Head of Autonomous Science Operations

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany; Billerica (MA); On-site; USD 159,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

PTO

Retirement contributions

Job summary

EMD Serono's AI & Automation in Drug Discovery (AIDD) in the Boston area is seeking a Head of Science Operations to lead the Make and Test engine for autonomous discovery. You will oversee a multidisciplinary team of chemists, biologists, and automation scientists, ensuring high-quality data, robust experimental design, and timely results.

Reporting to the AIDD head, you will scale the team from 5 to 10, drive SOPs, data integrity, and platform roadmaps, and collaborate across software and

Qualifications

• PhD in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or related field (minimum).
• 8+ years in pharma/biotech/CRO with leadership in discovery programs.
• Hands-on assay development experience and data-driven optimization.

Responsibilities

• Own Make and Test workflow; design and execute autonomous chemical synthesis and biology assays.
• Govern lab operations: SOPs, QC metrics, data lineage, safety, compliance.
• Plan throughput and capacity; partner with Automation to scale workflows while preserving data quality.
• Guide platform roadmap; translate lab needs into software and automation requirements.
• Manage external partnerships and vendor relationships; define SLAs and tech transfer.
• Hire and develop senior scientists; scale team from 5 to 10 and foster cross-functional teamwork.

Skills

PhD in Chemistry

8+ years pharma/biotech/CRO

assay development

scientific leadership

scientific communication

lab operations governance

Education

PhD in Chemistry or related field

Tools

ELN/LIMS

Retrosynthesis tools

Automated bioassay systems

Job description

EMD Serono's AI & Automation in Drug Discovery (AIDD) in the Boston area is seeking a Head of Science Operations to lead the Make and Test engine for autonomous discovery. You will oversee a multidisciplinary team of chemists, biologists, and automation scientists, ensuring high-quality data, robust experimental design, and timely results.

Reporting to the AIDD head, you will scale the team from 5 to 10, drive SOPs, data integrity, and platform roadmaps, and collaborate across software and