Principal Scientist, Upstream Development

Merck · Rahway, NJ

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CMCFull-time$173k–$273kCompany career page

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Role summary

Merck seeks a Principal Scientist for upstream biologics process development within their research organization. The role involves leading cell culture process development for clinical and commercial biotherapeutics, advancing platform strategies, and supervising junior scientists while collaborating across internal and external partners.

What they're looking for

Ph.D. with 8+ years industry experience, or Master's with 10+ years, or Bachelor's with 14+ years in chemical/bioengineering or related field
Proven track record in upstream process and technology development with scientific publications and presentations
Hands-on experience with CHO fed-batch cell culture and bioreactor systems across scales
Working knowledge of cell culture media, CHO biology, DOE statistics, and computational fluid dynamics
Ability to direct planning, execution, and documentation of cell culture process development stages
Demonstrated staff development and team leadership capabilities in matrixed environments
Knowledge of biologics CMC development cycle and regulatory pathways

What you'll be doing

Lead upstream process development for first-in-human and commercial biologic processes with focus on yield, robustness, and scalability
Provide technical direction for process characterization, commercialization, and regulatory filing activities toward PPQ and BLA approvals
Champion process improvement initiatives and upstream platform technical strategy advancement
Supervise, coach, and educate junior scientists while facilitating cross-functional team collaboration
Evaluate and integrate new technologies through external partnerships with academia, industry, and vendors

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