Postdoctoral Fellow

MSD Malaysia; Lower Gwynedd Township, Northern (PA, KY); Hybrid; USD 82,000 - 92,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck & Co., Inc. invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the PDMB group to lead cross-platform dengue neutralization studies using live virus, reporter particles, and pseudovirus systems.

You will design experiments, apply robust data analysis, and contribute to a publication-focused program. The role emphasizes independent research, mentorship, manuscript preparation, and collaboration across virology, immunology, bioanalytics, statistics, automation, and vaccine research,

Qualifications

• PhD required or anticipated by spring 2027.
• Experience designing and interpreting rigorous biological experiments.
• Strong understanding of experimental design and statistics for complex datasets.
• Experience in virology, viral immunology, or related field.
• Hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture and viral or neutralization assays.

Responsibilities

• Develop and characterize matched dengue neutralization assays using live virus, reporter virus particles, and pseudovirus platforms.
• Apply DOE approaches to evaluate assay parameters and performance.
• Characterize robustness, precision, sensitivity, reproducibility, and comparability of assays.
• Investigate biological and analytical drivers of platform differences and virion maturity.
• Produce cross-platform datasets and apply statistics for quality, concordance, and interpretation.
• Contribute to a biologically informed platform-selection framework for viral neutralization assays.
• Publish findings through manuscripts, abstracts, posters, and presentations.

Skills

Academic Research

Cell Culture Techniques

Immunoassays

Laboratory Safety

Scientific Data Analysis

Scientific Presentations

Scientific Research

Virology

Education

PhD in Virology or related field

Tools

R

Python

JMP

Prism

Job description

**Postdoctoral Research Fellow:**Be part of the legacy: Postdoctoral Research Fellow ProgramOur Research Laboratories’ Postdoctoral Research Fellow Program combines the scientific rigor and independence of academic research with the resources, expertise, and collaborative environment of a leading biopharmaceutical organization. Postdoctoral fellows work with experienced scientists, develop meaningful scientific networks, and generate research intended for publication and presentation to the external scientific community.**Position Overview:**The Pharmacokinetics, Dynamics, Metabolism & Bioanalytics (PDMB) organization within our company's Research Laboratories is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Fellow to lead an innovative research project examining the molecular, biological, and analytical factors that influence viral infectivity and neutralization measurements across virus-particle platforms. The fellow will establish and characterize matched neutralization assays based on live wild-type virus, reporter virus particles, and pseudovirus approaches. The research will investigate why neutralization results may differ among platforms and virus preparations, with particular emphasis on virion maturity, particle composition, viral entry pathways, assay conditions, and data-analysis methods. The fellow will apply Design of Experiments (DOE), quantitative data analysis, and fit-for-purpose bioanalytical characterization to generate a rigorous cross-platform comparison. The resulting mechanistic insights will support development of a biology-anchored framework for selecting and interpreting neutralization assay platforms. The project is designed to explore how the resulting scientific principles may inform neutralization-assay strategies for other viral systems and vaccine research areas. This is an opportunity to conduct original, publication-focused research while developing scientific independence, strategic experimental thinking, cross-functional collaboration, and strong written and oral communication skills. The fellow will receive structured mentorship, regular scientific and career-development feedback, and support for manuscripts, abstracts, posters, and external scientific presentations.**Responsibilities:*** Develop and characterize matched dengue neutralization assays using live virus, reporter virus particles, and pseudovirus platforms.* Apply systematic DOE approaches to evaluate critical assay parameters and their impact on performance.* Perform fit-for-purpose assay characterization, including robustness, precision, sensitivity, reproducibility, and comparability assessments.* Investigate biological and analytical drivers of platform differences, including virion maturity, particle heterogeneity, viral entry, assay format, reagent attributes, and endpoint calculations.* Conduct mechanistic studies to distinguish biological from analytical and operational sources of variability.* Generate cross-platform datasets and apply statistical methods for data quality assessment, concordance analysis, visualization, and interpretation.* Integrate findings into a decision framework supporting biologically informed selection of viral neutralization platforms.* Assess whether observations from dengue studies may inform broader viral vaccine research.* Maintain rigorous experimental records and prepare protocols, methods, technical reports, and supporting documentation.* Collaborate across virology, immunology, bioanalytics, statistics, automation, and vaccine research disciplines.* Stay current with scientific literature and develop testable hypotheses that strengthen the research program.* Communicate findings through internal forums, manuscripts, abstracts, posters, and scientific presentations.**Education Minimum Requirement:*** Must currently hold a PhD OR* Receive a Ph.D. no later than spring 2027* Ph.D. in Virology, Viral Immunology, Microbiology, Immunology, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Biomedical Sciences, or a related biological discipline.**Required Experience and Skills:*** Ability to independently design, execute, troubleshoot, and interpret rigorous scientific experiments.* Strong understanding of experimental design and statistical analysis of complex biological datasets, including evaluation of variability, sources of discordance, and development of mechanistic hypotheses.* Research experience in virology, viral immunology, or a related field.* Hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture and cell-based viral, infectivity, functional antibody, or neutralization assays.* Strong scientific documentation skills, including preparation of methods, protocols, technical reports, and research records.* Evidence of scientific productivity through publications, presentations, abstracts, or similar research outputs.* Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.* Ability to work independently and collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary teams.* Commitment to laboratory safety, biosafety, training, and documentation requirements.* Strong interest in publishing research and presenting at scientific meetings.* Ability to translate experimental findings into mechanistic insights, analytical recommendations, and publication-quality scientific communications.**Preferred Experience and Skills:*** Experience developing, optimizing, or characterizing virus neutralization or infectivity assays.* Experience with one or more of the following: infectious/live-virus assays, reporter virus particles, recombinant viral particles, pseudovirus systems, or other surrogate-virus platforms.* Experience applying Design of Experiments, multifactorial experimental design, response-surface methods, or related statistical optimization approaches.* Proficiency with one or more scientific data-analysis environments, such as R, Python, JMP, Prism, or comparable statistical and visualization tools.* Experience with high-throughput, automated, or imaging-based cell-assay workflows.**Scientific and Professional Development Opportunity:**The fellow will be encouraged to develop an independent scientific voice within a collaborative mentorship environment. The primary mentor will provide strategic guidance while fostering the fellow’s ability to generate hypotheses, make scientific decisions, and lead publication efforts. Fellows are expected and encouraged to publish in peer-reviewed journals, present at scientific conferences, and share their work through internal seminars, monthly postdoctoral forums, and the annual Research and Development Division's Postdoctoral Symposium, subject to applicable scientific review and clearance processes.*The salary range for this role is:* *$82,000- $92,000* *This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this 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.* *We offer a comprehensive package of 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.***Required Skills:**Academic Research, Cell Culture Techniques, Immunoassays, Laboratory Safety, Scientific Data Analysis, Scientific Presentations, Scientific Research, Virology**Preferred Skills:**Current Employees apply HERECurrent Contingent Workers apply HERE**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. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.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 RightsEEOC GINA SupplementWe 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.Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts**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:**Regular**Relocation:**Domestic**VISA Sponsorship:**Yes**Travel Requirements:**10%**Flexible Work Arrangements:**Not Applicable**Shift:**Not Indicated**Valid Driving License:**No**Hazardous Material(s):**N/A**Job Posting End Date:**10/12/2026**\\*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.**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.