Associate Principal Scientist, In Vivo Pharmacology

Merck seeks an Associate Principal Scientist in In Vivo Pharmacology to lead preclinical strategy and model development for cardiometabolic, renal, and respiratory programs at its South San Francisco site. The role combines quantitative pharmacology expertise with scientific leadership to advance drug candidates through translational research and proof-of-concept studies.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute in vivo model development and pharmacology strategy for preclinical pipeline programs
• Design and conduct target engagement, pharmacodynamic, and efficacy studies with high scientific standards
• Lead development, characterization, and validation of in vivo models for mechanism-of-action and compound profiling studies
• Perform quantitative data analysis and translate findings into actionable insights for project decisions
• Manage collaborations with internal teams and external partners on study design and execution

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree with 12+ years, Master's with 8+ years, or Ph.D./PharmD/DVM/MD with 4+ years in pharmacology or related discipline
• Expertise in quantitative and translational pharmacology including PK/PD, target occupancy, and human dose projection
• Proven track record developing in vivo pharmacology strategies and disease-relevant models in cardiometabolic, renal, or respiratory areas
• Strong skills in animal study design and execution for target engagement, efficacy, and safety evaluation
• Excellent cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management with ability to influence matrix teams
• Exceptional written and verbal communication for scientific and business audiences
• Willingness to work onsite five days per week