Senior Scientist, Engineering- Lab Start-Up and Commercialization

Merck; West Point (PA); Hybrid; USD 117,000 - 184,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck & Co., Inc. in Rahway, NJ, USA, seeks a Biologics Conjugation Senior Scientist to lead startup and operation of new lab capabilities for conjugation within the Biologics S&T portfolio.

The role focuses on building scalable lab processes, state-of-the-art models, and ensuring compliance and safety across activities. You will guide capital planning, asset management, and collaboration with the program team to deliver right-first-time PPQ and regulatory submissions, while driving improvements

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, Biological Engineering, or a related field with six years of relevant industry experience.
• Master's degree in Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, Biological Engineering, or a related field with four years of relevant industry experience.
• Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, Biological Engineering, or a related field with a no minimum relevant knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Scientific Engagement: direct lab scale down model establishment for the portfolio.
• Lab Operations Leadership: manage daily lab operations, scheduling, inventory and metrics.
• Asset Reliability and Capability Leadership: own startup, maintenance, calibration, and root cause analysis.
• Compliance, Safety, and Process Safety: ensure safety, environmental and regulatory compliance.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: partner with internal and external teams to meet goals.
• Project Management: prioritize and deliver complex objectives in a fast-changing environment.
• Innovation: lead continuous improvements and cost-effective solutions.

Skills

Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADC)

Bioconjugation

Bioreactors

Capital Planning

Capital Project Management

cGMP Regulations

Chemical Engineering

Chromatographic Techniques

Conjugation Chemistry

Design of Experiments (DOE)

Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)

Leadership

Laboratory Operations

Process Design

Process Optimization

Process Scale Up

Project Management

Root Cause Investigations

Technology Transfer

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering / Bioengineering / Biological Engineering

Master's degree in Chemical Engineering / Bioengineering / Biological Engineering

Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering /Bioengineering / Biological Engineering

Tools

SAP

Procal

Maximo

QlikSense

Spotfire

Job description

Job Description

Join Our Team as a Biologics Conjugation Senior Scientist! We are seeking a strategic and technical scientist with expertise in laboratory start up and operations ideally in a development & commercialization space to support our ever growing and dynamic late-stage biologics pipeline within the expansive Biologics S&T portfolio.

Job Description

Join Our Team as a Biologics Conjugation Senior Scientist! We are seeking a strategic and technical scientist with expertise in laboratory start up and operations ideally in a development & commercialization space to support our ever growing and dynamic late-stage biologics pipeline within the expansive Biologics S&T portfolio.

Why You'll Love This Role:

As a Sr. Scientist in Biologics Conjugation Commercialization, you’ll be at the forefront of starting up new lab capabilities for conjugation. Setting up systems and processes to help the lab operate efficiently and effectively.

As the laboratory manager, you will troubleshoot and solve problems for the laboratory and operating systems, and help drive capital planning processes and asset management programs. A key deliverable of our commercialization team is to have qualified scale down models for our conjugation processes, and you will be instrumental in design and establishment of those models to support process characterization, right first time PPQ and regulatory filings. You will engage our program team members to understand their needs and continually look to improve operations by developing efficient solutions that will support business objectives and ensure continuity and Safety, and Environmental compliance.

Key Responsibilities:

• Scientific Engagement: Help the Biologics Conjugation Commercialization team with scientific direction and consistent establishment of lab scale down models to be used across our portfolio.
• Lab Operations Leadership: Lead daily lab operations, including scheduling, training, inventory management, tiers and operational metrics to enable efficient experimental execution and continuous improvement.
• Asset Reliability and Capability Leadership: Lead capital asset startup, equipment ownership, project planning, maintenance, calibration, troubleshooting, and root cause failure analysis to ensure laboratory equipment and systems remain reliable, accurate, efficient, and ready for use.
• Compliance, Safety, and Process Safety Leadership: Ensure laboratory activities, systems, and equipment are maintained in compliance with safety, environmental, quality, regulatory, and Process Safety Management requirements, including appropriate controls for work involving potent compounds.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Unite diverse teams to achieve program goals as One Team. Champion compliance and safety; promote a culture of diversity, inclusion, and equity. Experience and aptitude to work, and collaborate in internal and external cross-functional, matrixed teams.
• Project Management: Adaptability and agility to prioritize and deliver complex objectives, often on tight timelines, in a rapidly changing environment.
• Recognition: Celebrate team achievements and foster a culture of appreciation.
• Innovation: Lead business improvement initiatives and leverage your network to drive change.

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, Biological Engineering, or a related field with six (6) years of relevant industry experience. OR
• Master's degree in Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, Biological Engineering, or a related field with four (4) years of relevant industry experience. OR
• Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, Biological Engineering, or a related field with a no minimum relevant knowledge.

What You Bring:

• Ability to lead without authority, build trust, and inspire accountability
• Ethical, resilient, and committed to excellence
• Skilled in risk management, team facilitation, and strategic planning
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder engagement skills
• Sound judgment and issue-resolution mindset,
• Ability to navigate ambiguity, remove barriers, and elevate appropriately to keep work moving.

Preferred Skills:

• Laboratory start-up experience
• In-depth knowledge of conjugation chemistry techniques.
• Experience working in laboratories that handle potent compounds, high-containment materials, or specialized safety controls.
• Experience in pilot or commercial scale manufacturing of biological molecules.
• Familiarity with late-stage process development, process characterization, scale down model qualification, process validation regulatory submissions, and working with external contract organizations.
• Minimum of 3 years experience troubleshooting equipment and utility systems
• Minimum of 3 years experience executing/supporting Capital projects/Project Management
• Understanding of or experience with Capital and Profit Planning Processe
• Experience with Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) software such as SAP, Procal, or Maximo
• Experience in using QlikSense, Spotfire, or other data analytical software
• Experience in performing root cause analysis

Required Skills:

Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADC), Bioconjugation, Bioreactors, Capital Planning, Capital Project Management, cGMP Regulations, Chemical Engineering, Chromatographic Techniques, Clinical Judgment, Conjugation Chemistry, Design of Experiments (DOE), Detail-Oriented, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Influencing Without Authority, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Setup, Leadership, Process Design, Process Optimization, Process Scale Up, Project Development, Project Management, Project Resource Management, Root Cause Investigations, Technology Transfer

US And Puerto Rico Residents Only:

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.

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:

Yes

Travel Requirements:

25%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

09/30/2026

• 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: R415882

The salary range for this role is

$117,000.00 - $184,200.00

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.