Job Description

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Biologics Formulation and Drug Delivery

Our Company is a global health care leader with a portfolio of prescription medicines, vaccines, and consumer health products, as well as animal health products. Today, we are building a new kind of healthcare company, one that is ready to help create a healthier future for all of us. Our ability to excel depends on the integrity, knowledge, imagination, skill, and teamwork of people like you. To this end, we strive to create an environment of mutual respect, encouragement, and teamwork.

Our company's Research Laboratories Division’s Pharmaceutical Sciences and Device Development (PSDD) organization is responsible for translating therapeutic agents into functional drug products optimized for patients. The Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences (DPS) Department within PSDD is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join our biologics formulation and drug delivery research project in Rahway, New Jersey.

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to innovative drug delivery technologies for high- and ultra-high-concentration biologics which enable subcutaneous administration for patent-centric drug product design. The successful candidate will support research focused on formulation science, crystal engineering,  suspension systems, physicochemical characterization, and combination drug product design. This role offers the opportunity to work in a highly collaborative environment and to develop research capabilities that advance next-generation biologics delivery.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute independent research in biologics formulation and drug delivery.
• Develop and optimize experimental strategies to evaluate formulation behavior, stability, and performance of complex biologics.
• Design and interpret studies related to protein crystallization, suspension properties, and physicochemical characterization.
• Apply experimental, analytical, and modeling approaches to understand relationships among formulation composition, material attributes, and delivery performance.
• Explore advanced data analysis and predictive methods, including statistical modeling, machine learning, and other computational tools, as appropriate.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across discovery, formulation, device, process and analytical functions.
• Publish findings in peer-reviewed journals and present research at scientific meetings.

Education

• Must currently hold a Ph.D. or
• Receive a Ph.D. no later than Spring 2027
• Ph.D. in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related discipline

Required Experience and Skills

• Expertise in protein science, sample handling, and analytical characterization
• Strong record of scientific achievement, including peer-reviewed publications and/or conference presentations
• Ability to design, execute, analyze, and communicate independent research in a collaborative environment
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work across multidisciplinary teams
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Preferred Experience and Skills

• Experience in biologics formulation design, especially parenteral and suspension systems
• Experience with protein crystallization and process design
• Experience with microscopy and imaging techniques
• Familiarity with syringeability, injectability, viscosity characterization, and subcutaneous delivery concepts
• Knowledge of molecular modeling, machine learning, or generative AI
• Experience with data analysis tools for experimental and computational research

postdoctoralopportunities

The salary range for this role is: $82,000-$92,000

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.

Required Skills:

Preferred Skills:

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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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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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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. 

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