Senior Principal Scientist, Clinical Research, Breast Cancer

Overview

The Senior Director (Sr. Principal Scientist) has primary responsibility for the planning and directing of clinical research activities involving new or marketed Oncology medicines. Merck’s Oncology medicines span all phases of clinical development (pre-clinical to post-licensure). The role manages the entire cycle of clinical development, including study design, placement, monitoring, analysis, regulatory reporting, and publication.

The successful candidate will maintain a strong scientific fund of knowledge by staying current with scientific developments in their area of expertise, identifying strong investigators, establishing communications with prominent clinical investigators, and attending appropriate scientific meetings.

Responsibilities

• 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 clinical development strategies.
• Monitor and manage the conduct of ongoing or new clinical trials for investigational or marketed Oncology drugs.
• Analyze and summarize clinical findings from studies to support decisions regarding safety and efficacy, new drug applications, clinical study reports, or publication.
• Participate in internal and joint internal/external research project teams relevant to the development of new and marketed compounds.
• Supervise the activities of Clinical Scientists in the execution of clinical studies.
• Work closely with a cross-functional group of experts in commercialization, regulatory affairs, statistics, and manufacturing to manage clinical development projects.
• Assist the Senior/Executive Director in ensuring appropriate corporate personnel are informed of study progress and relevant scientific opinion.
• Author detailed development documents, presentations, budgets, and position papers for internal and external audiences.
• Facilitate collaborations with external researchers around the world.
• Travel on company business approximately 25% of the time to manage clinical research projects.

Qualifications

Education: M.D. or M.D./Ph.D. required.

Required:

• Experience in industry or as senior faculty in academia.
• Minimum of 3 years of clinical medicine experience.
• Minimum of 1 year of industry experience in drug development, or biomedical research experience in academia.
• Demonstrated record of scientific scholarship and achievement.
• Proven track record in clinical medicine and background in biomedical research.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to function in a team environment.

Preferred: Board Certified or Eligible in Oncology (and/or Hematology); prior specific experience in clinical research and prior publication.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $282,200 – $444,200 annually. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs.

The successful candidate will be eligible for an annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.

Merck offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision healthcare insurance; retirement benefits including 401(k); paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days.