Senior Lead Scientist, Antibody Discovery & Innovation

CamWebDir; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 176,000 - 277,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Long-term incentive

Job summary

Merck & Co., Inc. in South San Francisco seeks a Principal Scientist to lead in vivo antibody discovery efforts, guiding strategies from hit identification to candidate selection.

You will expand technology platforms, collaborate with therapeutic-area scientists, and mentor high-performance teams while advancing pipeline goals. This role emphasizes inclusive leadership, external scientific contributions, and timely delivery in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in antibody drug discovery supporting therapeutic programs.
• Depth of knowledge in adaptive immunity and B-cell biology.
• Track record of driving scientific and platform innovations.
• Experience leading therapeutic antibody discovery campaigns.
• Track record of leading high-performance teams.
• Established external reputation through publications, presentations, and/or scientific community engagement.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Responsibilities

• Provide holistic leadership for in vivo antibody discovery strategies encompassing operations, innovation, and externalization
• Propose and lead technology development initiatives for in vivo de novo antibody discovery to increase candidate hit quality and decrease timelines
• Lead and participate in cross-functional discovery project teams in partnership with therapeutic area scientists
• As a member of the Antibody Generation leadership team, will work across groups within Discovery Biologics and with departments across Our Company’s enterprise to set and deliver on our strategic goals in pipeline advancement, scientific excellence, and talent development
• Foster a high-performance growth mindset culture of collaboration, engagement, self-accountability, and inclusion
• Stay abreast of external advancements in relevant scientific and technology fields
• Promote the external reputation of our company’s Discovery Biologics department

Skills

Antibody Discovery

Antibody Therapeutics

B Cells

Biochemistry

Biologics

Biophysics

Immune Response

People Management

Program Leadership

Structural Biology

Education

Ph.D. (8+ years) in biophysics/biochemistry/structural biology

Job description

Merck & Co., Inc. in South San Francisco seeks a Principal Scientist to lead in vivo antibody discovery efforts, guiding strategies from hit identification to candidate selection.

You will expand technology platforms, collaborate with therapeutic-area scientists, and mentor high-performance teams while advancing pipeline goals. This role emphasizes inclusive leadership, external scientific contributions, and timely delivery in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.