Associate Scientist, Bio Process

Job Description

ASSOCIATE SCIENTIST/ENGINEER – Upstream Vaccines and Advanced Biotechnologies Process R&D

Our ability to excel depends on the integrity, knowledge, imagination, skill, diversity, and teamwork of an individual like you. To this end, we strive to create an environment of mutual respect, encouragement, and teamwork. As part of our global team, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with talented and dedicated colleagues while developing and expanding your career.

Applications are sought for an opportunity in the Vaccine and Advanced Biotechnologies Process R&D department (VaxPRD), which is part of our company's Research Labs division, Inc. The individual will support our company's discovery & development efforts for Vaccine programs at West Point, PA.

Role Summary:

Vaccines and Advanced Biotechnologies Process R&D (VaxPRD) is responsible for the development and clinical manufacturing of Drug Substance (DS) and Drug Product Intermediates (DPI) for the vaccine and advanced therapy pipeline, spanning from preclinical to commercialization stages. We are part of the Process R&D organization, which enables modality-agnostic DS/DP process development and clinical manufacturing for our company's pipeline. Our vaccines upstream process development team develops safe, scalable, robust, cost-effective upstream processes that enable clinical and commercial manufacture of vaccines and adjuvants across all vaccine modalities. 

Under the direction of the group leader, the individual will be responsible for upstream process development of vaccine candidates. The successful candidate is expected to work with other upstream scientists and engineers, typically focusing on one to two vaccine programs at a time. The candidate must have the ability to work independently and as part of a team, self-motivation, adaptability, and a positive attitude. The candidate must have the ability to learn new techniques, to balance multiple projects, to keep accurate records, to follow instructions, and to comply with company policies. The successful candidate will possess proven ability to work in a hands-on laboratory setting and excellent organization, interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.  

• Execute, and analyze process development experiments to maximize understanding of cell culture and fermentation processes to enable robust vaccine manufacturing. Contribute to developing process control methods and process analytical technologies (PAT).

• Conduct laboratory bench work to execute, optimize, and troubleshoot cell culture and fermentation processes (e.g., shake flasks, bench scale and pilot scale bioreactors).

• Apply data analysis and basic data science approaches (e.g., statistics, design of experiments) to design experiments, interpret datasets, and support process understanding and optimization.

• Contribute to the development and scale‑up of upstream processes from lab scale to pilot scale and support technology transfer to manufacturing scale.

• Perform upstream unit operations as needed, including lab scale cell culture, fermentation, centrifugation, filtration, and in-process assays.

• Maintain and coordinate raw material and equipment inventories; ensure equipment is operated and maintained in a safe, compliant manner.

• Prepare clear technical reports and presentations to summarize and communicate experimental results and recommendations in a collaborative team environment.

• Keep accurate, detailed laboratory records; comply with all required training and maintain a strong focus on laboratory/facility safety for self and team members.

• Analyze, summarize, and present experimental results in a collaborative team environment

Education Minimum Requirement: 

Must have a BS in relevant field:

• Engineering: Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, Biomedical Engineering  

• Science and Technology: Cell Biology, Biological Sciences, Biotechnology, Biochemistry

Required Experience and Skills:

• Must have a basic scientific understanding of fermentation and cell culture bioprocesses.

• Scientific understanding of cell biology for vaccine production including cell metabolism and molecular biology.

• Technical understanding of bioprocess control and scaling principles.

• Position requires employee to be willing to work with infectious agents and/or pathogens.

• Position requires occasional travel and off-hour/weekend work.

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• Prior hands-on bioprocess development experience through academic lab or industry internship/co-op, or prior job role

• Prior experience with lab scale (250 mL-200 L) bioreactors

• Prior experience with fermentation bioprocesses (e.g., E. coli, yeast) or mammalian bioprocesses (e.g., CHO, HEK293, Vero)

• Basic data literacy (statistics, data science, and modeling techniques)

#PRD

Required Skills:

Animal Vaccination, Animal Vaccination, Applied Engineering, Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Bioprocess Design, Bioprocess Engineering, Biotechnology, Cell Culture Process Development, Cell Cultures, Data Science, Detail-Oriented, Downstream Process Development, Fermentation Process Development, Following Instructions, GMP Compliance, Laboratory Techniques, Mammalian Cell Culture, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Process Optimization, Process Scale Up, Process Troubleshooting, Team Collaboration {+ 2 more}

Preferred Skills:

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.

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:

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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.

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The salary range for this role is

$71,900.00 - $113,200.00

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.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits.  Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.

You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.

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

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. 

Employee Status:

Regular

Relocation:

No relocation

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

Yes

Job Posting End Date:

05/22/2026

*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.