Associate Scientist, Engineering

Merck & Co. - West Point, PA

Full-time - Mid Level

Onsite - West Point, PA

Chemical Manufacturing

About the position

The Associate Scientist in Cell Culture and Fermentation Sciences will play a crucial role in the Manufacturing Division of Merck Sharp & Dohme, focusing on the technical process leadership and laboratory capabilities necessary for late-stage pipeline and post-market commercial manufacturing processes for vaccines and biologics. This position involves supporting commercialization activities, process development, technology transfer, and validation studies related to therapeutic proteins and vaccines, while ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to commercialization activities for biologics, including technology transfer and process validation studies.
• Perform design, planning, and execution of laboratory experiments to generate new data and knowledge.
• Author experimental protocols and document work in a lab notebook.
• Document lab activities, findings, and conclusions in scientific reports and present knowledge at appropriate forums.
• Ensure compliance with current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs) and relevant regulations.
• Oversee and coordinate work performed by contractors as needed.
• Contribute to maintaining a safe and compliant laboratory work environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Engineering, Science, or a related field.
• Experience in executing lab activities, including authoring study protocols and documenting experiments.
• Strong cross-functional background to enable team performance.
• Competency in technical writing and excellent communication skills.

Nice-to-haves

• Knowledge of upstream process development and manufacturing sciences.
• Scientific comprehension of cell biology and engineering standards for recombinant protein production.
• Experience with high throughput cell culture techniques and automation.
• Familiarity with bioreactor and process control systems.
• Knowledge of bioanalytical techniques such as flow cytometry and biochemical assays.
• Experience with Design of Experiments (DOE) and Lean Six Sigma standards.
• Proficiency in software and statistical tools for data analysis.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• 401k
• Paid holidays
• Flexible scheduling
• Professional development opportunities