Job DescriptionPosition TitleSenior Specialist, Modeling & Informatics
Position DescriptionWe are seeking an exceptional and highly motivated informatician to join the Cheminformatics group within Modeling and Informatics (M&I) at our our company. This role requires strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills and experience working in a cross-functional team environment. It involves both the development of innovative computational methods involving AI/ML and cheminformatics, as well as direct application of advanced computational approaches to the invention of novel medicines.
Key responsibilities will include:- Implement and apply effective AI/ML and cheminformatics workflows to impact early target discovery space data analysis.
- Analyze, interpret, and summarize complex chemical biology data and utilize a variety of data visualization tools to communicate findings.
- Deliver optimized informatics algorithms and workflows to expedite drug discovery pipelines in the early target discovery space for small molecules, peptides, and targeted protein degraders.
- Leverage novel ML, statistics, and cheminformatics techniques to improve hit identification for different screening paradigms.
- Analyze and integrate internal and external knowledge to facilitate biological and chemical signature identification.
- Proactively engage with cross-functional teams of experimental and computational scientists and collaborate effectively to advance project and pipeline goals
- Continue research in areas of AI/ML and cheminformatics relevant to drug discovery, and evaluate new technology and software from commercial sources, open innovation, or external collaborations.
- Effectively communicate scientific results internally and externally through presentations and publications.
- Share AI/ML and/or data engineering knowledge to augment team skills and capabilities.
Position Qualifications:Education Minimum Requirement:
Ph.D. in cheminformatics, bioinformatics, computational biology or chemistry, computer science, statistics or related fields
Required Experience and Skills:
- Experience applying cheminformatics or AI/ML approaches to problem-solving in drug discovery.
- Broad understanding of modern data science methods, particularly machine learning, e.g., predictive modeling, active learning, explainable ML.
- Strong oral and written communication skills, as well as problem-solving skills.
- Track record of scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals.
- Proficiency in scripting (Python and/or R), SQL, and cheminformatics toolkits (OEChem, RDKit, DeepChem).
Preferred Experience and Skills:
- Demonstrated ability to develop and apply AI/ML to problems of chemical or biological interest.
- Experience with IT infrastructure such as database systems, cloud computing (such as Databricks, AWS), and high-performance computing in Linux environments.
- Expertise in machine learning libraries (TensorFlow, Keras, PyTorch, Pandas, Scikit-Learn).
- Experience with workflow applications and data analytics software (Pipeline Pilot, Knime, Spotfire).
- Experience with high throughput screening data analysis methods.
- Experience in chemical and biological signature identification and/or biomarker discovery.
- Familiarity with or experience with multiple therapeutic modalities (small molecules, peptides, ADCs, etc.)
- Experience working in multidisciplinary teams that include experimental scientists.
Required Skills: Academic Research, Algorithms, Biological Data Analysis, Biomarker Discovery, Biovia Pipeline Pilot, Chemical Informatics, Computational Biology, Data Analysis, Data Management, Data Modeling, Data Visualization, Drug Discovery Research, KNIME, Machine Learning (ML), Python (Programming Language), Scientific Research, Scientific Writing, TIBCO Spotfire, Virtual Screening
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.
The salary range for this role is
$159,600.00 - $251,200.00
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: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:10/16/2026
*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. 
