LAI Formulation Science Lead

Merck; Rahway (NJ); On-site; USD 142,000 - 224,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck & Co., Inc. in Rahway, NJ is seeking an Associate Principal Scientist to lead long-acting injectable (LAI) drug product development. This role focuses on depot formulations, sustained-delivery systems, and cross-functional teams across discovery to commercialization.

You will guide formulation strategies, select release mechanisms, and mentor scientists across Clinical, Regulatory, and Manufacturing groups to ensure robust product performance and regulatory readiness.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. with 4+ years of industry experience, or M.S. with 8+ years, or B.S. with 10+ years in related disciplines.
• Deep expertise in parenteral drug product development and LAI formulations.
• Experience with QbD and DOE in formulation and process development.
• Knowledge of regulatory expectations for parenteral and extended-release products.

Responsibilities

• Provide scientific leadership for design, development, and lifecycle management of LAI delivery forms.
• Lead LAI formulation and delivery development across programs, selecting release mechanisms and excipients.
• Guide cross-functional teams to align formulation, substance properties, and device compatibility.
• Design studies to understand release kinetics, stability, and performance.
• Support scaling, tech transfer, and GMP manufacturing readiness.
• Mentor junior scientists and foster data-driven decision making.

Skills

LAI formulation

Cross-functional leadership

QbD and DOE

Parenteral drug product development

Regulatory submissions

Device/drug product integration

Publications and patents

Education

Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics or related field

M.S. in relevant field

B.S. in related field

Job description

Merck & Co., Inc. in Rahway, NJ is seeking an Associate Principal Scientist to lead long-acting injectable (LAI) drug product development. This role focuses on depot formulations, sustained-delivery systems, and cross-functional teams across discovery to commercialization.

You will guide formulation strategies, select release mechanisms, and mentor scientists across Clinical, Regulatory, and Manufacturing groups to ensure robust product performance and regulatory readiness.