Principal Scientist – Multiscale Separations Team Lead

MSD Malaysia; Rahway (NJ); On-site; USD 157,000 - 247,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision healthcare

401(k) retirement

Paid holidays

Vacation

Sick days

Job summary

Merck & Co., Inc. in Rahway, NJ, seeks a Principal Scientist to lead purification and analytical chromatography capabilities across small molecules, peptides, ADCs, and biologics.

The role combines scientific leadership with hands-on execution to advance Separation Sciences capabilities. The successful candidate will oversee chromatographic purification, analytical separations, impurity isolation, and digital workflow improvements while mentoring teams and collaborating across Process Chemistry

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Chemistry or related scientific discipline with extensive industrial experience in pharma/biotech.
• M.S. in Chemistry or related discipline with substantial relevant experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide scientific leadership in purification and separation sciences.
• Guide laboratory operations, safety, and quality across projects.
• Drive capability development, innovation, and technology transfer.
• Mentor scientists and staff across multiple modalities and programs.

Skills

HPLC

SFC

Analytical chemistry

Purification

Laboratory leadership

Mentoring

Automation-enabled workflows

LIMS

Education

Ph.D. in Chemistry or related

M.S. in Chemistry or related

Tools

LIMS

Automation platforms

Job description

Job Description We are seeking a Principal Scientist to join our Separations Sciences team, within the Analytical Enabling Capabilities Organization, located in Rahway, New Jersey. The successful candidate will provide scientific leadership and operational oversight for purification and analytical chromatography capabilities supporting the development pipeline programs across multiple modalities, including small molecules, peptides, anti-body drug conjugates, adjuvants, biologics and other molecular entities. This role requires hands on, deep technical expertise in both HPLC (multiple retention mechanisms) and SFC and demonstrated experience supporting a broad range of purification workflows, including targeted isolation to enable structure activity relationship (SAR) and structural elucidation studies, target enrichment to support impurity characterization and identification and structure function characterization, chiral/achiral separations to enable API control strategy and GMP toxicology deliveries. The role combines laboratory leadership, scientific expertise, capability development, scientific mentoring, and cross-functional collaboration to ensure the delivery of high-quality purification and analytical support for project teams. The Principal Scientist will contribute to the advancement of Separation Sciences capabilities through the implementation of relevant innovative technologies, development of scientific talent, optimization of existing workflows, establishing novel workflows to address emerging pipeline opportunities, and partnership with colleagues across process chemistry, discovery process chemistry and adjacent functions. The selected individual will serve as a recognized subject matter expert while contributing to project, departments, capability strategies that enhance the effectiveness and impact of the organization.

Primary Responsibilities May Include Scientific Leadership and Laboratory Delivery

Serve as a recognized subject matter expert in purification and separation sciences, providing scientific leadership and contributing to purification and analytical activities that enable the development pipeline. Provide technical leadership and expertise in chromatographic purification, analytical separations, impurity isolation, and related technologies, while guiding resolution of complex scientific and operational challenges. Foster a culture of scientific excellence, operational efficiency, safety, and quality throughout laboratory operations.

Capability Development and Innovation

Partner with DSCS digital technologies (DDT) to drive and implement innovative technologies, laboratory informatics platforms, automation-enabled purification workflows, and digital capabilities that enhance the effectiveness, efficiency, and impact of Separation Sciences capabilities. Establish best practices, drive continuous improvement initiatives, and contribute to capability roadmaps aligned with CMC needs.

Talent development and Mentorship

Partner with the Director of Separation Sciences to identify, recruit, mentor, and develop scientists and laboratory staff, building both technical expertise and leadership capability across the organization. Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing environment that supports employee development, succession planning, and scientific excellence.

Cross-Functional Collaboration and Influence

Partner closely with key partners in Process Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Analytical Sciences, Automation, Informatics, IT, and other research functions to support project progression and capability development. Serve as a trusted scientific partner to project teams, contributing purification and analytical expertise to project strategy and departmental initiatives.

Operations and Infrastructure Leadership

Partner in laboratory operations, instrumentation strategy, capital planning, and implementation of automation and digital solutions that improve scientific productivity. Partner with Facilities, Procurement, Engineering, IT, and external vendors to ensure reliable laboratory operations, regulatory compliance, and continuous capability advancement.

External Scientific Engagement

Maintain awareness of emerging technologies and scientific advances in separation sciences and chromatography, contributing to our company's scientific reputation through publications, presentations, collaborations, and external engagement.

Education Minimum Requirement

Ph.D. in Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemical Engineering, or a related scientific discipline with a minimum of 8 years of relevant industrial experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or related drug development and research environment.

Education Minimum Requirement Continued

M.S. in Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemical Engineering, or a related scientific discipline with 10-12 years of relevant industrial experience in a pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or related drug discovery research environment.

Required Experience and Skills

Extensive experience in chromatographic purification and analytical separations supporting drug development programs, with expertise in HPLC, uHPLC, LCMS, SFC, and preparative chromatography technologies. Working knowledge of orthogonal detection technologies, including PDA, Multi-angle light scattering, charged aerosol detection etc. Demonstrated hands‑on experience delivering purification solutions across a broad range of scales (µg to kg), enabling seamless translation from early-stage experimentation through larger-scale execution. Demonstrated experience supporting multiple therapeutic modalities, including small molecules, peptides, adjuvants, and other emerging modalities. Demonstrated ability to provide scientific leadership, influence technical direction, and deliver results through a laboratory-based scientific capability, including scientific leadership in chromatography, separation sciences, analytical chemistry. Experience implementing new technologies, laboratory informatics platforms, LIMS solutions, automation-enabled purification workflows, digital workflows, instrumentation, and process improvements. Experience mentoring, and developing scientific staff, with strong communication, collaboration, and organizational skills. Demonstrated commitment to safety, quality, and operational excellence.

Preferred Experience and Skills

Track record of cross-functional and cross-site scientific leadership, capability deployment, technology transfer, and successful collaboration across purification networks including internal and external CDMOs, scientific disciplines, and research organizations. Experience in mass spectrometry and its application in MS-directed chromatographic purification. Experience partnering with IT, Informatics, Automation, Facilities, Procurement, and external vendors to develop and advance scientific capabilities. Experience with laboratory capital planning, laboratory build-out, infrastructure strategy, or management of scientific instrumentation portfolios. Publications, presentations, patents, or other evidence of external scientific engagement and professional visibility. Pharmaceutical cGMP experience is a plus.

Required Skills

Analytical Method Development, Assay Development, Bioanalytical Analysis, Chromatographic Techniques, Clinical Judgment, Cross-Functional Teamwork, Dosage Forms, Ethical Compliance, Liquid Chromatography (LC), Matrix Management, Mentoring Staff, Method Validation, Personal Initiative, Stability Testing, Technical Writing

Preferred Skills

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 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. Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

The salary range for this role is $156,900.00 - $247,000.00. 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. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.

Benefits

• medical
• dental
• vision healthcare
• other insurance benefits (for employee and family)
• retirement benefits, including 401(k)
• paid holidays
• vacation
• compassionate and sick days

The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting. 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/International
• 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: 10/30/2026

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.