Sr. Scientist, Discovery Oncology

MSD Malaysia; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 119,000 - 188,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision healthcare

Retirement benefits (401k)

Paid holidays

Vacation

Job summary

Merck seeks a highly qualified oncologist/biologist to join the Discovery Oncology team in Boston. You will lead scientific strategy from bench to early discovery, driving mechanistic studies with creative rigor and cross-functional communication.

Requirements include PhD or equivalent (or MS with substantial pharma/biotech experience) and strong molecular biology skills. The role involves collaboration across teams and significant impact on early program decisions.

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent in oncology, biology, biochemistry, immunology, or related STEM discipline required or MS with significant experience.
• MS with 5+ years of experience in pharma/biotech environments is acceptable.
• BS with 7+ years working experience in pharma/biotech setting is also acceptable.

Responsibilities

• Provide scientific leadership from the bench by developing and implementing experimental strategies.
• Drive target validation, pathway interrogation, and mechanistic studies.
• Communicate results effectively to multidisciplinary teams in early discovery.

Skills

Molecular biology

Cell culture techniques

Flow cytometry

qPCR

CRISPR

Immunoassays

Design of Experiments

Independent thinking

Mechanism of Action

Oncology

Target discovery

Education

PhD or equivalent in oncology/biology/biochemistry/immunology

MS with 5+ yrs experience

BS with 7+ yrs experience in pharma/biotech

Tools

None

Job description

We are seeking a highly qualified scientist with a strong background in oncology to join our Discovery Oncology team in Boston. The successful candidate will have a proven track record of innovative, collaborative, and rigorous research. Primary responsibilities include providing scientific leadership from the bench, combining deep cancer biology expertise with creativity and rigor to drive the experimental strategy, and effectively communicating with multidisciplinary teams in the early discovery pipeline.

Responsibilities

• Scientific leadership through the development and implementation of multiple impactful experimental approaches, technologies, or capabilities to drive target validation, pathway interrogation, and mechanistic studies
• Contribute to therapeutic mechanistic understanding, biomarker discovery, and preclinical candidate characterization
• Monitor, review and critically interpret published literature to guide internal research
• Effectively communicate experimental findings to appropriate stakeholders
• Leverage broad scientific expertise and deep domain knowledge to influence scientific direction

Education

• PhD or equivalent in oncology, biology, biochemistry, immunology, or related STEM discipline and 0 years of experience
• MS with 5+ yrs of experience
• BS with 7+ yrs working experience in a pharma or biotech setting

Required

• Demonstrated ability to work independently to create and drive experimental strategy, interpret data, troubleshoot, and define critical next steps
• Strong experience in molecular and cellular biology techniques with an emphasis on mammalian cell culture, western blot, ELISA/Mesoscale, flow cytometry, qPCR, stable cell line generation, CRISPR
• Strong team player and experienced working with collaborative cross functional teams

Preferred Experience and Skills

• Previous experience working with different therapeutic modalities
• Experience integrating data from multiple experimental approaches to build mechanistic understanding, generate hypotheses, and connect experimental findings to broader program objectives to enable effective decision-making across stakeholders
• Prior oncology research experience #EligibleforERP

Required Skills

• Assay Development
• Biology
• Cancer Therapy
• Cell Culture Techniques
• Design of Experiments (DOE)
• Drug Target Identification
• Flow Cytometry
• Immunoassays
• Independent Thinking
• Mechanism of Action
• Molecular Biology
• Oncology
• Target Discovery

Location Requirements

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

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

Inclusion and Equal Employment

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

Benefits

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

Compensation

The salary range for this role is $119,100.00 - $187,500.00 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.

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

Other Employment Details

Employee Status: Regular

Relocation: Domestic

VISA Sponsorship: Yes

Travel Requirements: 10%

Flexible Work Arrangements: Not Applicable

Shift: Not Indicated

Valid Driving License: No

Hazardous Material(s): Standard lab reagents, BSL2, OEB4, OEB5, Bloodborne pathogens

Company Overview

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.