Senior Scientist, Respiratory Discovery

Job Description

The Senior Scientist will join the Respiratory Biology Discovery group and contribute to target identification, translational biology, and mechanism‑of‑action studies supporting early discovery programs in chronic lung diseases, including COPD, bronchiectasis, asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, and inflammatory airway diseases.

The successful candidate will apply human‑relevant in vitro and ex vivo experimental systems, with an emphasis on primary airway epithelial biology, mesenchymal and immune‑epithelial interactions, disease‑relevant functional assays, and translational biomarkers. This individual will generate high‑quality mechanistic datasets, support biomarker discovery and translational efforts, and collaborate closely within multidisciplinary discovery and translational teams.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design, execute, and interpret in vitro and ex vivo studies to support respiratory target validation and translational biology programs

• Develop and apply human‑relevant experimental systems, including primary airway epithelial cultures, air‑liquid interface (ALI) models, immune cell assays, and co‑culture platforms

• Generate mechanistic and disease‑relevant datasets using molecular, cellular, imaging, and biomarker‑based approaches

• Apply imaging techniques, including immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunofluorescence (IF), and high‑content imaging, with image‑based analysis to interrogate epithelial and inflammatory biology

• Perform and interpret flow cytometry/FACS‑based immune and cellular phenotyping studies

• Support translational biomarker discovery and validation using multiplex immunoassay platforms (e.g., Meso Scale Discovery, Luminex, Olink)

• Conduct molecular and cellular biology assays, including cell culture, PBMC isolation, PCR/qPCR, nucleic acid extraction, protein detection, and functional cellular assays

• Characterize disease‑relevant biological pathways in chronic lung diseases, including inflammatory, epithelial, fibrotic, and immune mechanisms

• Generate reproducible, high‑quality datasets to inform project decisions, translational hypotheses, and program progression

• Communicate scientific findings effectively through presentations, data reviews, and written reports

• Collaborate closely across biology, pharmacology, DMPK, and translational/clinical functions within a matrixed discovery environment

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

• Bachelor's (with 7 years), Master's (with 4 years) or Ph.D. biology, immunology, pharmacology, physiology, pulmonary biology or related discipline and relevant experience

Required Experience and Skills:

• Demonstrated expertise in primary human cell culture systems, particularly airway epithelial biology and/or air-liquid interface (ALI) cultures

• Strong hands-on wet lab experience in molecular and cellular biology techniques

• Experience with flow cytometry/FACS and multiplex biomarker platforms (e.g., Meso Scale Discovery, Luminex, Olink, AlphaLISA)

• Expertise in imaging‑based approaches, including immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunofluorescence (IF), immunocytochemistry (ICC), histology, and image analysis

• Ability to independently design, execute, troubleshoot, and interpret experimental studies

• Solid understanding of respiratory disease biology, including inflammatory and epithelial mechanisms relevant to chronic lung diseases

• Strong written and verbal scientific communication skills with ability to present and discuss data in cross-functional settings

 Preferred Experience and Skills:

• Prior experience in respiratory drug discovery and translational research environments

• Experience with immune-epithelial co-culture systems and/or macrophage biology

• Familiarity with transcriptomic datasets, including bulk or single-cell RNA sequencing

• Experience with barrier function assays (TEER), live-cell imaging, or spatial biology approaches

#EligibleforERP 

Required Skills:

Cell Cultures, Cell Culture Techniques, Cellular Biology Techniques, Ex Vivo, Flow Cytometry, Imaging Techniques, Immunohistochemistry (IHC), Immunology, In Vitro Studies, Molecular Biology, Primary Cell Culture, Pulmonary Disease Research

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

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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The salary range for this role is

$131,400.00 - $206,800.00

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/International

VISA Sponsorship:

Yes

Travel Requirements:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

N/A

Job Posting End Date:

06/16/2026

*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:R398791

Salary : $131,400 - $206,800