Associate Principal Scientist, Computational and Structural Chemistry

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Job description

Job Description

If this position will be based in the US or Puerto Rico (not applicable to positions based outside of US or Puerto Rico): Subject to applicable law, all prospective hires will be required to demonstrate that they have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or intend to be vaccinated for COVID-19 by November 1, 2021, or qualify for a medical or religious accommodation to this vaccination requirement. Hired candidates who are not vaccinated by November 1, 2021, and who have not been approved for a legally-required medical or religious accommodation will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment, subject to applicable law.

Our Research Scientists are our Inventors. We identify and target steps in disease mechanisms or pathways that could be inhibited or enhanced. Our goal is to isolate a compound that is effective against a disease target. Using innovative thinking, state-of-the-art facilities and robust scientific methodology we collaborate to discover the next medical breakthrough.

We are seeking a creative, self-motivated structural biologist with exceptional interpersonal and problem-solving skills to join the Computational and Structural Chemistry (CSC) group in Kenilworth, NJ, USA. CSC is a diverse and inclusive team of approximately 110 structural scientists, computational chemists, informaticians, mass spectrometrists, biophysicists, and protein scientists who employ state of the art capabilities to drive drug design. We are an integral arm of both discovery and process chemistry and collaborate seamlessly with teams around the globe to innovate and invent better molecules faster. We are looking for an accomplished structural biologist to support drug discovery through the generation and analysis of Cryo-EM atomic structures of therapeutically important protein targets. The successful candidate will join our growing CSC team and be responsible for all aspects of the structural biology process, from sample preparation and data collection through data processing and structure determination.

The successful candidate will be capable of advancing their own work and that of other scientists that they oversee in the context of drug discovery projects goals; contribute to hypotheses generation related to chemistry project and derived from structural information; designing experiments required to test hypotheses or recommend decisions based on a wholistic understanding of the project. To achieve those goals, the structural scientist will establish a strong network of internal interactions across locations but also to leverage external collaborations to keep our team at the cutting edge of evolution in the Cryo-EM and structure based drug discovery fields.

Consistently cited as a great place to work, our Company employs talented people who discover, develop, manufacture, and market a wide range of vaccines and medicines to address unmet medical needs. Each of us is joined by an extraordinary sense of purpose - bringing our Company's finest achievements to people worldwide. Our Company in Kenilworth campus is located within commuting distance from New York City. This proximity allows for close interactions with the quickly expanding Cryo-EM community in all specialized fields as well as the structural biology community at large, giving easy access to the latest developments in the field.

Education Minimum Requirement:

PhD degree in structural biology with 3 or more years of experience in an industrial setting (pharmaceutical or biotech company);

M.S. in chemistry, biochemistry, biophysics or related field with 7+ years of experience in an industrial setting; or

B.S. in chemistry, biochemistry, biophysics or a related field with 10+ years of experience in an industrial setting

Required Experience and Skills:

• At least 3 years of Cryo-EM experience with demonstrated experience in sample preparation, data collection, image processing & structure determination for atomic resolution single particle Cryo-EM.
• Excellent communication skills (written, presentation, and oral) that enhance team-based progress is required.
• Demonstrated potential to lead projects and collaborate with scientists outside of their field of expertise.
• Ability to drive external scientific interactions by publishing in peer-reviewed journals, presenting in external scientific meetings and/or establishing external collaborations.
• Demonstrated potential to manage and mentor other scientists in structural biology.
• Ability to work effectively and flexibly within timelines.

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• Experience with microscope setup, operations and maintenance.
• Experience with cryoSPARC live data processing software.
• Experience with biophysical and functional characterization methods (e.g. SPR, NMR, thermal shift and calorimetric assays) to guide construct design and optimization of solution conditions for successful structural outcomes.
• Experience with structure determination of antigen:antibody complexes.
• Experience with structure determination of small molecule protein complexes.
• Experience with the application of hybrid structural techniques to answer biological questions.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and subsequent prioritization.
• Experience using computational tools for protein engineering and design.

We are a research-driven biopharmaceutical company. Our mission is built on the simple premise that if we "follow the science" and that great medicines can make a significant impact to our world. And 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., 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 ...

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.

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:

EEOC Poster

EEOC GINA Supplement

OFCCP EEO Supplement

Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination

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:
Regular

Relocation:
Domestic/International

VISA Sponsorship:
Yes

Travel Requirements:
10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Number of Openings:
1