USA - Pennsylvania - West Point, United States of America
Onsite
Job Description
Shape the Future of Vaccine Innovation
We are seeking an internationally recognized scientific leader to join our Vaccines & Advanced Biotechnologies Process R&D (VAX PR&D) organization as a Distinguished Scientist (Executive Director equivalent). This is a unique opportunity to drive scientific strategy, advance breakthrough vaccine technologies, and influence the development and commercialization of life-saving medicines that improve global health.
As a key member of the VAX PR&D Leadership Team, you will help define the future of vaccine drug substance development and manufacturing across a diverse and innovative portfolio, spanning established and emerging modalities including protein subunits, polysaccharide conjugates, viral vectors, VLPs, RNA platforms, and beyond.
Our department is responsible for the process development and clinical manufacturing of drug substances and adjuvant bulk across the entire vaccine pipeline—from preclinical through commercial process development. We are part of the Development Sciences Clinical Supply organization, enabling CMC development and clinical manufacturing for programs that address some of the world's most pressing health challenges.
If you are passionate about scientific excellence, innovation, and mentoring the next generation of leaders while advancing vaccine technologies that have meaningful global impact, we invite you to explore this opportunity.
The Opportunity
In this highly visible leadership role, you will serve as the scientific architect for vaccine drug substance process development and clinical manufacturing. You will establish and drive a forward-looking scientific strategy while enabling the successful progression of our vaccine pipeline.
Key responsibilities include:
Strategic Scientific Leadership
Enterprise Collaboration & Influence
External Scientific Engagement
Technical Excellence & Program Advancement
Talent Development & Culture
Required Qualifications
Education
Experience
Technical Expertise
Experience with major expression systems and cell substrates, including:
Experience across a range of vaccine and biologics modalities, including:
Preferred Qualifications
The ideal candidate will be recognized as a leading authority in vaccine or biologics process development, with evidence of scientific impact and external recognition.
Examples include:
Why Join Us?
This is more than a leadership role—it's an opportunity to leave a lasting mark on global public health.
You will:
Join us and help transform groundbreaking science into life-changing vaccines for millions of people worldwide.
Required Skills:
Bioprocessing, Bioproducts, Cross-Functional Teamwork, Detail-Oriented, Evaluating New Technologies, Exercises Judgment, Good Laboratory Practices (GLPs), Innovation, Mentoring Staff, Process Scale Up, Professional Networking, Protein Characterization, Protein Purifications, Scientific Analysis, Scientific Leadership, StrategizingPreferred 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:
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.
Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts
The salary range for this role is
$210,400.00 - $331,100.00This 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:
RegularRelocation:
Domestic/InternationalVISA Sponsorship:
YesTravel Requirements:
10%Flexible Work Arrangements:
Not ApplicableShift:
1st - DayValid Driving License:
NoHazardous Material(s):
N/AJob Posting End Date:
08/7/2026*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.
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