Associate Principal Scientist, Research Science

Job Description

We are seeking an energetic and highly motivated Scientist in Antibody Engineering with hands‑on experience in antibody discovery, optimization, and characterization. This individual will work as part of a rapidly growing bio-therapeutics group focusing on lead selection for new projects and development of leads from established discovery pipeline projects. The successful candidate will design and execute strategies to generate, engineer, and mature therapeutic antibodies and novel biologics. The successful candidate will collaborate cross‑functionally with Discovery Biology, Protein Sciences, Structural Biology, and Developability/CMC to advance molecules from hit identification through lead optimization.

 

Responsibilities:

• Design and initiate target-focused antibody discovery strategies

• Design, develop and optimize selection methods to enrich for affinity, specificity, cross‑reactivity, and epitope diversity

• Interface with CROs or platform vendors for immunization or display campaigns as needed

• Conduct affinity maturation, speciation (e.g. caninization/felinization), and specificity engineering (e.g., CDR grafting, back‑mutation, structure‑guided design)

• Engineer formats including Fabs, scFvs, VHHs, bispecifics, multispecifics, and Fc variants for tailored effector functions and half‑life

• Apply in silico tools for sequence liability assessment, developability predictions, and structure modeling

• Work with other team members to characterize biophysical and biochemical properties

• Assess binding by ELISA, SPR/BLI, flow cytometry

• Perform epitope binning/mapping and cross‑species reactivity

• Collaborate with biology teams to evaluate potency, MOA, and functional readouts

• Work with CMC teams to screen for developability (solubility, stability, aggregation, viscosity, PTM liabilities) and implement sequence fixes

• Provide input on sequence selection and manufacturability risks

• Plan, prioritize, and execute experiments; analyze data and present in cross‑functional forums

• Author study reports and contribute to patent filings and regulatory documents

• Mentor junior associates and help implement best practices and data management

• Apply knowledge of key signal transduction pathways to design appropriate assay systems for characterization of biological and pharmacological effects of new veterinary therapeutics.

• Develop and manage project specific milestones and timelines.

• Manage the R&D relationships with external service providers.

• Prepare progress reports and make presentations to stakeholders.

• Stay informed of external advances & technologies to enhance the product development portfolio.

• Communicate progress and plans to a variety of stakeholders with diverse expertise.

• Provide support, coaching or assistance to other team members.

 

Education Minimum Requirement:

• Ph.D. in a biological discipline

Required Experience and Skills:

• 3+ years relevant work experience in antibody discovery/engineering

• Demonstrated experience with at least one display platform (phage, yeast, or mammalian) or immunization‑based antibody discovery

• Hands‑on expertise in antibody engineering (speciation, affinity maturation, specificity tuning, format engineering)

• Proficiency in biomolecular interaction methods and analytical characterization (e.g., SPR/BLI)

• Proficiency with developability assessment and mitigation of sequence liabilities (e.g., deamidation, isomerization, oxidation, glycosylation hotspots)

• Strong data analysis and documentation skills

• Proficiency with molecular biology and sequence design tools (e.g., Geneious, MOE/Rosetta, IgBLAST/IMGT)

• Ability to interpret and analyze data from key biological, biochemical and immunological assay systems and design appropriate follow-on experiments

• Ability to contribute or manage more than one project at a time.

• Excellent communication and cross‑functional collaboration skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with bispecific/multispecific formats

• Experience with Fc engineering for effector function and half‑life

• Experience with computational antibody design

• Familiarity with early CMC and developability workflows

• Experience managing CROs or external partners

Required Skills:

Accountability, Analytical Characterization, Antibody Engineering, Antibody Therapeutics, Assay, Bioanalytical Analysis, Bioanalytical Techniques, Biomarker Development, Cell-Based Assays, Clinical Judgment, Detail-Oriented, Ethical Compliance, Experimental Methods, Immunohistochemistry (IHC), In Vivo Pharmacology, Mass Spectrometry Analysis, Polyclonal Antibody Production, Product Development, Project Management, Protein Chemistry, Scientific Research, Scientific Writing

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:

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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.

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U.S. Hybrid Work Model

Effective September 5, 2023, employees in office-based positions in the U.S. will be working a Hybrid work consisting of three total days on-site per week, Monday - Thursday, although the specific days may vary by site or organization, with Friday designated as a remote-working day, unless business critical tasks require an on-site presence.This Hybrid work model does not apply to, and daily in-person attendance is required for, field-based positions; facility-based, manufacturing-based, or research-based positions where the work to be performed is located at a Company site; positions covered by a collective-bargaining agreement (unless the agreement provides for hybrid work); or any other position for which the Company has determined the job requirements cannot be reasonably met working remotely. Please note, this Hybrid work model guidance also does not apply to roles that have been designated as “remote”.

The salary range for this role is

$126,500.00 - $199,100.00

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:

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:

01/19/2026

*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.