Job Description
Senior Scientist - Exploratory Vaccines and Regulated Robotics
We are seeking a highly motivated Senior Scientist to join the Exploratory Vaccines and Regulated Robotics team within the Department of Regulated Bioanalytics at our company. Our team is dedicated to developing, validating, and implementing assays used to evaluate vaccine and biologic candidates in clinical studies. This is an exciting opportunity to lead hands-on development, optimization, qualification, and clinical-study implementation of immunology-based assays, with an emphasis on cellular assays that assess functional T-cell and B-cell responses, and innate immune activation. Join us in applying laboratory science, automation, and data-driven decision-making to strengthen bioanalytical support for vaccine and biologics programs.
Responsibilities
- Lead assay lifecycle activities for cell-based immunoassays, including design, execution, optimization, qualification, implementation, troubleshooting, documentation, and transfer readiness for preclinical and clinical samples.
- Develop and apply cellular immunology methods, including intracellular cytokine staining, ELISpot/FluoroSpot, cytokine profiling, and related functional assays to characterize immune responses.
- Support flow cytometry instrument readiness by performing calibrations, routine maintenance, troubleshooting, and coordination with vendors or operations teams for service and repair.
- Author and review SOPs, test methods, qualification documents, technical reports, and scientific presentations; communicate assay strategy, data interpretation, technical risks, limitations, and recommendations to internal stakeholders, cross-functional teams, and external scientific audiences.
- Apply laboratory experimentation, data analytics, automation, robotic liquid handling, and risk-based troubleshooting to improve assay performance, workflow efficiency, data quality, and overall bioanalytical capability.
- Serve as an internal subject matter expert by providing scientific rationale, technical guidance, training, and mentoring to colleagues, junior scientists, and contractors.
- Work effectively in a regulated GxP environment by maintaining accurate, contemporaneous, and complete documentation; supporting data integrity; and ensuring assay activities are conducted in accordance with applicable SOPs, test methods, and regulatory expectations.
Qualifications
Required
- Ph.D. in immunology, cell biology, biology, bioengineering, or a related scientific discipline; or M.S. with 2+ years of relevant industry experience; or B.S. with 5+ years of relevant industry experience.
- Ability to work safely with viruses, bacteria, and potentially infectious human and animal samples under BSL-2 laboratory practices.
- Experience working in, or strong understanding of, regulated bioanalytical workflows, GxP documentation practices, assay development, qualification/validation expectations, and data integrity principles.
- Strong scientific judgment, experimental design, and troubleshooting skills, with the ability to independently identify root causes, assess technical risk, and recommend scientifically sound next steps.
- Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, including the ability to clearly communicate assay strategy, technical risks, data interpretation, and recommendations to scientific and cross-functional stakeholders.
- Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and ability to manage multiple studies, assay development activities, and documentation deliverables simultaneously.
- Relevant experience in immunology, cell-based assay development, or regulated bioanalytical assay development.
Preferred
- Experience with human PBMC isolation, cryopreservation, thawing, culture, and maintenance of primary immune cells and/or relevant cell lines.
- Broad experience assessing immune cell function using multiparameter flow cytometry, intracellular cytokine staining, T-cell and B-cell ELISpot/FluoroSpot, multiplex cytokine platforms, and related cellular immunology methods.
- Hands-on experience developing, optimizing, and analyzing multicolor flow cytometry panels, including gating strategy development, compensation, controls, and interpretation of complex datasets.
- Experience with liquid handlers, automated sample preparation workflows, data analytics, and other automation or digital tools used to improve assay consistency, throughput, data quality, and process robustness.
- Working knowledge of standard data analysis and visualization tools such as FlowJo, GraphPad Prism, Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and related scientific software.
Required Skills:
Cytometry, GraphPad Prism, Immunoassays, Immunology Research, Ligand Binding Assay, Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacology, Sample Preparations, Scientific Presentations, Scientific Research, Scientific Writing, Technical Reviews, Vaccine Development
Preferred Skills:
Current Employees apply
Current Contingent Workers apply
US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:
The 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 .
You can apply for this role through (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:
No
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:
10/9/2026
*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.
