Job Description

The Associate Director Clinical Scientist provides scientific leadership across multiple assigned clinical studies, indications, or a clinical development program within the assigned therapeutic area. This role partners with Clinical Directors, Study Managers, Clinical Operations, Medical Monitoring, Data Management, Statistics, and Regulatory colleagues to ensure scientific integrity, operational quality, and strategic alignment across related studies.

The Associate Director Clinical Scientist applies expertise in disease biology, clinical research, and drug development to guide study design, clinical data review, interpretation of results, and generation of scientific insights across assigned studies or indications. The role supports consistent execution, evidence generation, and development decisions that advance protocol objectives and the broader clinical development strategy.

Job Responsibilities

Clinical Development & Scientific Leadership

• Serve as the lead Clinical Scientist across multiple assigned clinical studies, indications, or key components of a clinical development program, providing scientific oversight from study planning through analysis and reporting
• Lead or contribute to the development of clinical protocols, protocol amendments, informed consent forms, case report forms, data review plans, and other study-related documents across assigned studies or indications
• Partner with Clinical Directors and cross-functional study teams to ensure study objectives, endpoints, and assessments are aligned across studies and support the broader clinical development strategy
• Maintain knowledge of evolving scientific literature, treatment guidelines, competitive developments, and emerging therapies within the therapeutic area
• Provide scientific leadership and consistency across related studies, ensuring alignment of study design, execution, data interpretation, and deliverables within the assigned program or indication strategy
• Contribute to clinical development strategy by integrating scientific evidence, competitive intelligence, clinical practice trends and emerging data to inform development decisions

Clinical Data Review & Scientific Insights

• Lead ongoing review and interpretation of clinical data to assess patient safety, protocol adherence, data quality, and study conduct
• Collaborate with Medical Monitors and Clinical Directors to evaluate safety signals, protocol deviations, patient profiles, laboratory findings, and efficacy outcomes
• Analyze and interpret clinical trial data to identify meaningful trends and generate scientific insights that support study deliverables
• Contribute to study reports, regulatory documents, publications, scientific presentations, and internal governance materials

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate closely with Clinical Operations, Data Management, Programming, Biostatistics, and Regulatory Affairs to support high-quality study execution and delivery
• Provide scientific expertise and guidance to study teams and mentor junior clinical scientists as appropriate
• Effectively communicate complex scientific concepts and study findings to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Influence decisions and drive alignment within a matrix-based global organization

Key Focus Areas

• Strong understanding of autoimmune diseases including, pathophysiology, and treatment paradigms for immune-mediated diseases
• Ability to interpret efficacy, safety, biomarker, and patient-reported outcome data within the context of disease-specific endpoints and evolving standards of care
• Experience conducting medical review of clinical trial data and contributing to safety and efficacy assessments
• Ability to translate scientific findings into actionable insights that support clinical development strategy
• Demonstrated scientific curiosity and commitment to staying current with advancements in immunology research, disease mechanisms, and emerging treatment approaches

Education & Experience

Required

• Advanced degree (PharmD, PhD, MD, DO, PA or ANRP) and 2+ years of demonstrated clinical science experience -OR-
• Master’s degree in a life science discipline and 6+ years of clinical science experience -OR-
• Bachelor’s degree in life sciences discipline and 9+ years of clinical science experience
• Experienced with:
  • Protocol development
  • Clinical data review
  • Medical monitoring support
  • Cross-functional drug development teams

Preferred

• Experience in Immunology clinical development

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Preferred Skills:

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The salary range for this role is

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

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