Senior Principal Scientist, Veterinary Pathology Board Certified
Merck
August 20, 2026
Remote friendly (West Point, PA)
United States
Clinical Research and Development
Key Responsibilities:
- Employ routine H&E evaluations and other specialized techniques to characterize the safety profile of new drugs from toxicology and investigative studies.
- Independently analyze data, interpret postmortem results significance, review literature, and design experiments to solve scientific problems and advance programs.
- Provide scientific leadership with toxicology, safety pharmacology, and translational teams to define mechanisms of toxicity, assess human relevance, and guide risk mitigation strategies (including immunology and biologics).
- Utilize on-site tools including in vitro/in vivo assays, historical controls slide archive/database, digital pathology, transmission electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and quantitative digital image analysis with targeted machine learning.
- Develop novel biomarkers and predictive models to reduce safety-related risks.
- Serve as nonclinical drug safety department lead on drug development teams: oversee study design/execution and generate regulatory strategy and communications with global regulatory agencies.
- Work in a hybrid environment with cross-pathologist collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Minimum Education Required:
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
Preferred:
- PhD in Immunology, Toxicology, Pathology, or related discipline
Required Experience and Skills:
- 10+ years as a pathologist in biotech, pharma, or a CRO.
- Demonstrated proficiency in histomorphologic evaluation and interpretation of toxicology studies.
- Residency in anatomic/toxicologic pathology.
- ACVP or ECVP-board certification (or equivalent) in anatomic pathology.
- Strong collaborative communication across cross-functional teams.
Preferred Experience and Skills:
- Knowledge of drug discovery/development/regulatory processes; experience on drug development project teams.
- Experience supporting immunology/biologics programs.
- Experience as pathology lead or external due diligence subject-matter expert.
- Enterprise-level scientific leadership, cross-program influence, mentoring/management.
Required Skills:
- Collaborative spirit; drug development/discovery; histopathology; immunochemistry; immunology research; in vivo models; toxicology/toxicological pathology; veterinary pathology; postmortem analysis; innovation; laboratory processes; pathogenesis.
Application:
- Apply through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via Workday Jobs Hub if a current employee).
- Employ routine H&E evaluations and other specialized techniques to characterize the safety profile of new drugs from toxicology and investigative studies.
- Independently analyze data, interpret postmortem results significance, review literature, and design experiments to solve scientific problems and advance programs.
- Provide scientific leadership with toxicology, safety pharmacology, and translational teams to define mechanisms of toxicity, assess human relevance, and guide risk mitigation strategies (including immunology and biologics).
- Utilize on-site tools including in vitro/in vivo assays, historical controls slide archive/database, digital pathology, transmission electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and quantitative digital image analysis with targeted machine learning.
- Develop novel biomarkers and predictive models to reduce safety-related risks.
- Serve as nonclinical drug safety department lead on drug development teams: oversee study design/execution and generate regulatory strategy and communications with global regulatory agencies.
- Work in a hybrid environment with cross-pathologist collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Minimum Education Required:
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
Preferred:
- PhD in Immunology, Toxicology, Pathology, or related discipline
Required Experience and Skills:
- 10+ years as a pathologist in biotech, pharma, or a CRO.
- Demonstrated proficiency in histomorphologic evaluation and interpretation of toxicology studies.
- Residency in anatomic/toxicologic pathology.
- ACVP or ECVP-board certification (or equivalent) in anatomic pathology.
- Strong collaborative communication across cross-functional teams.
Preferred Experience and Skills:
- Knowledge of drug discovery/development/regulatory processes; experience on drug development project teams.
- Experience supporting immunology/biologics programs.
- Experience as pathology lead or external due diligence subject-matter expert.
- Enterprise-level scientific leadership, cross-program influence, mentoring/management.
Required Skills:
- Collaborative spirit; drug development/discovery; histopathology; immunochemistry; immunology research; in vivo models; toxicology/toxicological pathology; veterinary pathology; postmortem analysis; innovation; laboratory processes; pathogenesis.
Application:
- Apply through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via Workday Jobs Hub if a current employee).