Senior Scientist, Analytical R&D (Onsite)

MSD; Rahway (NJ); On-site; USD 117,000 - 184,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision care

401(k) Retirement plan

Paid holidays

Vacation

Sick days

Job summary

Merck & Co., Inc. in Rahway, NJ, seeks a Senior Scientist to develop analytical methodologies for drug substances and a wide range of dosage forms. You will apply LC/MS, NMR, and other techniques, contributing to regulatory submissions and trial support.

You will collaborate with a global team, lead innovative analyses, and advance drug development in a GMP environment. Travel 5-10% is required.

Qualifications

• PhD or Master with relevant pharma experience required.
• Strong technical problem solving and publications expected.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; leadership and collaboration needed.

Responsibilities

• Develop innovative analytical methodologies for early- to late-phase programs for drug substances and dosage forms.
• Contribute to regulatory submissions and support clinical trials.
• Collaborate across teams to advance drug development using analytical characterization and data analysis.

Skills

Analytical Method Development

Assay Development

Bioanalytical Analysis

Chemistry

Drug Development

GMP Environments

Innovative Thinking

Liquid Chromatography (LC)

Mass Spectrometry (MS)

Method Development

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)

Pharmaceutical Industry

Regulatory Submissions

Strategic Thinking

Technical Writing

Education

PhD in Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Science, or related discipline

Master’s degree in Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or related discipline + 3 years pharma experience

Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or related discipline + 7 years industry experience

Tools

LC/GC instrumentation

Mass Spectrometry hardware

Job description

Job Description The Pharmaceutical Analytical Sciences group has an opening for a Senior Scientist based in Rahway, NJ. Join us and experience our culture first-hand - one of strong ethics & integrity, diversified experiences, exceptional science, and a resounding passion for improving human health through innovative drug delivery technologies and predictive analytical tools. As part of our global team, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with talented and dedicated colleagues while developing and expanding your career. In your role as Senior Scientist, you will be part of a team developing innovative analytical methodologies for early-to late-phase programs with application to drug substance and a broad array of drug product dosage forms, combination products, and modalities through analytical characterization, imaging tools, and data analysis. You would also contribute towards regulatory submissions to enable clinical trials.

Travel Requirements

5-10% Travel.

Education Minimum Requirements

Applicants must hold one of:

• PhD in Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Science, or related discipline.
• Master’s degree in Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or related discipline plus at least 3 years of pharmaceutical industry experience.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or related discipline, plus at least 7 years of industry experience.

Required Experience and Skills

• A proven record of strong technical problem solving and innovative research experience, supported by scientific publications.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Strong leadership, collaboration, and interpersonal skills.

Preferred Experience and Skills

• Experience in one or more of the following areas is preferred: Experience with large molecule characterization (oligonucleotides, enzymes, peptides, etc.).
• Chromatography (e.g., LC, GC) method development, analysis, and troubleshooting.
• Other advanced analytical techniques such as mass spectrometry or dissolution.
• Data science.

Required Skills

• Analytical Method Development
• Assay Development
• Bioanalytical Analysis
• Chemistry
• Drug Development
• GMP Environments
• Innovative Thinking
• Liquid Chromatography (LC)
• Mass Spectrometry (MS)
• Method Development
• Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)
• Pharmaceutical Industry
• Regulatory Submissions
• Strategic Thinking
• Technical Writing

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities.

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 primary location for this posting is: USA - New Jersey - Rahway Where required by law, the compensation range for this role is provided below.

The salary range for the primary location of this role is: $117,000.00 - $184,200.00

This range reflects the Company's reasonable expectation of the base salary applicable to this role at the time of 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.

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

More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.

Additional location(s): Please note the salary range above applies to the Primary Location of the position. Where a role has other listed locations, different compensation guidelines may apply. You may find the salary ranges for additional locations below. If the salary range is not listed for the location you are applying to, our Talent Acquisition team will provide further information to you relevant to your location.

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: No Travel Requirements: No Travel Required Flexible Work Arrangements: Not Applicable Shift: 1st - Day Valid Driving License: No Hazardous Material(s): n/a

Job Posting End Date: 11/22/2026 *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.