**Job Description**

Vaccine Drug Product Development (VDPD), a part of our company's Research Laboratories, is seeking an Associate Principal Scientist to join our department in West Point, PA. Our mission is to develop novel vaccine drug products that will profoundly improve global human health—directly building from our company's 50+ year legacy as pioneers in the discovery, development, and manufacturing of novel vaccines to eliminate disease. Our department is responsible for developing vaccine adjuvants and drug products from preclinical studies through Phase III clinical trials with line of sight to commercialization. We ensure robust composition, primary packaging, and process development through deep fundamental understanding and characterization such that the process is scalable without compromising safety, efficacy, or stability. During development, we leverage smart experimental design, cutting edge analytical tools, and statistical/predictive approaches to inform formulation and process development. Our team enables the translation of vaccine preclinical candidates from concepts into robust commercial drug products.

Primary responsibilities of the role include design, execution, and documentation of experiments to develop stable formulations and robust manufacturing processes for preclinical and clinical supply production and to scale-up these processes to the pilot plant and commercial space. The successful candidate will be expected to work independently in a hands-on, dynamic laboratory environment engaged in development activities while also working collaboratively within the group, across functional areas, and with external partners.

Active strategic and technical leadership on program development teams will be required. Strong communication skills are expected to clearly communicate data and conclusions verbally, through written documents and reports, and technical presentations. Proven facilitative leadership and communication skills are essential to effectively lead matrix teams and manage expectations of stakeholders as part of our stage-gate process used to manage the development of new products. The role will also entail supporting or leading teams to advance areas such as science and technology innovation, business process improvement, and clinical manufacturing capability build.

Successful candidates are motivated to excel, willing to take initiative, have a strong desire to learn and contribute, and actively mentor less experienced scientists. Senior colleagues in Vaccine Drug Product Development have strong external scientific networks to help us maintain an awareness of industry challenges, trends, and opportunities. Successful candidates will have a track record of external publication, patenting, and presentations.

**Required Experience and Skills**

+ Ph.D. in chemical/biochemical engineering, pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, biochemistry, or related discipline with 4 years of relevant industrial experience; an M.S. degree in a similar field with 6 years of relevant experience; or a B.S. degree in a similar field with 8 years of relevant experience.

+ Proven written and verbal communication skills

+ Ability to prioritize, plan, and execute work with limited guidance

+ Ability to work in a dynamic and fast-paced team environment

+ Demonstrated facilitative leadership and influencing skills

+ Hands on laboratory skills

+ Experience developing vaccine adjuvant and/or vaccine drug product processes, including advanced knowledge of key unit operations (freeze/thaw, formulation, mixing, filtration, filling, stoppering, etc.)

+ Understanding of vaccine adjuvant and/or drug product quality attributes, specifications, characterization techniques, and product vulnerabilities and mitigation strategies

+ Experience with engineering principles used in process development and process scale up/scale down

+ Experience with technical transfer of processes from lab to pilot plant and/or commercial sites including the use of risk assessment tools

+ Track record of difficult technical problem solving

+ Ability to develop and implement new methods/processes

+ Experience with GMP manufacturing of clinical supplies

+ Experience with use of statistical principles to understand, predict, and communicate process robustness

+ Experience with root cause analysis and investigations (FMEA, fishbone, etc.)

+ Experience authoring regulatory filings for sterile dosage forms (adjuvants and/or DP)

+ Experience responding to regulatory questions related to drug products

+ Experience, desire, and a track record of effective mentorship of less experienced scientists towards timebound goals

**Desired Experience and Skills**

+ Experience with sterile product manufacturing and aseptic technique

+ Experience with colloidal systems and characterization of colloids including emulsions

+ Familiar with ISO, CFR, ICH, and USP guidelines as they relate to sterile products

+ Familiar with Quality by Design (QbD) principles and have experience applying the QbD tools and principles to products in development

+ Experience with process modeling

+ Experience with liquid and lyophilized drug product formulation development

+ Understanding of compliance and regulatory issues for sterile injectable products manufactured by aseptic processing

+ Experience with direct people management

PSCS

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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”.

**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

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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:**

1st - Day

**Valid Driving License:**

No

**Hazardous Material(s):**

n/a

**Job Posting End Date:**

12/7/2024

***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.**

**Requisition ID:** R283470