Scientist - I

Scientist I

Location: West Point, PA
Department: Vaccine Drug Product Development (Merck Research Laboratories)
Role Type: Temporary (1 year) – 100% Onsite, Lab-Based
Positions Available: 2

Position Description:

The Scientist I will be part of a team responsible for the design and development of vaccine drug products from preclinical through Phase III with a line of sight to commercialization. This is a hands-on, lab-based role in a fast-paced environment, collaborating with cross-functional teams to develop the next generation of vaccine drug products. The successful candidate will design, execute, and document laboratory activities supporting the formulation of novel vaccine antigens (e.g., RNA, live virus vaccines, subunit, conjugate), adjuvants, and delivery systems.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and perform hypothesis-driven formulation and process development experiments for sterile vaccine drug products (buffers, stabilizers, antigen/adjuvant, vials, syringes) across multiple vaccine modalities (subunit, conjugate, live-attenuated, etc.).
• Prepare formulations and fill vials/syringes for characterization and animal studies using aseptic techniques and Good Laboratory Practices (GLP); support transfer to GMP manufacturing.
• Conduct stability and forced-degradation studies; analyze data, summarize findings, and author technical reports and electronic notebook entries.
• Operate and troubleshoot benchtop unit operations (mixing, filtration, pumping, lyophilization) and analytical tools (DLS, SLS, KF, DSC, DSF).
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (discovery, analytical, manufacturing, regulatory) to meet project timelines and deliverables.
• Continuously learn and apply current literature, methods, and technologies to improve formulations and processes.
• Support analytical studies on formulated products such as osmolality, viscosity, pH, and dynamic light scattering.
• Follow safe laboratory practices and maintain a clean, orderly, and safe work environment.
• Draft, review, and execute protocols for batch manufacture.

Skills & Qualifications

Minimum Education Requirements:

B.S. in Chemical/Biochemical/Biomedical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Immunology, Materials Science, or a related field.
1–2 years of relevant experience.

Required Skills and Experience:

• Hands-on laboratory experience (academic or industry) with basic sterile technique, buffer preparation, and sample handling.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; experience documenting experiments in electronic or paper lab notebooks.
• Basic data analysis skills with the ability to summarize and visualize experimental results.
• Scientific and mechanical aptitude with experience maintaining, designing, and/or operating scientific equipment.
• Ability to follow safe laboratory practices and maintain an orderly work area.
• Team-oriented, motivated to learn, and able to manage multiple priorities under technical supervision.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and adapting to change.

Desired Skills and Experience:

• Familiarity with biophysical/biochemical analytical methods (e.g., DLS, HPLC, SDS-PAGE, UV/Vis).
• Understanding of aseptic/formulation processes in a non-GMP or GMP environment.
• Familiarity with statistical/design-of-experiments tools (JMP, Minitab) or numerical software (Matlab).
• Desire to develop complex pharmaceutical products and continuously learn.
• Passion for contributing to the development of pharmaceutical products with significant global health impact.
• Preferred Candidates
• Will have experience in drug product development techniques such as formulation, filtration, analytical/biochemical/biophysical characterization, and process development.

Education:

B.S. in a relevant scientific or engineering discipline (Chemical, Biochemical, Biomedical, or related).
Experience: 1–2 years (academic or industry).