Senior LAI Formulation Scientist

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

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision benefits

401(k) retirement plan

Job summary

Merck & Co., Inc. in Rahway, NJ, is seeking a Principal Scientist to lead long-acting injectable (LAI) formulation programs, including depot and sustained‑release systems, across small molecules, peptides, and biologics.

You will provide scientific leadership to cross‑functional teams, shape LAI strategy, guide development from preclinical through commercialization, mentor junior scientists, and advance QbD, scale‑up, and regulatory readiness.

Qualifications

• Ph.D./M.S./B.S. in Pharmaceutics, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemical Engineering or related field.
• Experience leading LAI formulation development and lifecycle management.
• Strong background in QbD, DOE, and regulatory readiness.

Responsibilities

• Serve as principal‑level LAI formulation scientist, leading design and lifecycle management of long‑acting injectable products.
• Lead LAI strategy development, including depot, sustained‑release and device integration.
• Provide scientific leadership on cross‑functional program teams across formulation, manufacturing and regulatory.
• Design and interpret studies on release kinetics, stability, and performance; assess drug‑polymer interactions; control particle size.
• Support scalable manufacturing processes, design space, and technology transfer to GMP facilities.
• Define CQAs and CPPs; support clinical strategy and regulatory submissions.
• Mentor junior scientists and foster capability development in LAI formulation science.

Skills

Adaptability

Cell Culture Process Development

Cell Line Development

Drug Delivery

Drug Development

Pharmaceutical Process Development

Product Development Lifecycle

Leadership Mentoring

Education

Ph.D. with 7+ years industry experience

M.S. with 10+ years

B.S. with 14+ years

Job description

Merck & Co., Inc. in Rahway, NJ, is seeking a Principal Scientist to lead long-acting injectable (LAI) formulation programs, including depot and sustained‑release systems, across small molecules, peptides, and biologics.

You will provide scientific leadership to cross‑functional teams, shape LAI strategy, guide development from preclinical through commercialization, mentor junior scientists, and advance QbD, scale‑up, and regulatory readiness.