Senior Scientist, Gene & Cell Therapy, Biologics Discovery & Engineering

Job Description

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 our company has codified its legacy for over a century. Our company's success is backed by ethical integrity, forward momentum, and an inspiring mission to achieve new milestones in global healthcare.

Our company is on a quest for cures and is committed to be the world’s premier, most research-intensive biopharmaceutical company. Today, we’re doubling down on this goal. Our company's Research Laboratories is a true scientific research facility of tomorrow and will take our company's leading discovery capabilities and world-class small molecule and biologics R&D expertise to create breakthrough science that radically changes the way we approach serious diseases.

The Biologics Discovery & Engineering department in Boston, MA is seeking a Senior Scientist to join our Gene & Cell Therapy group and expand our capabilities in the design and engineering of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) based cell therapies. The mission of the group is to invent and develop novel gene and cell therapies to improve and save patient lives. The Gene & Cell Therapy group is part of the Discovery Biologics organization which leverages machine learning, advanced automation, ultra-high throughput in vitro and in vivo technologies, and state-of-the-art characterization methods to develop biologics. We are committed to developing new cell engineering technologies, uncovering new biology, and inventing the next wave of cell therapies to improve human health.

In this role, the successful candidate will contribute directly to the invention of novel gene and cell therapies. They will leverage skills in molecular biology and apply synthetic biology approaches to enable the design and screening of chimeric antigen receptors and immune cells. As part of project teams, they will collaborate across groups to solve complex problems in disease biology and drug discovery. They will attend scientific conferences, contribute to publications, and help to set the group strategy. The successful candidate will join a diverse group of innovative scientists and engineers that are driving the next revolution in biologics discovery and engineering.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct molecular biology and cellular assays to support engineering for cellular potency in vitro and efficacy in vivo

• Collaborate with colleagues in the Gene & Cell Therapy group and across Discovery Biologics to establish selection or screening platforms to rapidly prototype and engineer cells in an iterative design-make-test-learn approach

• Support lab operations and manage efforts with CROs

• Record experimental design and results in electronic lab notebook, summarize findings and plan follow-up experiments

Requirements:

• PhD and/or postdoctoral experience in Molecular Biology, Synthetic Biology, Bioengineering, or a related field or BS +7, MS +5 with experience in CAR engineering

• Broad experience and knowledge in synthetic biology, biological engineering, or cell engineering

• Significant expertise in molecular biology with strong hands-on experience in recombinant DNA technologies

• Experience in mammalian cell line culture

• Demonstrated ability to work in a collaborative multi-disciplinary team environment

• Excellent communication and organizational skills

• Ability to adapt to changing work environments

• Ability to identify problems and propose solutions

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• Experience in high-throughput library design and screening, viral/non-viral transgene delivery, iPSC derived immune cells, and cell line engineering are desired

We are a research-driven biopharmaceutical company. Our mission is built on the simple premise that if we “follow the science” that great medicines can make a significant impact to our world. We believe that a research-driven enterprise dedicated to world-class science can succeed by inventing medicine and vaccine innovations that make a difference for patients across the globe.

Who we are …

We are known as Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, USA in the United States and Canada and MSD everywhere else. For more than a century, we have been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world's most challenging diseases. Today, our company continues to be at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions and advance the prevention and treatment of diseases that threaten people and animals around the world.

What we look for …

Imagine getting up in the morning for a job as important as helping to save and improve lives around the world. Here, you have that opportunity. You can put your empathy, creativity, digital mastery, or scientific genius to work in collaboration with a diverse group of colleagues who pursue and bring hope to countless people who are battling some of the most challenging diseases of our time. Our team is constantly evolving, so if you are among the intellectually curious, join us—and start making your impact today.

NOTICE FOR INTERNAL APPLICANTS

In accordance with Managers' Policy - Job Posting and Employee Placement, all employees subject to this policy are required to have a minimum of twelve (12) months of service in current position prior to applying for open positions.

If you have been offered a separation benefits package, but have not yet reached your separation date and are offered a position within the salary and geographical parameters as set forth in the Summary Plan Description (SPD) of your separation package, then you are no longer eligible for your separation benefits package. To discuss in more detail, please contact your HRBP or Talent Acquisition Advisor.

Residents of Colorado

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New hires in office-based roles in the US & Puerto Rico will be required, subject to applicable law, to demonstrate that they have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or qualify for a medical or religious exemption to this vaccination requirement that can be accommodated without an undue burden to the operation. However, subject to applicable law, employees working in roles that the Company determines require routine collaboration with external stakeholders, such as employees in health services, customer facing commercial, or research based roles, will be required to be fully vaccinated as a condition of employment.

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We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing diverse, talented, and committed people together. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when diverse ideas come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively. We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.

Residents of Colorado:

Click here to request this role’s pay range.

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.

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Requisition ID:R193168