Principal Scientist - Pharmaceutical Analytical Sciences

Job Description

Principal Scientist, Pharmaceutical Analytical Sciences  

The Pharmaceutical Analytical Sciences (PAS) team at our company has an exciting opportunity for a Principal Scientist based in Rahway, NJ. Join us and experience our culture firsthand - one of strong ethics & integrity, diversified experiences, exceptional science and a resounding passion for improving human health through innovative drug delivery technologies and predictive analytical tools. As part of our global team, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with talented and dedicated colleagues while developing and expanding your career. 

As a Principal Scientist, you will be part of a team develop­ing innovative analytical methodologies for medicines based on small molecules, peptides, mRNA, oligonucleotides and bioconjugates. Our responsibilities range from early stage up to commercialization for both drug substance and a broad array of drug product dosage forms, including oral, sterile and combination products. You will lead and make critical contributions to the development of drug product and process through analytical characterization, imaging tools and data analysis. You will also contribute towards regulatory submissions to enable clinical trials. Your main responsibilities, in not particular order and by no means complete, include: 

Driving our company's Pipeline:

• Leading analytical teams driving the development of drugs in our company's pipeline, with a deep understanding of product development from early stage through commercialization.

• Actively partnering with other functional areas to design scientific studies guiding product and process development.

• Defining and implementing end-to-end analytical control strategies for clinical supplies under good manufacturing practices (including method development and validation as well as specification setting). 

• Authoring investigational new drug (IND), investigational medicinal product dossier (IMPD), and new drug application (NDA)/ worldwide marketing application (WMA) submission documents across the project development lifecycle, as well as responding to agency questions. 

Scientific Excellence and Regulatory Influence:

• Promoting our company's scientific excellence and regulatory influence through leadership in the scientific community.

• Advancing and expanding analytical capabilities via the adoption and implementation of novel technologies for product and process characterization.

• Challenging your teams to design and execute the experiments needed to influence programs with data-driven decisions.  

Leadership:

• Mentoring and providing day-to-day oversight of junior analytical scientists.

• Representing your team and/or department via presentations to governance committees and other internal audiences.

• Partnering with director-level management to develop and execute scientific and enterprise strategies. 

• Proactively identifying and escalating program risks.

• Fostering strong collaborations with internal stakeholders and external partners by actively engaging in two-way communication to build trusting relationships.

• Applying a deep understanding of new product development and commercialization to analytical development challenges for small molecules, peptides, mRNA, oligonucleotides, and bioconjugates. Use conventional and novel technologies through active collaboration with cross functional project teams and external vendors.

Qualifications

Education Minimum Requirements ​

Applicants must hold one of: ​

• PhD Degree in Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences or related fields with at least 7 years of pharmaceutical industry experience​.

• Master’s Degree in Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences or related fields with at least 10 years of pharmaceutical industry experience. ​

• Bachelor’s Degree in Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences or related fields with at least 12  years of pharmaceutical industry experience.   ​

Required Experience and Skills 

A strong team player with excellent written and oral communication skills, as well as strong leadership and interpersonal skills are necessary to qualify for this role. Additional skills:

• Possess deep technical expertise and strategic experience in analytical control strategy development and execution

• Demonstrated ability to develop talent through good mentoring skills

• Demonstrated ability for taking initiative, creativity, and innovation in problem solving

• Ability to design, execute and/or direct the development and qualification of release, characterization, and stability assays for testing of clinical trial material and in support of product and process development

• Strong technical problem solving ability

• A proven record of external scientific engagement demonstrated by scientific publications and presentations.

• Ability to work both independently for development of analytical methodologies and cross-functionally for successful transfer methods. Plan optimization and documentation to meet program deadlines.

• Authoring and reviewing internal technical reports, sections of regulatory filings (e.g., IND, BLA) and external scientific publications.

• Experience with matrix management and peer to peer coaching

• Strong ability to deliver complex objectives under aggressive timelines in a rapidly changing environment.

Preferred Experience and Skills ​

While not required, experience in one or more of the following areas is preferred: ​

• Hands-on chromatography (e.g., LC, GC) method development, analysis and troubleshooting. ​

• Other advanced analytical techniques such as mass spectrometry or dissolution. ​

• Experience in development and characterization of small and/or large molecules, mRNA, and/or antibody drug conjugates​ and and/or their associated drug products

• Established scientific reputation supported by publications and external presentations

• Experience in high-throughput experimentation and data-rich experimentation, or data science

#AR&D

Required Skills:

Analytical Characterization, Analytical Chemistry, Analytical Method Development, Assay Development, Bioanalysis, Chromatographic Techniques, Chromatography, Clinical Judgment, Clinical Trials, Conducting Experiments, Data Science, Liquid Chromatography (LC), Matrix Management, Mentoring Staff, Method Validation, Product Development, Scientific Study Design, Stability Testing

Preferred Skills:

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

The primary location for this posting is:

USA - New Jersey - Rahway

Where required by law, the compensation range for this role is provided below.

The salary range for the primary location of this role is:

$156,900.00 - $247,000.00

This range reflects the Company's reasonable expectation of the base salary applicable to this role at the time of 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.

Additional location(s): Please note the salary range above applies to the Primary Location of the position. Where a role has other listed locations, different compensation guidelines may apply. You may find the salary ranges for additional locations below. If the salary range is not listed for the location you are applying to, our Talent Acquisition team will provide further information to you relevant to your location.

Additional location(s) Compensation Information:

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:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

11/9/2026

*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.