Senior Scientist, Biology-Discovery

Merck & Co USA - Pennsylvania - West Point Updated 25 September 2026
Pharma

Job description

Job Description Senior Scientist, in vivo Pharmacology Job description The Quantitative Biosciences department is seeking a highly motivated and collaborative individual to join the Translational Pharmacology in vivo team based in West Point, PA. The successful candidate will work with a team of experienced scientists to design, develop, and execute in vivo disease models to evaluate and characterize drug candidates. Areas supported include infectious disease, vaccine, neuroscience, and immunology programs. This is primarily an in vivo lab-based and highly collaborative role requiring a high level of in vivo technical expertise to execute complex animal models. The successful candidate should be able to pick up and master new and complex in vivo techniques quickly and demonstrate strong aptitude, initiative, and a high level of scientific curiosity. Strong communication and organization skills are needed to coordinate and execute complex animal studies. The position may require some off-hours and weekend work. Responsibilities: Be a fully integrated team member with hands on execution of in vivo pharmacological studies including animal handling, dosing (e.g. oral gavage, intranasal/intratracheal delivery, IP, IM, s.c. injections), blood sampling (e.g. tail vein bleeds, terminal cardiac puncture), and necropsy of various tissues for processing and histology Experience in lung sampling (bronchoalveolar lavage) is a plus Hands on execution of various in vitro and ex vivo wet lab activities such as aseptic technique, formulations preparation, bacterial culture, tissue and blood sample processing Logistical coordination of studies: scheduling support staff, arranging formulation pickup and sample drop off Optimize efficiency and productivity through effective management of workflow Help develop and validate new animal models of disease related to drug discovery programs and projects with the ability to adapt, learn, and master new or more complicated in vivo techniques Have a good acumen for running in vivo studies, timely production of quality data and accurate record keeping of experimental designs, protocols, and findings Demonstrate strong aptitude, initiative, and a high level of scientific curiosity to work collaboratively across multi-disciplinary teams, ensuring timely communication and delivery of high-quality in vivo data to Therapeutic Area program teams Remain compliant with all company required trainings and safety regulations Some off-hours and weekend work may be required Education Requirement: Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences + 4 years relevant in vivo research experience, or Master’s degree in Biological Sciences + 2 years relevant in vivo research experience, or PhD in Biological Sciences Required skills Experience with animal handling and multiple dosing routes, (i.e., oral gavage, intranasal and intratracheal delivery, intraperitoneal, intramuscular, and subcutaneous injections) Proficiency in blood collection methods (i.e., tail vein bleeds, terminal cardiac puncture) Experience performing necropsy Hands-on experience with in vitro and ex vivo wet lab activities, (i.e., aseptic technique, sample processing) Strong organizational skills to support study logistics Ability to manage and optimize experimental workflows Ability to master new or more complicated in vivo techniques Ability to maintain accurate records of experimental designs, protocols, and findings. Strong collaboration and communication skills Demonstrates ownership and accountability to work independently with minimal supervision Commitment to compliance with all required company training and safety regulations Flexibility to work occasional off-hours and weekends as needed. Preferred skills Experience in lung sampling (bronchoalveolar lavage) Experience in Immunology preferred Novel animal model development Aptitude and initiative for experimental design and scientific strategy decision making Required Skills: Adaptability, Assay Development, Bacterial Culturing, Biochemical Assays, Biological Sciences, Blood Sampling, Cell Culture Techniques, Clinical Immunology, Detail-Oriented, Drug Discovery Process, Drug Target Identification, Flow Cytometry, High Content Screening, Immunoassays, Immunology, Microbiological Cultures, Molecular Biology, Multidisciplinary Collaboration, Neuroanatomy, Neuroscience, Personal Initiative, Protein Purifications, Teamwork, Tissue Cultures, Transcriptomics 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 salary range for this role is $117,000.00 - $184,200.00 This is the lowest to high

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