Associate Director, Translational PK/PD

Merck & Co.; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 157,000 - 247,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck & Co. is seeking a Translational PK/PD Associate Director to lead expert modeling for biologics and peptide programs. You will design and execute analyses, guiding dose prediction and modality selection across discovery teams, with emphasis on PBPK, QSP, and mechanistic modeling.

Collaboration across PDMB and Discovery is essential for strategy and translation. Ideal candidates have advanced degrees and extensive experience in translational PK/PD modeling, including cross-functional

Qualifications

• Advanced degree with relevant pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics training and experience in drug discovery.
• Hands-on translational PK/PD modeling in biologics, proteins, or peptides.
• Experience with experimental design, statistics, and data interpretation.

Responsibilities

• Serve as expert PK/PD modeler in cross-functional teams for model-informed decisions.
• Integrate in vitro and in vivo data to build PKPD/PBPK/QSP platforms for translation.
• Collaborate to design experiments and modeling plans to optimize drug candidates.
• Guide automated workflows for modeling platforms and human dose projections.
• Provide scientific guidance to junior colleagues.

Skills

Biologics

Biostatistics

Data Analysis

Data Modeling

Data Science

Pharmacokinetics

Pharmacodynamics

PKPD Modeling

Proteins

Statistical Analysis

Translational PKPD

Education

Master's degree

PharmD

PhD

Tools

MATLAB

OSP Suite

Monolix

R

Job description

Job Description

The department of Pharmacokinetics, Dynamics, Metabolism & Bioanalytics (PDMB) is seeking a curious and collaborative Scientific Associate Director for our growing Translational PK/PD organization. The Translational PK/PD Associate Director is an expert mathematical modeler and scientist who independently designs and executes analyses with minimal supervision, guiding drug discovery strategy with a focus on biologics, protein therapeutics, and peptides.

The Translational PK/PD Scientific Associate Director will:

• Serve as expert PK/PD modeler in cross-functional teams, to make model-informed decisions about drug discovery, modality selection, and dose prediction across therapeutic areas;
• Integrate in vitro and in vivo data to build PKPD, PBPK, quantitative systems pharmacology (QSP), or other mechanistic modeling platforms of drug disposition and pharmacology, to support forward/reverse translation for both established and novel therapeutic targets;
• Collaborate across our PDMB and broader Discovery / Translational organization to design experimental studies and modeling plans, to identify and optimize drug candidates and guide broader translational strategy across programs;
• Guide the design of automated workflows for implementing modeling platforms, to inform human PK/PD and dose projections;
• Provide scientific and modeling guidance to junior colleagues.

In addition to the responsibilities described above, the Associate Director will demonstrate excellent leadership and communication skills, building effective partnerships across departments to guide model-informed drug discovery.

NOTE: This role is available in South San Francisco, CA, West Point, PA or Boston, MA based on candidate preference.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

• Master's (with 8+ years), PharmD (with 6+ yearS) or Ph.D. (with 4+ years) in pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, mathematics, applied mathematics, systems biology, computational biology, chemical/biomedical engineering, statistics/biostatistics or related discipline and experience with increasing responsibility and independence in drug discovery / development, within industry, academia, regulatory or non-profit settings

Required Experience and Skills:

• Experience performing hands-on translational PKPD modeling using standard modeling software (e.g., Matlab, OSP Suite, Monolix, R), for discovery / development of biologics, protein therapeutics, and/or peptides
• Expert skills in experimental design, mathematical problem solving, critical data analysis/interpretation, and statistics

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• Demonstrated experience working in interdisciplinary teams and in collaborative problem scoping/planning
• Expertise in developing novel translational modeling strategies or automated workflows that rely on PBPK, QSP, or related mechanistic modeling

Required Skills:

Biologics, Biostatistics, Data Analysis, Data Modeling, Data Science, Drug Discovery Process, Interdisciplinary Collaboration, MATLAB, Peptides, Pharmacodynamics, Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacotherapeutics, PKPD Modeling, Proteins, Statistical Analysis, Translational Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics (PKPD)

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

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The salary range for this role is
$156,900.00 - $247,000.00

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 .

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

Employee Status:

Regular

Relocation:

Domestic/International

VISA Sponsorship:

Yes

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Job Posting End Date:

09/30/2026
*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.