Associate Scientist/Engineer - Upstream Vaccine Process Development

Job Description
Our ability to excel depends on the integrity, knowledge, imagination, skill, diversity, and teamwork of an individual like you. To this end, we strive to create an environment of mutual respect, encouragement, and teamwork. As part of our global team, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with talented and dedicated colleagues while developing and expanding your career.
Applications are sought for an opportunity in the Vaccine Process Development (VPD) department, which is part of our Research & Development division of our Company. The individual will support our Company's discovery & development efforts for Vaccine programs at West Point, PA.
The successful candidate is expected to work with other upstream scientists and engineers, typically focusing on one to two vaccine programs at a time. The candidate must have the ability to work independently and as part of a team, and have self-motivation, adaptability, and a positive attitude. The candidate must have the ability to learn new techniques, to balance multiple projects, to keep accurate records, to follow instructions, and to comply with company policies. The successful candidate will possess proven ability to work in a hands-on laboratory setting and excellent organization, interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.

• Design, execute, and analyze Process Development experiments to maximize understanding of cell culture and fermentation processes to make vaccine products.
• Contribute to the development of new principles, concepts, and methods to enable Process Development, scale-up of processes to pilot scale, and technology transfer to manufacturing scale.
• Conduct laboratory bench work to execute, optimize, and troubleshoot cell culture or fermentation processes.
• Analyze, summarize, and present experimental results in a collaborative team environment.
• Conduct lab work in a way which complies with company expectations of data integrity and safety.

Education Minimum Requirement:
Bachelor's degree completed by the end of the academic year, in the following field:

• Engineering: Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, Biomedical Engineering
• Science and Technology: Cell Biology, Biological Sciences, Biotechnology

Required Experience and Skills:

• Must have scientific understanding of fermentation and cell culture processes.
• Scientific understanding of cell biology for vaccine production including cell metabolism and molecular biology.
• Technical understanding of bioprocess scaling principles.
• Position requires employee to be willing to work with infectious agents and/or pathogens.
• Position requires occasional travel and off hour/weekend work.

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• Prior hands-on bioProcess Development experience through academic lab or industry internship/co-op.
• Prior experience with lab scale (10L-200L) stainless steel bioreactors or small scale (<10L) bioreactors.
• Prior experience with fermentation bioprocesses (for example, E. coli, Yeast).

NOTICE FOR INTERNAL APPLICANTS
In accordance with Managers' Policy - Job Posting and Employee Placement, all employees subject to this policy are required to have a minimum of twelve (12) months of service in current position prior to applying for open positions.
If you have been offered a separation benefits package, but have not yet reached your separation date and are offered a position within the salary and geographical parameters as set forth in the Summary Plan Description (SPD) of your separation package, then you are no longer eligible for your separation benefits package. To discuss in more detail, please contact your HRBP or Talent Acquisition Advisor.
Employees working in roles that the Company determines require routine collaboration with external stakeholders, such as customer-facing commercial, or research-based roles, will be expected to comply not only with Company policy but also with policies established by such external stakeholders (for example, a requirement to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to access a facility or meet with stakeholders). Please understand that, as permitted by applicable law, if you have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 and an essential function of your job is to call on external stakeholders who require vaccination to enter their premises or engage in face-to-face meetings, then your employment may pose an undue burden to business operations, in which case you may not be offered employment, or your employment could be terminated. Please also note that, where permitted by applicable law, the Company reserves the right to require COVID-19 vaccinations for positions, such as in Global Employee Health, where the Company determines in its discretion that the nature of the role presents an increased risk of disease transmission.
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We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:
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U.S. Hybrid Work Model
Effective September 5, 2023, employees in office-based positions in the U.S. will be working a Hybrid work consisting of three total days on-site per week, generally Tuesday, Wednesday and either Monday or Thursday, although the specific days may vary by site or organization, with Friday designated as a remote-working day, unless business critical tasks require an on-site presence. This Hybrid work model does not apply to, and daily in-person attendance is required for, field-based positions; facility-based, manufacturing-based, or research-based positions where the work to be performed is located at a Company site; positions covered by a collective-bargaining agreement (unless the agreement provides for hybrid work); or any other position for which the Company has determined the job requirements cannot be reasonably met working remotely. Please note, this Hybrid work model guidance also does not apply to roles that have been designated as "remote".
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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.
Employee Status:
Regular
Relocation:
Domestic
VISA Sponsorship:
No
Travel Requirements:
10%
Flexible Work Arrangements:
On-Site
Shift:
1st - Day
Valid Driving License:
No
Hazardous Material(s):
n/a