Principal Scientist, Veterinary Pathology Board Certified

Merck & Co.; West Point (PA); Hybrid; USD 210,000 - 331,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

401(k) with company match

Paid holidays and vacation

Job summary

Merck & Co. in West Point, PA seeks an anatomic pathologist to join a collaborative team within a GLP-compliant facility. The role involves postmortem evaluation, data interpretation, and contributing to safety profiles across drug candidates.

The position requires a DVM and ACVP/ECVP board certification. A hybrid work arrangement is available with strong opportunities for professional growth and regulatory engagement.

Qualifications

• DVM degree and ACVP/ECVP board certification or equivalent required.
• Ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams and lead scientific discussions.

Responsibilities

• Perform routine H&E evaluations to characterize safety profiles.
• Interpret postmortem results and integrate findings into safety assessments.
• Lead/mentor teams on nonclinical toxology studies and biomarker work.
• Communicate postmortem findings to study teams and regulatory stakeholders.
• Provide scientific guidance to technical staff and junior scientists.

Skills

Collaboration

DVM

Board certification

In vivo/in vitro pathology

Postmortem evaluation

Education

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)

ACVP/ECVP board certification or equivalent

Job description

Job Description

Our Company is a leading global biopharmaceutical company with over 130-year history with an inspiring mission to make discoveries that positively impact global healthcare. - Our success is driven by putting patients first, operating with the highest integrity, and committing fully to our vision to make a difference in the lives of people globally. With our different pipeline of oncology, immunology, vaccines, biologics, small molecules, and newer modalities, we are at the forefront of research to advance the prevention and treatment of diseases such as cancer, cardiometabolic diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, eye diseases, and infectious diseases.

Our Company's Research Laboratories' nonclinical safety assessment group at the West Point, Pennsylvania site is seeking an anatomic pathologist to join a highly collaborative team of scientists (12 anatomic pathologists, 3 clinical pathologists, and approximately 40 exceptional laboratory scientists), working at a GLP-compliant facility with state-of-the-art anatomic, molecular and clinical pathology laboratories. Our team works on a different and exciting pipeline, participating in a wide variety of GLP-toxicology study types, many of which are run in-house, in addition to early discovery and investigative studies.

Pathologists at our company are integral members and leaders of collaborative cross functional scientific teams, addressing challenges from early discovery to late development. - Our Company's pathologists provide scientific leadership in the design and conduct of postmortem evaluation of studies and integrate the interpretation of postmortem data into the safety profile of drug candidates. - Our Company's pathologists have different opportunities to learn and grow as professional scientists and drug developers through daily study related activities and collaborative works with different program development teams. -

Key responsibilities for this scientific role include:

• Employ routine H&E evaluations and specialized techniques to characterize the safety profile of new drugs from nonclinical toxicology and investigative studies
• Work independently to create and interpret data, and review relevant literature to determine the significance of postmortem results
• Opportunity for developing in role by gaining sufficient experience/training to serve as Therapeutic Area Pathology Lead, providing scientific input and oversight across studies from very early discovery to late-stage development, following molecules throughout their development cycle
• Communicate with study teams on postmortem findings and participate in projects to elucidate mechanisms of toxicity.
• Provide scientific and technical guidance to technical staff.

Utilize tools and applications available on-site, including:

• An industry-leading suite of on-site in vitro and in vivo assay capabilities
• Access to robust historical control slide archive and data base
• Digital Pathology for primary and peer review pathology evaluations
• Quantitative digital image analysis and targeted machine learning applications
• Transmission electron microscopy
• Special histochemistry, Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization
• Contribute to developing biomarkers and predictive models to de-risk drug candidates for safety-related liabilities

Our Company's pathologists have the opportunity to be mentored as nonclinical safety assessment leads on enterprise-level drug development teams:

• Generating regulatory strategy
• Overseeing the design and execution of nonclinical toxicology studies
• Communicating with global regulatory agencies
• Our Company's pathologists interact closely with each other, share slides and opinions, and help each other learn and grow
• Our company's pathologists work in a hybrid work environment and routinely interact with each other, share slides and opinions/experiences, and help each other learn and grow

Required experience and skills:

• Ability to collaborate with different cross-functional teams
• An opportunity mindset
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
• ACVP or ECVP-board certification or equivalent in anatomic pathology

Preferred experience and skills:

• Proficiency in evaluation and interpretation of toxicology studies
• PhD in Toxicology, Pathology, or related discipline
• Experience as a pathologist in biotech, pharma or CRO
• Knowledge of drug discovery, development and regulatory processes
• Demonstrated growth mindset and potential to contribute to broader scientific influence within a collaborative pathology organization.

Our Company has a commitment to the continued professional development of all colleagues through training opportunities, publications, internal and external presentations, access to internal scientific seminars as well as support for external scientific meetings. With our location along the Northeastern US corridor, there are many opportunities to participate in cross-industry workshops, conferences, direct regulatory interactions and other training or networking opportunities. Imagine what you could achieve at our Company!

We are a research-driven biopharmaceutical company. Our mission is built on the premise that if we "follow the science" great medicines can make a significant impact to our world. We believe that a research-driven enterprise dedicated to world-class science can succeed by inventing medicine and vaccine innovations that make a difference for patients across the globe. -

Required Skills: Autopsy, Autopsy, Biomarker Assay Development, Biopharmaceuticals, Biotechnology, Clinical Assays, Clinical Data Interpretation, Clinical Judgment, Clinical Safety, Clinical Toxicology, Data Generation, Detail-Oriented, Disease Diagnosis, Drug Development, Drug Discovery Research, Drug Research, Early Phase Clinical Trials, Ethical Compliance, Experimental Pathology, Experimentation, Histopathology, Interpersonal Management, In Vitro Research, Laboratory Management, Laboratory Processes {+ 9 more}

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

The salary range for this role is $210,400.00 - $331,100.00

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.

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.

Employee Status:

Regular

Relocation:

Domestic

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

N/A

Job Posting End Date: 09/16/2026

*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.

Requisition ID:

R413011