Associate Principal Scientist, Immunology Discovery

Merck · San Diego (science Park Road), CA

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ResearchFull-time$142k–$224kCompany career page

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Role summary

Associate Principal Scientist position in immunology discovery at Merck focused on leading translational research activities. The role involves designing experiments with primary immune cells and patient samples, developing disease models, and generating decision-enabling data packages to support drug target validation and clinical advancement.

What they're looking for

Bachelor's degree with 13+ years, Master's with 9+ years, or Ph.D. with 5+ years in immunology or related field
Strong foundation in immunology, inflammation, autoimmunity, or immune-mediated disease biology
Demonstrated ability to independently design, troubleshoot, and interpret complex biological experiments
Hands-on experience with primary cell culture, immune-cell assays, co-culture systems, or tissue models
Ability to analyze biological and translational assay data and design follow-up studies
Clear communication of complex science to multidisciplinary teams and effective cross-functional collaboration

What you'll be doing

Design, execute, and interpret translational experiments to validate immunology and autoimmunity therapeutic targets
Develop disease-relevant in vitro, ex vivo, and patient-derived tissue models for mechanistic understanding
Integrate multi-omics, pharmacology, and biomarker data to connect target biology with disease pathophysiology
Generate decision-enabling data packages supporting target prioritization, candidate progression, and biomarker hypotheses
Mentor junior scientists and represent function on cross-functional project teams

Key requirements

Therapeutic area: Immunology

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