Vitro Studies, Medicinal Chemistry, Molecular Biology Techniques, Multi-Color Flow Cytometry, Preformulation, Process Optimization

Salary Range for this role is $117,000.00 – $184,200.00. 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.

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.

Employee Status: Regular

Relocation: Domestic

VISA Sponsorship: Yes

Travel Requirements: No Travel Required

Flexible Work Arrangements: Not Applicable

Shift: Not Indicated

Valid Driving License: No

Hazardous Material(s): n/a

Job Posting End Date: 04/5/2026

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