Lead Biocatalysis Scientist: AI/ML-Driven Enzyme Design

MSD; Rahway (NJ); On-site; USD 173,000 - 273,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck & Co., Inc. in Rahway, NJ, seeks a senior scientist to lead data‑driven biocatalysis programs. You will integrate automation, digital platforms, and AI/ML for experimental design and protein engineering.

The role drives high‑throughput assay development, tool adoption across teams, and mentorship while partnering with IT to accelerate discovery and scale computational workflows. Applicants should hold a PhD with extensive industry experience in biochemistry, enzyme engineering, and data

Qualifications

• Ph.D., M.S, or B.S. in Biochemistry, Bioengineering, Biophysics, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Molecular Biology, Synthetic Biology, or related field with minimum years of relevant industry experience.
• Demonstrated experience in biocatalytic process development and enzyme engineering using directed evolution.
• Proficiency in coding, including Python and SQL.

Responsibilities

• Lead data science, automation, process development, and protein engineering initiatives.
• Develop and implement digital tools/workflows for data ingestion, QC, visualization, and analysis.
• Drive AI/ML and LLM-based approaches for experimental design and data mining.
• Scale high-throughput automation for enzyme engineering and biochemical assays.
• Collaborate with IT and internal teams to accelerate discovery and engineering.

Skills

Biochemistry

Bioconjugation

Biological Engineering

Biomolecular Chemistry

Computational Chemistry

Computational Methods

Data Analysis

Drug Development

Enzymatic Activity Assays

Enzyme Kinetics

Enzymology

High-Throughput Experimentation

Organic Synthesis

Protein Characterization

Protein Chemistry

Research Proposal Development

Scientific Literature Search

Small Molecules

Structure Based Drug Design

Synthetic Chemistry

Education

Ph.D. in Biochemistry / related field

M.S. in Biochemistry / related field

B.S. in Biochemistry / related field

Tools

Benchling

Biometrics Automation Tools

Biometek / Dragonfly / Mantis / Firefly

Job description

Merck & Co., Inc. in Rahway, NJ, seeks a senior scientist to lead data‑driven biocatalysis programs. You will integrate automation, digital platforms, and AI/ML for experimental design and protein engineering.

The role drives high‑throughput assay development, tool adoption across teams, and mentorship while partnering with IT to accelerate discovery and scale computational workflows. Applicants should hold a PhD with extensive industry experience in biochemistry, enzyme engineering, and data