Job Description
Associate Principal Scientist Job Description:
The successful candidate will be a passionate scientist with strong academic fundamentals and a drive to develop new medicines to improve human health. In this role, the individual will be responsible for leading the formulation development of new chemical entities as part of a matrix team from initial first in human formulations (suspensions, solutions, capsules, tablets) through final market formulation definition and manufacturing process robustness assessment.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Lead development of new, innovative approaches for product development, generation of experimental designs, execution experimental plans and data analysis
- Drives evaluation of new technologies and leads capability build to deploy them to pipeline assets
- Collaborates effectively within and across functional areas and is a recognized subject matter expert in at least one area of drug delivery and/or drug product manufacturing technology.
- The desired individual is someone who will bring knowledge and creativity to the position as well as have the discipline to drive results
- Can independently execute formulation and process development activities using Design of Experiments for new chemical entities or life cycle management opportunities while also helping to coach others in a collaborative environment
- Coordinate development activities with process chemistry, preformulation, analytical, and physical characterization groups
- Leads project activities at external manufacturing sites
- Facilitate manufacturing, packaging and release of clinical supplies for clinical studies, assist in scale up activities at pilot and commercial scale, and summarize results in technical reports and presentations
- Enhance our Company's professional image and competitive advantage through patents, presentations, publications and professional activities and advance areas such as science and technology development, technical and business strategic improvements, business process innovations
- Maintain awareness of relevant new and current technologies, capabilities, and effectively share this knowledge with others
Education Minimum Requirement:
- Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences or related discipline with a minimum of 4 years relevant drug product development experience. B.S. or M.S. degree in Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences or related discipline with minimum of 10 years relevant industrial experience.
Required Experience and Skills:
- Prior experience leading formulation development (Lead Formulator) activities in matrix team environments to define a robust formulation and manufacturing process
- Experience with conventional and novel drug product technologies that can be utilized to develop pipeline assets, including hands on experience to independently operate in a pilot plant as well as an in-depth understanding of the science to train others in the department
- Scientific contributor with proven ability to identify and develop innovative ideas
- Has broad knowledge of formulation science and in depth-knowledge in multiple areas, including core understanding of the drug development process
- Demonstrated ability to independently design, execute and lead complex experiments and data analysis
- Track record of working effectively with team-members of skill sets and backgrounds
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
Preferred Experience and Skills:
- Prior experience leading development projects at an enterprise level
- Capable of mentoring individuals in a peer to peer fashion and as a technical mentor
- Recognized as a subject matter expert in at least one drug delivery and/or manufacturing technology
- Demonstrated ability to identify, fundamentally characterize and address manufacturing challenges through the development and optimization of novel production technologies.
- Desire to build new capabilities through the evaluation of new technologies and hands-on optimization of existing technologies.
- Demonstrated ability to apply the principles of physical/organic chemistry, physical pharmacy & materials science to solving practical pharmaceutical development problems
- Breadth of experience in related functional areas, including: Pharmaceutical Operations, Analytical Sciences, and Commercialization
Required Skills:
Cell Line Development, Cell Line Development, Chemical Engineering, Design of Experiments (DOE), Detail-Oriented, Downstream Process Development, Drug Delivery, Drug Delivery Technology, Drug Development, Experimental Methods, Expression Vectors, External Manufacturing, Interpersonal Relationships, Leading Project Teams, Life Cycle Planning, Manufacturing Processes, Manufacturing Strategies, Manufacturing Technologies, Molecular Biology, Perform Testing, Pharmaceutical Formulations, Pharmaceutical Process Development, Pharmaceutical Process Engineering, Pharmaceutical Research, Physical Characterization {+ 6 more}
Preferred Skills:
Current Employees apply HERE
Current Contingent Workers apply HERE
US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:
The salary range for this role is
$142,400.00 - $224,100.00
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:
VISA Sponsorship:
Travel Requirements:
Flexible Work Arrangements:
Not Applicable
Shift:
Valid Driving License:
Hazardous Material(s):
Job Posting End Date:
09/20/2026
*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFOREthe listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.
