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Rahway, New Jersey, United States
Onsite
Job Description
About the Team
At our Company, our scientists are united by a common purpose: applying innovative science to discover medicines that make a meaningful difference for patients. Within Quantitative Biosciences Early Discovery (QBED), we leverage advanced technologies and multidisciplinary collaboration to address challenging therapeutic targets and enable the next generation of drug discovery.
The Affinity Selections team develops and applies mRNA Display and DNA Encoded Library (DEL) technologies to discover peptide and small molecule leads against difficult biological targets. Working closely with colleagues across biology, protein sciences, chemistry, biophysics, automation, and computational sciences, we aim to advance both discovery programs and platform capabilities.
Beyond executing screens, we seek to understand why experiments succeed or fail, identify patterns across campaigns, and continuously improve our technologies, workflows, and scientific approaches.
Position Overview
We are seeking a collaborative scientist to join the Affinity Selections team in Rahway, NJ, with a primary focus on mRNA Display technologies.
The successful candidate will contribute to the execution, optimization, and continued advancement of our affinity-selection platforms while supporting discovery efforts against challenging therapeutic targets. This role requires strong experimental skills, scientific curiosity, and the ability to integrate information from multiple sources to guide scientific decision-making.
Experience with mRNA Display is highly desirable. Candidates with experience in related genotype-to-phenotype discovery technologies are also encouraged to apply.
Primary Responsibilities
Collaboration and Team Culture
We believe scientific excellence is built through both individual contributions and effective teamwork.
We value scientists who:
We are looking for a scientist who is eager to learn, willing to contribute, and motivated to strengthen both our discovery platforms and our team.
Minimum Qualifications
Candidates must meet one of the following:
Required Qualifications
Preferred Skills and Experience
Why Join Us?
This role offers an opportunity to advance industry-leading discovery platforms while working alongside a highly collaborative team dedicated to scientific excellence, innovation, and continuous learning. The successful candidate will contribute to future therapeutic discoveries while helping strengthen the capabilities and impact of the Affinity Selections team.
Required Skills:
Assay Development, Biochemical Assays, Cell Culture Techniques, Drug Target Identification, Immunoassays, Molecular Biology, NGS Data Analysis, Protein Biochemistry, Protein Purifications, Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), Technical Writing DocumentationPreferred 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 primary location for this posting is:
USA - New Jersey - RahwayWhere required by law, the compensation range for this role is provided below.
The salary range for the primary location of this role is:
$117,000.00 - $184,200.00This range reflects the Company's reasonable expectation of the base salary applicable to this role at the time of 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.
Additional location(s): Please note the salary range above applies to the Primary Location of the position. Where a role has other listed locations, different compensation guidelines may apply. You may find the salary ranges for additional locations below. If the salary range is not listed for the location you are applying to, our Talent Acquisition team will provide further information to you relevant to your location.
Additional location(s) Compensation Information:
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:
DomesticVISA Sponsorship:
NoTravel Requirements:
No Travel RequiredFlexible Work Arrangements:
Not ApplicableShift:
Not IndicatedValid Driving License:
NoHazardous Material(s):
NAJob Posting End Date:
11/4/2026*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.