Principal Scientist (Director), Translational Biomarkers, Discovery Neuroscience

Our Research Scientists are our Inventors. We identify and target steps in disease mechanisms or pathways that could be inhibited or enhanced. Our goal is to isolate a compound that is effective against a disease target. Using innovative thinking, state-of-the-art facilities and robust scientific methodology we collaborate to discover the next medical breakthrough.

Our Company has a rapidly growing interdisciplinary team of scientists in London and exciting plans to establish ‘Skylab’, a new laboratory space at the Francis Crick Institute. This will complement the construction of a new state-of the-art Research and Discovery Centre in London’s ‘Knowledge Quarter’ opposite King’s Cross Railway station. Our new site will employ circa 800 people across our research and commercial divisions.

To deliver on our mission of turning breakthrough science into meaningful and impactful medicines, we plan to establish a new Translational Biomarker Group within Global Neuroscience Discovery. This team of laboratory and data scientists will drive scientific innovation in biomarker research to translate drug discovery programmes into the clinic for neurodegenerative disease, pain, and psychiatric disorders. Working collaboratively with discovery and clinical scientists, our biomarker experts will apply cutting edge lab technologies and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning tools to discover biomarkers that help determine the optimal dose and biological effects of our drugs and identify patients who are most likely to respond to treatment. This will allow our company to make progress in the battle against some of the most challenging diseases of the nervous system.

We are seeking a highly motivated Principal Scientist (Director level) Translational Biomarkers Discovery Neuroscience

to be based at Pancras Square, Kings Cross, London.

Role overview:

In this newly established role, you will report to the Head of Translational Biomarkers, Neuroscience Discovery and will join a team of Global experts leading Biomarker research projects to translate drug discovery programmes into the clinic You will partner with multiple disciplines across Research and Development, including Discovery Biology, Translational Medicine and Data Sciences, and participate in cross-functional project teams, delivering high quality biomarker plans for novel clinical candidates. In addition, you will contribute to the development and delivery of our Neurosciences’ global biomarker strategy. You will apply your excellent interpersonal skills to leverage academic and industry collaborations to understand the utility of biomarkers for precision medicine and clinical endpoints within neurodegenerative disease, pain and psychiatric disorders.

What you will do:

• Collaborate within interdisciplinary drug discovery teams across our global network to define project strategy and discover new medicines.
• Lead neuroscience translational biomarker projects for clinical candidate delivery.
• Apply a breadth of scientific knowledge in the application of translational biomarkers in drug discovery, providing scientific mentoring and technical training of team members.
• Work with senior leaders and peers to set Discovery Neuroscience strategy for translational biomarkers discovery, validation and implementation.
• Foster collaboration with external scientific networks to ensure we can leverage the world’s best scientific thinking.
• Maintain an external scientific presence through publications and presentations.

What you will need to be successful in this role:

• PhD or Master’s degree in a relevant scientific discipline, with substantial experience of leading drug discovery projects and a track record of delivering biomarker research in a biotech, pharmaceutical or academic setting.

Required Experience:

• Drug discovery project leadership with a proven track record of success in leveraging and integrating in vitro and in vivo assays for pharmacological characterisation, lead optimisation and clinical candidate delivery.
• Experience of developing biomarker strategies in the discovery phase, building cross-functional collaborations to ensure efficient delivery of biomarker measures from discovery to the clinic.
• Strong technical expertise in methods for analysis of samples from patients, human cell models and/or preclinical models and understand how to combine internal data with publicly accessible data to identify and validate translational biomarkers.
• Expertise in building teams, providing technical leadership, coaching and mentoring of others.
• Experience of presenting to senior leaders, external key opinion leaders, to peer groups, project and clinical teams
• Experience of partnering with CROs, consortia and academic collaborators to generate high quality research data.

Preferred Experience:

• Expertise in neuroscience therapy areas e.g. neurodegenerative diseases, psychiatric or pain disorders.
• Knowledge of discovery and validation of biomarkers for precision medicine approaches in clinical development programmes.
• Experience of working with clinical colleagues and external clinical researchers to identify and source high quality patient samples for biomarker and target discovery.

Skills/Competencies

• Works flexibly across the global R&D Neuroscience portfolio and nimbly adapts to changes in priorities.
• Strong matrix management, interpersonal, communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Passion for innovation and problem-solving.
• Impacts programs through critical thinking and timely data-driven decision making.
• Ability and desire to foster academic networks such that our company remains an outward looking organization that can exploit the world’s best scientific thinking.
• Ability to thrive on increasing levels of responsibility.
• Fosters a high-performance culture of collaboration, engagement, self-accountability and inclusion.
• Coaches and mentors others across the network.

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 a research-driven biopharmaceutical company. Our mission is built on the simple premise that if we “follow the science” that great medicines can make a significant impact to our world. We believe that a research-driven enterprise dedicated to world-class science can succeed by inventing medicine and vaccine innovations that make a difference for patients across the globe. We identify and target steps in disease mechanisms or pathways that could be inhibited or enhanced. Our goal is to identify a compound that is effective against a disease target. Using innovative thinking, state-of-the-art facilities and robust scientific methodology we collaborate to discover the next medical breakthrough.

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.

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

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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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Requisition ID:R231709