Director, Protein Sciences and Engineering, Discovery Biologics

Job Description

We are on a quest for cures and are committed to be the world’s premier, most research-intensive biopharmaceutical company. Our teams combine leading drug discovery capabilities and world-class R&D with the purpose of turning breakthrough science into life-changing medicines.

We are seeking an exceptional and experienced scientist-leader in the role of Director of Protein Sciences and Engineering in the Boston Biologics Discovery group.  The Director will be responsible for the leadership of a multidisciplinary team of scientists focused on protein expression, purification, and engineering in the quest to discover innovative large molecule therapeutics.  In this role, they will drive scientific excellence and innovation as the head of a group responsible for delivering protein production at microgram to gram scale, advancing automated production solutions, and high-throughput purification capabilities. They will be a key contributor to the department’s efforts to establish and expand world-class capabilities in machine learning and computationally based biologics design and engineering.  Our organization is directly integrating computational and wet-lab researchers with state-of-the-art automation to accelerate the discovery, engineering, and characterization of novel biologics in the pre-IND pipeline. 

In collaboration with project teams and as a member of department working groups, they will drive the advancement of hits and leads through the biologics pipeline. The role is a key interface within the Discovery Biologics network and other drug discovery and development functions within our company.

As a people manager, they will invest in the growth and development of current and future staff, which includes both people leaders and individual contributors, to create a culture of collaboration and accountability to enable shared success. The leader will work closely with their team members to leverage strengths and identify opportunities to continually expand skillsets, leadership, and enterprise thinking.  They will work to support the department’s efforts to recruit diverse and highly skilled key talent to the organization and be a champion for diversity and inclusion.  We recognize that the diversity in our team is our strength, and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.  Successful candidates must demonstrate inclusive behaviors in working with a diverse group of researchers to drive our core mission.

What you will do:

• Lead a team of discovery scientists to engineer, produce and characterize a wide variety of protein therapeutics

• As a member of the Boston Biologics Discovery leadership team, work across groups and departments to set and deliver on our strategic goals in scientific excellence, talent development, and pipeline advancement

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

• Ideate and initiate new program concepts leading to pipeline programs in partnership with therapeutic area scientists

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

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

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

• Stay abreast of external advancements in the relevant scientific fields

What you will need to be successful in this role:

Qualifications & Experience

• PhD in life sciences with 8+ years of substantial industry experience, MS with 10+ years of experience, or BS with 14+ years of experience. A mix of industrial and relevant academic experience can be considered.

• Track record in leadership and managerial roles in biologics discovery

• Experience in advancing protein therapeutics through discovery to early development activities

• Strong presentation and publication record

Required skills:

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

• Strong technical knowledge of multiple aspects of biologics design and discovery, including protein engineering (including complex molecule design and humanization), 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, preferably of 5+ FTEs, with demonstrated experience developing careers of both people leaders and individual contributors

• Champion for diverse and inclusive culture

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.

• Protein engineering through computational and structure-based methods 

• Experience in lab automation, including automated purification workflows

• Experience in outsourcing and managing external collaborations

• Prior experience in due diligence and business development activities

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.

NOTICE FOR INTERNAL APPLICANTS

In accordance with Managers' Policy - Job Posting and Employee Placement, all employees subject to this policy are required to have a minimum of twelve (12) months of service in current position prior to applying for open positions.

If you have been offered a separation benefits package, but have not yet reached your separation date and are offered a position within the salary and geographical parameters as set forth in the Summary Plan Description (SPD) of your separation package, then you are no longer eligible for your separation benefits package. To discuss in more detail, please contact your HRBP or Talent Acquisition Advisor.

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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.

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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, Monday - 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”.

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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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