Distinguished Scientist, Clinical Research, Thoracic Malignancies

MSD; Rahway (NJ); Hybrid; USD 311,000 - 489,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) retirement benefits

Paid holidays

Vacation and sick days

Job summary

Merck & Co., Inc. in Rahway, NJ is seeking an Executive Director, PDT Lead for Oncology Global Clinical Development to oversee the full lifecycle of clinical development for oncology agents.

You will guide strategy, study design, initiation, execution, and regulatory reporting, while coordinating with cross‑functional teams and external investigators. The role requires leadership of clinical teams, strong scientific expertise in oncology, and a track record of publication and collaboration with

Qualifications

• Experience in industry in Thoracic Oncology.
• Minimum of 3 years clinical medicine experience.
• Minimum of 5 years industry experience in drug development.
• Demonstrated record of scientific scholarship and achievement.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate pre-clinical and translational work to generate early clinical development plan and INDs.
• Develop clinical development strategies for investigational or marketed agents.
• Plan clinical trials (design, operational plans, settings).
• Monitor and manage ongoing or new clinical trials.
• Analyze and summarize clinical findings to support safety/efficacy decisions and regulatory documents.
• Collaborate across cross-functional teams and interact with external experts.
• Provide leadership and supervision for Oncology Global Clinical Development teams.

Skills

Clinical Development

Clinical Judgment

Clinical Medicine

Clinical Research

Oncology

Pulmonology

Regulatory Requirements

Scientific Leadership

Strategic Leadership

Education

MD or MD/PhD

Board Certified or Eligible in Oncology

Job description

Job Description

Our Clinical Development teams manage studies to provide the safety and efficacy data required for regulatory approval of potential new drugs and new indications for existing products. We ensure we conduct high quality clinical trials by integrating state-of-the-art technology and applying rigorous scientific and ethical standards.

The Distinguished Scientist (Executive Director) and Product Development Team (PDT) Lead, Oncology Global Clinical Development, has primary responsibility for the planning and directing clinical research activities involving new or marketed drugs in the Oncology Clinical Research group and in the field of Thoracic Oncology.

The Executive Director, PDT Lead will manage the entire cycle of clinical development, including development strategy, study design, initiation, execution, monitoring, analysis, regulatory reporting, publication, and presentation at national and international meetings. They will provide internal scientific leadership for cross‑functional areas supporting clinical trials and will interact externally with key opinion leaders.

Specifically, the Executive Director, PDT Lead may be responsible for:

• Evaluating pre‑clinical and translational work for the purpose of generating early clinical development plan and Investigational New Drug applications.
• Developing clinical development strategies for investigational or marketed agents that incorporate the latest scientific developments, regulatory requirements, the competitive landscape, and commercial considerations.
• Planning clinical trials (design, operational plans, settings) based on these clinical development strategies.
• Monitoring and managing the conduct of ongoing or new clinical trials for investigational or marketed agents.
• Analyzing and summarizing the clinical findings from studies to support decisions regarding safety and efficacy as well as new drug applications, clinical study reports, or publications.
• Participation in internal and joint internal/external research project teams relevant to the development of new compounds, and the further study of marketed compounds and support of business development assessments of external opportunities.
• Provide support for other therapeutic areas regarding clinical issues related to oncology compounds.

The Executive Director, PDT Lead may:

• Manage Directors and/or Senior Directors responsible for Oncology Global Clinical Development projects.
• Supervise the activities of entire Clinical Teams in the execution of clinical studies.
• Will report to and work collaboratively with the Section Head to promote the development strategy of the company on the indication of interest.
• Work closely with a cross‑functional group of experts in commercialization, regulatory affairs, statistics, medical affairs and manufacturing to manage clinical development projects; and assist the Section Head in ensuring that appropriate Corporate personnel is informed of the progress of studies of our company and competitors' drugs and internal and external expert opinion on scientific questions relevant to their areas of responsibility.

The Executive Director is responsible for maintaining a strong scientific fund of knowledge by:

• Maintaining awareness of scientific developments within their area of expertise, in terms of new scientific findings, research methodologies.
• Identification of scientifically and operationally strong investigators who can assist in the development of our company's investigational and marketed drugs.
• Establishing communications with prominent clinical investigators in their field of interest, particularly those who will be willing and able to assist in the evaluation of our company's drugs.
• Attending appropriate scientific meetings to maintain their competency and to maintain awareness of research activities in their area of responsibility.

To accomplish these goals, the Executive Director, PDT Lead may:

• Author detailed development documents, presentations, budgets, and position papers for internal and external audiences.
• Facilitating collaborations with external researchers around the world.
• Travel on company business about twenty (20) percent of the time to manage future or ongoing clinical research projects.

Education

M.D or M.D./Ph.D.

Required Experience and Skills

• Must have experience in industry in the field of Thoracic Oncology.
• Minimum of 3 years of clinical medicine experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of industry experience in drug development.
• Demonstrated record of scientific scholarship and achievement.
• A proven track record in clinical medicine and background in biomedical research is essential.
• Strong interpersonal skills, as well as the ability to function in a team environment, are essential.

Preferred Experience and Skills

• Board Certified or Eligible in Oncology (and/or Hematology).
• Prior specific experience in clinical research and prior publication.

Required Skills

• Clinical Development
• Clinical Judgment
• Clinical Medicine
• Clinical Research
• Clinical Trial Planning
• Clinical Trials
• Cross-Cultural Awareness
• Cross-Functional Teamwork
• Drug Development
• Ethical Standards
• Medical Research
• Oncology
• Pulmonology
• Regulatory Requirements
• Research Methodologies
• Scientific Consulting
• Scientific Leadership
• Scientific Research
• Strategic Leadership

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.

Location

The primary location for this posting is: USA - New Jersey - Rahway

Compensation

Where required by law, the compensation range for this role is provided below. The salary range for the primary location of this role is: $310,900.00 - $489,400.00 This range reflects the Company's reasonable expectation of the base salary applicable to this role at the time of 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.

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.

Additional Locations

Please note the salary range above applies to the Primary Location of the position. Where a role has other listed locations, different compensation guidelines may apply. You may find the salary ranges for additional locations below. If the salary range is not listed for the location you are applying to, our Talent Acquisition team will provide further information to you relevant to your location.

Additional Location(s) Compensation Information

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 and Working Details

Employee Status: Regular
Relocation: Domestic
VISA Sponsorship: No
Travel Requirements: 25%
Flexible Work Arrangements: Hybrid
Shift: Not Indicated
Valid Driving License: No
Hazardous Material(s): n/a

Job Posting End Date

10/28/2026
*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.

About the Company

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.
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Company Mission

Our company is a global health care leader with a diversified portfolio of prescription medicines, vaccines and animal health products. The difference between potential and achievement lies in the spark that fuels innovation and inventiveness; this is the space where we have codified our legacy for over a century. Our success is backed by ethical integrity, forward momentum, and an inspiring mission to achieve new milestones in global healthcare.