Associate Principal Scientist, Respiratory Discovery
Merck
June 24, 2026
On-site
South San Francisco, CA
Clinical Research and Development
Key Responsibilities:
- Contribute to target discovery and validation by integrating disease biology with translational insight.
- Independently design, execute, and interpret complex in vitro and ex vivo studies.
- Develop and apply human-relevant model systems (e.g., primary airway epithelial cells, organoids, immune-stromal co-cultures, lung tissue assays).
- Generate, integrate, and critically evaluate diverse datasets to inform MoA, target validation, and project decisions.
- Contribute to translational strategies (biomarker plans, target engagement approaches, disease-relevant endpoints).
- Serve on cross-functional project teams, contributing scientific insight and supporting milestone delivery.
- Collaborate with pharmacology, DMPK, biomarker, and translational partners to align preclinical biology with program objectives.
- Synthesize complex data and communicate insights, risks, and recommendations to teams and leadership.
- Maintain awareness of emerging science/technologies in respiratory therapeutics; share expertise and support external collaborations as needed.
Education:
- Bachelor’s (12+ years), Master’s (8+ years), or Ph.D. (5+ years) in biology, pharmacology, physiology, or related field with relevant preclinical/drug discovery experience.
Required Experience/Skills:
- Strong respiratory biology and mechanism-based research expertise.
- Ability to design hypothesis-driven studies, analyze complex datasets, and support scientific decision-making.
- Discovery-stage program experience.
- Effective in cross-functional, matrixed teams.
- Strong written and verbal communication.
Preferred Experience/Skills:
- Deep knowledge of respiratory diseases (COPD, bronchiectasis, pulmonary vascular disease).
- Hands-on human-relevant systems (primary airway epithelial cells, immune cells, fibroblasts, organoids, lung tissue models).
- Experience with disease-relevant assays (inflammation, barrier function, mucociliary clearance, fibrosis/remodeling).
- Translational knowledge (target engagement, biomarker strategy, patient stratification, PK/PD).
- Industry drug discovery experience; translational/biomarker-driven strategies; cross-disciplinary collaboration; familiarity with emerging approaches.
Skills:
- Drug target identification; in vitro/ex vivo studies; program leadership; pulmonary/respiratory diseases; respiratory pharmacology; target validation.
Application:
- Apply via https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (deadline as stated on posting). Requisition ID: R400622.
- Contribute to target discovery and validation by integrating disease biology with translational insight.
- Independently design, execute, and interpret complex in vitro and ex vivo studies.
- Develop and apply human-relevant model systems (e.g., primary airway epithelial cells, organoids, immune-stromal co-cultures, lung tissue assays).
- Generate, integrate, and critically evaluate diverse datasets to inform MoA, target validation, and project decisions.
- Contribute to translational strategies (biomarker plans, target engagement approaches, disease-relevant endpoints).
- Serve on cross-functional project teams, contributing scientific insight and supporting milestone delivery.
- Collaborate with pharmacology, DMPK, biomarker, and translational partners to align preclinical biology with program objectives.
- Synthesize complex data and communicate insights, risks, and recommendations to teams and leadership.
- Maintain awareness of emerging science/technologies in respiratory therapeutics; share expertise and support external collaborations as needed.
Education:
- Bachelor’s (12+ years), Master’s (8+ years), or Ph.D. (5+ years) in biology, pharmacology, physiology, or related field with relevant preclinical/drug discovery experience.
Required Experience/Skills:
- Strong respiratory biology and mechanism-based research expertise.
- Ability to design hypothesis-driven studies, analyze complex datasets, and support scientific decision-making.
- Discovery-stage program experience.
- Effective in cross-functional, matrixed teams.
- Strong written and verbal communication.
Preferred Experience/Skills:
- Deep knowledge of respiratory diseases (COPD, bronchiectasis, pulmonary vascular disease).
- Hands-on human-relevant systems (primary airway epithelial cells, immune cells, fibroblasts, organoids, lung tissue models).
- Experience with disease-relevant assays (inflammation, barrier function, mucociliary clearance, fibrosis/remodeling).
- Translational knowledge (target engagement, biomarker strategy, patient stratification, PK/PD).
- Industry drug discovery experience; translational/biomarker-driven strategies; cross-disciplinary collaboration; familiarity with emerging approaches.
Skills:
- Drug target identification; in vitro/ex vivo studies; program leadership; pulmonary/respiratory diseases; respiratory pharmacology; target validation.
Application:
- Apply via https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (deadline as stated on posting). Requisition ID: R400622.