Principal Scientist, Clinical Research, Thoracic Oncology
Merck
August 12, 2026
Remote friendly (Upper Gwynedd, PA)
United States
Clinical Research and Development
Clinical Director (Principal Scientist) — Oncology
Responsibilities:
- Plan and oversee execution of clinical research activities for new or marketed Oncology medicines across the clinical development lifecycle (pre-clinical to post-licensure), including study design, placement, monitoring, analysis, regulatory reporting, and publication.
- Evaluate pre-clinical and translational work to generate early clinical development plans and Investigational New Drug (IND) applications.
- Develop clinical development strategies for investigational or marketed Oncology drugs.
- Plan clinical trials (design, operational plans, settings) based on those strategies.
- Monitor and manage ongoing or new clinical trials.
- Analyze and summarize clinical findings to support safety/efficacy decisions and outputs such as new drug applications, clinical study reports, and publications.
- Participate in internal and joint internal/external research project teams relevant to development of new compounds and further study of marketed compounds.
- Oversee clinical study execution with Clinical Scientists in daily medical monitoring.
- Lead cross-functional collaboration with commercialization, regulatory affairs, statistics, and manufacturing.
- Inform senior leadership about competitor study progress and external/internal expert scientific input.
- Maintain scientific knowledge by tracking developments, identifying and engaging strong investigators, establishing communications with clinical investigators, and attending scientific meetings.
Education:
- M.D. or M.D./Ph.D.
Required:
- Experience in industry or academia
- Demonstrated scientific scholarship and achievement
- Proven track record in clinical medicine and background in biomedical research
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team environment
Preferred:
- Board Certified or Eligible in Oncology (and/or Hematology)
- Prior clinical research experience and prior publication (desirable)
Required Skills:
- Cancer Research, Clinical Development, Clinical Research, Clinical Studies, Clinical Trials, Medical Monitoring, Oncology
Application:
- Apply at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or Workday Jobs Hub if a current employee). Apply no later than the day before the job posting end date. Job posting end date: 09/10/2026.
Responsibilities:
- Plan and oversee execution of clinical research activities for new or marketed Oncology medicines across the clinical development lifecycle (pre-clinical to post-licensure), including study design, placement, monitoring, analysis, regulatory reporting, and publication.
- Evaluate pre-clinical and translational work to generate early clinical development plans and Investigational New Drug (IND) applications.
- Develop clinical development strategies for investigational or marketed Oncology drugs.
- Plan clinical trials (design, operational plans, settings) based on those strategies.
- Monitor and manage ongoing or new clinical trials.
- Analyze and summarize clinical findings to support safety/efficacy decisions and outputs such as new drug applications, clinical study reports, and publications.
- Participate in internal and joint internal/external research project teams relevant to development of new compounds and further study of marketed compounds.
- Oversee clinical study execution with Clinical Scientists in daily medical monitoring.
- Lead cross-functional collaboration with commercialization, regulatory affairs, statistics, and manufacturing.
- Inform senior leadership about competitor study progress and external/internal expert scientific input.
- Maintain scientific knowledge by tracking developments, identifying and engaging strong investigators, establishing communications with clinical investigators, and attending scientific meetings.
Education:
- M.D. or M.D./Ph.D.
Required:
- Experience in industry or academia
- Demonstrated scientific scholarship and achievement
- Proven track record in clinical medicine and background in biomedical research
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team environment
Preferred:
- Board Certified or Eligible in Oncology (and/or Hematology)
- Prior clinical research experience and prior publication (desirable)
Required Skills:
- Cancer Research, Clinical Development, Clinical Research, Clinical Studies, Clinical Trials, Medical Monitoring, Oncology
Application:
- Apply at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or Workday Jobs Hub if a current employee). Apply no later than the day before the job posting end date. Job posting end date: 09/10/2026.