Principal Scientist, Nonclinical Drug Safety Program Discovery
Merck
July 01, 2026
Remote friendly (West Point, PA)
United States
Clinical Research and Development
Principal Scientist, Nonclinical Drug Safety Program Discovery (Discovery Program Leader; Equivalent to Scientific Director)
Responsibilities:
- Represent Nonclinical Drug Safety (NDS) on discovery research teams and in scientific/strategic review meetings (primarily immunology and oncology).
- Define and oversee NDS strategy for programs across all modalities (small molecules, peptides, biologics, ADCs) from Target Identification through approval of First-In-Human enabling GLP toxicity studies.
- Provide target risk assessments, de-risking strategies, and collaborate with NDS staff across sites to execute studies supporting therapeutic target selection and new drug candidate identification/development.
- Serve on development teams to define GLP toxicology study strategy/execution and contribute non-clinical safety sections of regulatory documents for clinical trials and worldwide marketing authorization.
- Participate in therapeutic area discovery governance reviews; promote innovative thinking from target identification/validation through lead optimization.
- Identify and assess risks using literature, internal, and external information; may lead early development teams to inform preclinical studies.
In This Role You Will:
- Represent NDS on discovery teams and governance committee reviews.
- Facilitate creative thinking across Immunology (primary) and also Oncology, Cardiometabolic, Infectious Disease, and/or Neuroscience.
- Influence cross-site disease-area and functional-discipline groups.
Qualifications:
- PhD (or DVM/MD or equivalent) in Toxicology, Pharmacology, Pathology, Biology, Biochemistry, Immunology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, or related STEM field.
- 8+ years pharmaceutical industry experience as non-clinical safety scientist and/or NDS safety assessment representative to cross-functional discovery/development teams.
- Ability to navigate cross-functional/matrix organizations and drive decision making.
- Strong collaboration, interpersonal skills, and communication; know when/how to raise issues.
Preferred:
- Background in immunology.
- Experience in biopharmaceutical/small molecule development and/or discovery.
- Experience with regulatory submissions and responses.
- Member of pharmaceutical consortia and/or external scientific/professional organizations.
Required Skills (examples):
- Adaptability, Strategic Thinking, Safety Evaluation, Toxicology, Drug Discovery Process, Drug Development, Immunology/Immunotherapy, Oncology, Innovative Thinking, Professional Collaboration/Networking.
Application instructions:
- Apply via https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (application deadline stated on posting).
Responsibilities:
- Represent Nonclinical Drug Safety (NDS) on discovery research teams and in scientific/strategic review meetings (primarily immunology and oncology).
- Define and oversee NDS strategy for programs across all modalities (small molecules, peptides, biologics, ADCs) from Target Identification through approval of First-In-Human enabling GLP toxicity studies.
- Provide target risk assessments, de-risking strategies, and collaborate with NDS staff across sites to execute studies supporting therapeutic target selection and new drug candidate identification/development.
- Serve on development teams to define GLP toxicology study strategy/execution and contribute non-clinical safety sections of regulatory documents for clinical trials and worldwide marketing authorization.
- Participate in therapeutic area discovery governance reviews; promote innovative thinking from target identification/validation through lead optimization.
- Identify and assess risks using literature, internal, and external information; may lead early development teams to inform preclinical studies.
In This Role You Will:
- Represent NDS on discovery teams and governance committee reviews.
- Facilitate creative thinking across Immunology (primary) and also Oncology, Cardiometabolic, Infectious Disease, and/or Neuroscience.
- Influence cross-site disease-area and functional-discipline groups.
Qualifications:
- PhD (or DVM/MD or equivalent) in Toxicology, Pharmacology, Pathology, Biology, Biochemistry, Immunology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, or related STEM field.
- 8+ years pharmaceutical industry experience as non-clinical safety scientist and/or NDS safety assessment representative to cross-functional discovery/development teams.
- Ability to navigate cross-functional/matrix organizations and drive decision making.
- Strong collaboration, interpersonal skills, and communication; know when/how to raise issues.
Preferred:
- Background in immunology.
- Experience in biopharmaceutical/small molecule development and/or discovery.
- Experience with regulatory submissions and responses.
- Member of pharmaceutical consortia and/or external scientific/professional organizations.
Required Skills (examples):
- Adaptability, Strategic Thinking, Safety Evaluation, Toxicology, Drug Discovery Process, Drug Development, Immunology/Immunotherapy, Oncology, Innovative Thinking, Professional Collaboration/Networking.
Application instructions:
- Apply via https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (application deadline stated on posting).