Associate Principal Scientist, Biology-Discovery

Job Description

Join the Elkhorn, Nebraska Animal Health Team 
Our Company's Global Animal Health Research & Development (R&D) division is a pioneer in the discovery, development and registration of vaccines and therapeutics for animals.. To strengthen our team responsible for poultry vaccine projects, we are looking for a highly skilled and motivated individual to join our R&D team.

Purpose of the Role

Reporting to the Global Head of Poultry Bio R&D, the Associate Principal Scientist will provide accountable scientific, project, and people leadership for multifaceted poultry vaccine development programs from discovery through late-stage development and licensure. This role requires deep expertise in poultry diseases, vaccine development, experimental design, and regulated biologics development, combined with the ability to shape scientific strategy, lead complex in vitro, in vivo, and laboratory-based activities, integrate scientific, regulatory, clinical, manufacturing, and business considerations, and translate data into clear program recommendations.

The role will drive milestone delivery, proactively identify and mitigate risks, influence cross-functional decisions, mentor junior scientists and laboratory colleagues, and foster a culture of scientific rigor, collaboration, accountability, productive communication, courage, candor, and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

Scientific Leadership and Execution

• Provide independent scientific leadership for complex poultry vaccine development projects, including disease biology, pathogen-host interactions, candidate selection, immunogenicity assessment, challenge model development, and licensure-enabling study strategy.

• Define and guide in vivo, in vitro, and laboratory-based research plans and development plans,  ensuring experimental design, execution, analysis, and interpretation are rigorous, decision-oriented, and aligned with project objectives.

• Identify, diagnose, and resolve scientific and technical challenges across assigned studies and projects by applying advanced research design, strong data interpretation, and sound scientific judgment.

• Strengthen scientific rigor and technical consistency within assigned project areas by coaching scientists and laboratory colleagues on study design, assay strategy, disease model execution, data quality, documentation, and problem solving.

• Evaluate and recommend innovative scientific approaches that can improve poultry vaccine discovery and development, disease models, assay performance, development efficiency, and product differentiation within assigned project areas.

Project Leadership and Cross-Functional Influence

• Serve as scientific lead or key scientific representative on cross-functional poultry vaccine development teams, partnering with core teams and functional leaders to advance integrated project plans through key milestones and governance discussions.

• Contribute to and drive integrated project strategy, including milestone planning, scientific risk assessment, study sequencing, evidence-generation plans, and resource considerations aligned with regulatory, clinical, manufacturing, commercial, and business objectives.

• Proactively identify, escalate, mitigate, and communicate scientific, technical, clinical, regulatory, and execution risks that may affect project timelines, licensure pathways, or product value.

• Influence cross-functional stakeholders across Discovery, Process Development, Analytical Development, Clinical, Regulatory Affairs, Quality, Manufacturing, Commercial, and external partner organizations to support alignment, timely decisions, and effective execution.

• Translate complex scientific and technical data into clear recommendations for project teams, functional leaders, and governance discussions, supporting disciplined and well-documented project decisions.

Regulatory Compliance and Documentation

• Author, review, and approve key technical documents, including protocols, study reports, validation packages, SOPs, technical summaries, development plans, and regulatory submission sections for poultry biologics.

• Apply strong regulatory and compliance understanding to ensure assigned development activities meet applicable internal standards, data integrity expectations, USDA/CVB requirements, and global licensure considerations where relevant.

• Serve as a poultry vaccine subject matter expert in technical reviews, regulatory interactions, audits, inspections, and responses to agency questions related to assigned projects or study areas.

• Promote inspection readiness, high-quality documentation, and compliant execution by setting clear expectations and coaching team members within assigned project activities.

Innovation and Scientific Contribution

• Identify, evaluate, and recommend scientific technologies, external opportunities, and development approaches that can improve poultry vaccine design, disease models, assay performance, development efficiency, and product value within assigned programs.

• Maintain strong awareness of poultry disease trends, field epidemiology, competitive intelligence, emerging pathogens, regulatory expectations, and external scientific advances to inform project strategy and technical recommendations.

• Contribute to internal and external scientific credibility through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, scientific collaborations, technical forums, and engagement with relevant professional or industry networks.

• Mentor and coach junior scientists and laboratory colleagues, share technical knowledge across project teams, and model collaboration, courage, candor, accountability, ethical conduct, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Ph.D. or DVM/Ph.D. in Poultry Diseases, Veterinary Medicine, Immunology, Virology, Bacteriology, Microbiology, Vaccinology, or a related scientific discipline.

• Minimum 3 years of experience in poultry disease research, vaccine development, or regulated biologics development in the animal health industry.

• Strong depth of expertise in poultry diseases and poultry vaccine development, including poultry pathogens, disease models, diagnostics, immunogenicity testing, challenge studies, efficacy evaluation, and translation of study outcomes into project strategy.

• Demonstrated ability to independently lead or significantly influence complex research or development projects in a matrixed environment, with impact on project progression, technical strategy, or development decisions.

• Demonstrated ability to mentor junior scientists or laboratory colleagues, strengthen project team capability, and lead through influence across technical and cross-functional teams.

Required Technical Knowledge and Skills

• Advanced knowledge of poultry disease biology, pathogenesis, diagnostics, immunology, vaccinology, and regulated biologics development.

• Advanced understanding of poultry vaccine development, including antigen selection, vaccine platform considerations, adjuvant or formulation strategy, immunogenicity evaluation, efficacy studies, development risk assessment, and licensure requirements.

• Advanced ability to design, interpret, and communicate complex studies and datasets, including assay development, qualification, validation, disease model performance, and evidence packages supporting project decisions.

• Working knowledge of animal health biologics regulations, compliance expectations, and licensure pathways, including USDA/CVB requirements for poultry vaccines and related global considerations.

• Ability to integrate scientific, technical, regulatory, clinical, manufacturing, quality, commercial, and business considerations into project strategy, risk management, and program recommendations.

Leadership Behaviors and Professional Competencies

The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate proficiency consistent with the Research Sciences pathway, including advanced proficiency in strategic thinking, productive communication, discovery and development knowledge, research design and execution, data analysis, interpretation and communication, and disease area knowledge; and applying-level proficiency in business and financial acumen, working across boundaries, project management, collaboration and partnering, competitive decision-making and execution, and regulatory and compliance management.

Preferred Experience and Attributes

• Direct experience in the development and licensure of poultry vaccines, preferably including programs spanning discovery through late-stage development.

• Experience with viral and/or bacterial poultry pathogens relevant to commercial vaccine portfolios.

• Demonstrated ability to lead or significantly influence cross-functional project teams in a matrixed R&D organization.

• Experience authoring technical reports, regulatory filing sections, study protocols, validation documents, or responses to regulatory agencies.

• Strong publication or presentation record in poultry diseases, vaccinology, immunology, virology, bacteriology, microbiology, or related fields.

• Ability to mentor junior colleagues, promote scientific excellence, and contribute to a high-performing, collaborative R&D culture.

Animal Health 
Our Animal Health Division is a trusted global leader in veterinary medicine, dedicated to preserving and improving health, well-being, and performance of animals and the people who care for them. We are a global team of professionals working together to make a positive difference in animal care and the world’s food supply and have a deep sense of responsibility towards our customers, consumers, animals, society, and our planet. 
Through our commitment to The Science of Healthier Animals®, we offer veterinarians, farmers, pet owners and governments one of the widest ranges of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services. We invest in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. We are present in more than 50 countries, while our products are available in some 150 markets.

Required Skills:

Assay Development, Biochemical Assays, Biochemistry, Bioinformatics, Cell Biology, Data Integrity, Data Quality, High-Throughput Screening, Immunoassays, Immunology, Professional Networking, Project Leadership, Regulatory Affairs Compliance, Strategic Thinking, Teamwork, Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Pathology, Virology

Preferred Skills:

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US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

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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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The salary range for this role is

$142,400.00 - $224,100.00

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

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:

Regular

Relocation:

Domestic

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

N/A

Job Posting End Date:

08/5/2026

*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.

Requisition ID:R408867