Associate Director, Data Science & Scientific Informatics

Job Description

Our team is a diverse collection of data scientists, bioinformaticians, and engineers, all working towards the same goal – enabling and accelerating the next generation of pharmaceutical sciences. We collaborate closely with laboratory and in silico scientists, proposing and implementing innovative solutions that enable new organizational capabilities.

Scientists in the Data Science Realization Team (DSRT) within the Data Science and Scientific Informatics group develop techniques for quantitative analysis of multi-dimensional, multi-modal datasets, focused on both the acceleration of scientific and operational activities supporting drug development. The team considers a wide range of data types, including genomic, imaging, high & low-throughput assays, and unstructured data, as well as numerous modalities within each. The DSRT is dedicated to solving high-impact, high-priority issues using any of the most appropriate tools and methods available, and thus will require a broad perspective to problem-solving, with a strong collaborative network to leverage deep expertise throughout the company.

This role will serve a leadership position within the DSRT, particularly related to interfacing with internal collaborators and rapidly assessing the data science dimensions of our scientific collaborators’ needs. This position will require a proven ability to quickly understand both complex business & scientific problems, an awareness of data science tools and resources that exist to solve them, and experience transitioning successful projects to collaborators and partners. A successful applicant for this role will have demonstrated success in coaching and mentoring a team of data scientists, with a focus on troubleshooting both project-focused and technical challenges, career development, and fostering a diverse and inclusive community of data professionals. A successful applicant should also be proficient in applying machine learning, statistics, descriptive analytics, predictive modeling, and data mining techniques to extract and automate extraction of meaningful information from high-dimensional, multi-modality datasets. The position will collaborate with a team of multidisciplinary scientists, clinicians and IT personnel across the entire breadth of the pharmaceutical pipeline, from discovery to clinical assessment. The position presents an opportunity to apply cutting-edge data analysis techniques to an emerging field with exciting and impactful applications in drug discovery and development.

Minimum education and Experience:

• Masters or PhD degree in biomedical engineering, applied math, computational biology, computer science, chemistry, physics, computer engineering, and related disciplines.

Required Experience and Skills:

• Proficiency in one or more of the following languages or software packages: python, Matlab, or R.

• Ability to quickly integrate new technologies and approaches, plus convey their value to collaborators.

• Proficiency with statistics, statistical inference, algorithm development, and/or probabilistic modeling.

• Team player, yet able to work independently and operate effectively in a matrixed environment.

• Flexibility to suggest, implement, and revise organizational and operational modes for combining emergent and lower-priority tasks.

• Strong collaboration and communication skills across technical disciplines.

• Proven record of team mentorship and coaching, with an emphasis on career development.

• Version control and related code reproducibility practices (git, documentation, etc.).

• Planned 10-20% travel.

Preferred Experience and Skills (‘nice-to-haves’):

• Familiarity with structured data sources, such as SQL, postgres, mongoDB, neo4j, or BigTable.

• Familiarity with XML, json, RESTful, and/or SOAP APIs.

• Familiarity with handling of un-structured data sources, with methods such as text parsing, regex, natural language pre-processing, and OCR.

• Experience in distributed or cloud computing environments.

• Domain knowledge and experience with curation and/or analysis of biomedical, drug discovery, clinical or human health data.

• Familiarity with biomedical ontologies, data dictionaries and best practices of working with data (for example, FAIR and ALCOA standards).

• Practical experience with complex analytical methods (quantitative modeling, causal inference, feature selection, Bayesian statistics, etc.).

Our Support Functions deliver services and make recommendations about ways to enhance our workplace and the culture of our organization. Our Support Functions include HR, Finance, Information Technology, Legal, Procurement, Administration, Facilities and Security.

Who we are …

We are known as Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, 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 …

In a world of rapid innovation, we seek brave Inventors who want to make an Impact in all aspects of our business, enabling breakthroughs that will affect generations to come. We encourage you to bring your disruptive thinking, collaborative spirit and diverse perspective to our organization. Together we will continue Inventing For Life, Impacting Lives while Inspiring Your Career Growth.

Invent. Impact. Inspire.

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.

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

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. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

For more information about personal rights under Equal Employment Opportunity, visit:

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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.

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully
Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Kenilworth, 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:

Relocation:

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Number of Openings:

Requisition ID:R115138