Associate Principal Scientist, Protein and Structural Chemistry - Discovery Chem

Job Description

Are you ready to embark on an exhilarating career journey that combines innovation, collaboration, and impactful scientific discovery? At our Company, a global leader in pharmaceuticals, renowned for our commitment to excellence and groundbreaking research, we are committed to improving lives through innovative medicines, vaccines, and animal health products.

Protein and Structural Chemistry (PSC), a global team in Discovery Chemistry (DC), supports protein structural determination from Discovery to Development, agnostic to the modalities (small molecule, peptide, and macromolecules). Furthermore, we elucidate the structural basis of mechanisms of action and perform analyses to develop formulations. PSC is a diverse and inclusive team of approximately 40 structural biologists that collaborate closely with medicinal and computational chemists, informaticians, mass spectrometrists, biophysicists, protein scientists, and pharmacologists who employ state-of-the-art capabilities to drive drug design and development.

We are seeking a creative, self-motivated structural biologist with exceptional interpersonal and problem-solving skills to join our growing PSC group. The successful candidate must have expertise in X-ray crystallography, Cryo-EM and at least 4 years of experience in an industrial setting. The candidate will be responsible for all aspects of the experimental process from sample preparation and data collection through data processing to structure determination. The ideal candidate must be an effective communicator and have a passion for working in teams with multiple stakeholders to drive the impact of structure biology across our Company. The position requires active interaction with the external scientific community, including presentations at external meetings. The successful candidate is expected to foster and contribute to a diverse workforce where colleagues and partners feel comfortable bringing their unique perspectives to work.

This position will be located in our newly renovated labs and office spaces within our vibrant research campus in Rahway, New Jersey, our company’s headquarters. Our new labs are equipped with three state-of-the-art Cryo-EM microscopes including a FIB-SEM for cryo-electron tomography, instrumentation for Cryo-EM grid preparation, access to multiple synchrotrons around the world and frequent, regular access to the IMCA-CAT beamline, and crystallization equipment and automation.

Productive and collaborative interactions with other members of our global, cross-functional department are required in this role. Inclusive and collaborative use of internal expertise and resources will be essential to success.

There is an expectation for periodic travel.

Required Experience and Skills:

• Ph.D. in structural biology, biochemistry, or related field, with post-doctoral experience and 4 or more years of experience in an industrial setting (pharmaceutical or biotech) or M.S. equivalent with +10 years of experience in an industrial setting.

• Demonstrated experience in a broad range of activities for atomic resolution single particle Cryo-EM, including sample preparation, data collection, image processing and structure determination.

• Demonstrated experience in a broad range of activities for X-ray crystallography, including crystallization screening and optimization, crystal harvesting, data collection, and structure determination.

• Proven record of leading Structure-Based Drug Design projects (industry or CROs) and collaborating with scientists outside of their field of expertise

• Excellent written and oral communication skills that enhance team-based progress. Application of those skills both within and outside the department to ensure the maximum understanding of program status for therapeutic area project teams and management.

• Demonstrated potential to mentor other scientists in structural biology.

• Ability to work effectively and flexibly within timelines.

• Track record of preparing peer-reviewed publications.

Optional Experience and Skills:

• Experience with micro-electron diffraction.

• Characterization of drug formulations (e.g. VLPs/liposomes/LNPs) by electron microscopy.

• Knowledge of current biophysical and functional characterization methods (e.g. SPR, thermal shift, ligand-binding, and calorimetric assays) to guide construct design and optimization.

• Experience using computational tools for protein engineering and design.

• Experience with scientific programming (e.g. Python) and interest in the application of computational tools to answer structural biology questions.

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

EEOC Know Your Rights

EEOC GINA Supplement​

We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

U.S. Hybrid Work Model

Effective September 5, 2023, employees in office-based positions in the U.S. will be working a Hybrid work consisting of three total days on-site per week, Monday - Thursday, although the specific days may vary by site or organization, with Friday designated as a remote-working day, unless business critical tasks require an on-site presence.This Hybrid work model does not apply to, and daily in-person attendance is required for, field-based positions; facility-based, manufacturing-based, or research-based positions where the work to be performed is located at a Company site; positions covered by a collective-bargaining agreement (unless the agreement provides for hybrid work); or any other position for which the Company has determined the job requirements cannot be reasonably met working remotely. Please note, this Hybrid work model guidance also does not apply to roles that have been designated as “remote”.

The Company is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the salary range for this job in certain states and cities within the United States. Final determinations with respect to salary will take into account a number of factors, which may include, but not be limited to the primary work location and the chosen candidate’s relevant skills, experience, and education.

Expected US salary range:

Available benefits include bonus eligibility, long term incentive if applicable, health care and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, paid holidays, vacation, and sick days. A summary of benefits is listedhere.

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: