Biologics Process Development Scientific Lead

Merck & Co.; Rahway (NJ); On-site; USD 210,400 - 331,100; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health insurance

401(k) retirement benefits

Paid holidays and vacation

Job summary

Merck & Co. is seeking a Biologics Process Development Scientific Lead to provide technical leadership across biologics process development programs in Rahway, New Jersey. The role involves driving functional alignment and leveraging technology platforms for robust processes suitable for clinical and commercial manufacturing.

Ideal candidates will have a PhD in relevant fields and 15+ years of experience. Comprehensive benefits include medical, dental, and retirement packages, alongside competitive salaries ranging from $210,400 to $331,100.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in biologics process development.
• Proven ability to lead across functions and influence without authority.
• Strong communication and project coordination skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide scientific and technical leadership across biologics process development.
• Drive knowledge sharing and functional alignment across projects.
• Design, execute, and oversee process development studies.

Skills

Biologics

Cell Cultures

Cross-Functional Leadership

Downstream Processing

Influence

Process Development (PD)

Purification Methods

Scientific Thinking

Technical Leadership

Technology Transfer

Upstream Processing

Education

PhD in Biochemical Engineering or related discipline

15+ years experience for PhD candidates

MS or BS in related discipline with 20+ years experience

Tools

Design of Experiments (DOE)

Statistical Analysis

Process Characterization

Job description

Job Description

The Biologics Process Development Scientific Lead provides technical leadership across biologics process development programs, with responsibility for driving functional alignment, leveraging established technology platforms, and ensuring knowledge is effectively shared and applied across projects. This role is expected to help teams build on prior learnings, apply standardized and science‑based approaches, and avoid duplicative work or reinvention of established solutions. It is important for this role to drive mechanistic understanding, innovate as needed to support a broad pipeline, and evolve the platform to meet evolving needs. The Scientific Lead partners closely with upstream and downstream process development to support integrated development strategies. The role provides subject matter expertise, influences technical decision‑making across the portfolio, and helps ensure processes are robust, scalable, and suitable for clinical and commercial manufacturing.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide scientific and technical leadership across biologics process development activities, spanning upstream and/or downstream unit operations as applicable.
• Champion platform‑based development strategies to promote consistency, efficiency, and application of prior knowledge across programs.
• Drive knowledge sharing and functional alignment across projects to ensure teams are leveraging technology platforms, standardized methodologies, and prior knowledge in order to promote speed, consistency, and efficiency in process development.
• Facilitate knowledge capture, sharing, and transfer across development programs, ensuring lessons learned are incorporated into future work.
• Partner with cross‑functional stakeholders to define and align technical strategy, development plans, and portfolio priorities.
• Design, execute, and/or oversee process development studies to improve productivity, product quality, robustness, and scalability.
• Support process optimization, characterization, scale‑up, scale‑down model development.
• Troubleshoot process challenges, evaluate root causes, and recommend data‑driven solutions to improve performance.
• Interpret process, analytical, and manufacturing data to support decisions and communicate recommendations to project teams and leadership.
• Review and approve technical reports, protocols, development summaries, and documentation supporting regulatory filings and manufacturing readiness.
• Support a culture of scientific rigor, collaboration, and continuous improvement across the biologics development organization.

Education

• PhD, MS, or BS in Biochemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biology, Biotechnology, or a related discipline.
• 15+ years of relevant experience for PhD candidates, or 20+ years for MS/BS candidates, depending on scope and organizational needs.

Required Experience and Skills

• Strong experience in biologics process development, with expertise in upstream cell culture/fermentation and/or downstream purification, depending on role focus.
• Demonstrated success in process development and process optimization, scale‑up, technology transfer, and platform process development.
• Proven ability to lead across functions, influence without direct authority, and drive alignment across multiple projects.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and project coordination skills.

Preferred Experience and Skills

• Experience leading platform process strategies across multiple biologics programs.
• Familiarity with DoE, statistical analysis, process characterization, and scale‑up/scale‑down modeling.
• Experience supporting regulatory submissions and cGMP manufacturing.
• Exposure to integrated drug substance development and process lifecycle management.

Required Skills

Biologics, Cell Cultures, Cross‑Functional Leadership, Downstream Processing, Influence, Process Development (PD), Purification Methods, Scientific Thinking, Scientific Work, Technical Leadership, Technology Transfer, Upstream Processing

Preferred Skills

Design of Experiments (DOE), Innovation, Platform Scales, Process Flow, Product Lifecycle

Equal Employment Opportunity

We are an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. Candidates are considered without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status or any other legally protected characteristic. We provide accommodations for the needs of applicants who require them.

Salary Range

$210,400.00 – $331,100.00

Benefits

Comprehensive package of medical, dental, vision, and other health insurance for employee and family; retirement benefits including 401(k); paid holidays, vacation, compassionate and sick days.