Job Abstract

Job Description

We are seeking an exceptional and experienced scientist to join the Discovery Biologics Protein Sciences department in South San Francisco to lead both functional area scientists and drug discovery programs. The Director of Protein Sciences role carries managerial and oversight responsibilities and will be a key interface with multiple cross-site groups within the Discovery Biologics department as well as project teams, therapy areas, and development functions. 

We recognize that the diversity in our team is our strength and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Successful candidates must demonstrate inclusive behaviors in working with a diverse group of scientists to drive our core mission.

What you will do:

• Lead a team of scientists in the Discovery Biologics Protein Sciences department in South San Francisco (currently 9 FTE) to design, produce and characterize a wide variety of protein therapeutic molecules to identify strong candidates for development.

• Lead and participate in cross-functional project teams to deliver impactful protein therapeutics from discovery to development. 

• Manage priorities, resources, and investments aligned with the Discovery Biologics strategy

• Actively attract and develop talent, including strategically leveraging diversity to strengthen the team

• Foster a high-performance culture of collaboration, engagement, self-accountability and inclusion

• Stay abreast of external advancements in the relevant scientific fields

• Promote the external reputation of our company’s Discovery Biologics

What you will need to be successful in this role:

Qualifications & Experience

• PhD with 8+ years of substantial industry experience, M.S. with 10+ years of substantial industry experience, OR BS with 14+ years of substantial industry experience.

• Track record in leadership and managerial roles in Biologics Discovery.

• Experience in advancing protein therapeutics through discovery to development.

• Strong presentation and publication record

• Excellent communication and collaboration abilities

Required skills:

• Deep scientific knowledge of the workflows required for the discovery of protein therapeutics

• Strong technical knowledge of multiple aspects of biologics production including protein engineering, expression, purification, and characterization.

• Project leadership experience across Discovery stages, from tool-molecule generation through preclinical development of therapeutic candidates

• Track record of driving scientific or platform innovations

• Demonstrated passion for, and a track record of talent development.

• Prior direct people management.

• Established external reputation through high-impact publications, presentations, and/or scientific community engagement

Preferred skills:

• Ideal candidate will have experience in protein therapeutics beyond traditional mAbs including alternative non-Ig scaffolds, bi- or multispecifics, fusion proteins, and ADCs.

• Experience in line management of groups of 5+

• Protein engineering through computation and structure based methods. 

• Developability assessment of protein therapeutics.

• Experience in outsourcing and managing external collaborations

Your role at our company is integral to helping the world meet new breakthroughs that affect generations to come, and we’re counting on your skills and inventiveness to help make meaningful contributions to global medical advancement. At our company, we’re inventing for life.

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 for the common good. We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.

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Employees working in roles that the Company determines require routine collaboration with external stakeholders, such as customer-facing commercial, or research-based roles, will be expected to comply not only with Company policy but also with policies established by such external stakeholders (for example, a requirement to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to access a facility or meet with stakeholders).  Please understand that, as permitted by applicable law, if you have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 and an essential function of your job is to call on external stakeholders who require vaccination to enter their premises or engage in face-to-face meetings, then your employment may pose an undue burden to business operations, in which case you may not be offered employment, or your employment could be terminated. Please also note that, where permitted by applicable law, the Company reserves the right to require COVID-19 vaccinations for positions, such as in Global Employee Health, where the Company determines in its discretion that the nature of the role presents an increased risk of disease transmission.

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We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.  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 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.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

U.S. Hybrid Work Model

Effective September 5, 2023, employees in office-based positions in the U.S. will be working a Hybrid work consisting of three total days on-site per week, generally Tuesday, Wednesday and either Monday or Thursday, although the specific days may vary by site or organization, with Friday designated as a remote-working day, unless business critical tasks require an on-site presence.  This Hybrid work model does not apply to, and daily in-person attendance is required for, field-based positions; facility-based, manufacturing-based, or research-based positions where the work to be performed is located at a Company site; positions covered by a collective-bargaining agreement (unless the agreement provides for hybrid work); or any other position for which the Company has determined the job requirements cannot be reasonably met working remotely. Please note, this Hybrid work model guidance also does not apply to roles that have been designated as “remote”.

Under New York State, Colorado State, Washington State, and California State law, the Company is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the salary range for this job. Final determinations with respect to salary will take into account a number of factors, which may include, but not be limited to the primary work location and the chosen candidate’s relevant skills, experience, and education.

Expected salary range:

Available benefits include bonus eligibility, long term incentive if applicable, health care and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, paid holidays, vacation, and sick days. A summary of benefits is listed here.

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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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