Principal Scientist

Job Description Role Summary

The Principal Scientist/Director, Value & Implementation (V&I) Outcomes Research, position resides in the V&I organization, which includes Global Medical and Scientific Affairs as well as Outcomes Research. Under the guidance of a senior leader, this position supports value evidence outcomes research plans and real-world evidence activities for pediatric vaccines to meet the value evidence needs of clinicians, payers, policymakers, health technology assessment (HTA)/reimbursement agencies and health systems globally. Types of studies executed include prospective and retrospective observational studies to characterize disease burden and epidemiology, treatment patterns, health‑care resource utilization and costs, physician and patient satisfaction surveys, clinical and patient‑reported outcomes assessments, systematic reviews and meta‑analyses, and economic modelling. Key responsibilities also include development of American Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) dossiers for U.S. payers and Global Value Dossiers for use by local subsidiaries in their HTA submissions. The incumbent is expected to contribute to product development and marketing strategies throughout the lifecycle to ensure that product value is defined and developed to achieve optimal market/patient access and reimbursement. The incumbent is expected to work cross‑functionally with clinical development, medical affairs, biostatistics, market access, commercial, and country affiliates and may have direct interactions with HTA agencies, reimbursement decision makers, and national immunization technical advisory groups.

Responsibilities and Primary Activities

• Partners with Medical Affairs counterparts to develop, execute and deliver on the Value and Implementation (V&I) plan.
• Helps achieve / sustain reimbursement and market access for the program and indications under their responsibility.
• Critically assesses drivers and barriers to reimbursement and market access, and provides input into clinical, regulatory, payer/access, marketing and evidence generation strategies and programs.
• In collaboration with internal teams and external partners, designs studies; authors study protocols; and develops measurement questionnaires, case report forms, data analysis plans, final study reports, scientific presentations, and publications.
• Responsible for study‑related contracting, budgets, and vendor/partner management and ensures study conduct is aligned with company Policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs) and world‑wide regulations and standards, including Good Pharmacoepidemiology Practice (GPP) for applicable work.
• Develops American Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) dossiers for U.S. payers and Global Value Dossiers.
• Develops supplementary clinical data package in close partnership with markets and HTA statistics group for submission to HTA agencies.
• Supports country affiliates to understand local evidence generation needs, adapts health economic evaluations, and customizes outcomes research documents, such as protocols and reimbursement dossiers, according to local requirements.
• Works closely with cross‑functional teams to effectively communicate outcomes research and health economic modelling data internally and to external stakeholders.
• Maintains awareness of new scientific and methodological developments within therapeutic area.
• Builds relationships with scientific experts worldwide.
• Performs presentation of outcomes research data at national and international congresses and publishes articles in scientific journals.

Required Qualifications, Skills and Experience

• Minimum Master’s degree in relevant discipline (health services research, outcomes research, epidemiology, public health, health economics, pharmacoeconomics, pharmacy administration).
• Four or more years of experience post degree.
• Preferred Doctoral degree (PhD, MD, DrPH, ScD, PharmD) in relevant discipline (health services research, outcomes research, epidemiology, public health, health economics, pharmacoeconomics, pharmacy administration).

Preferred Skills

• Clinical Research
• Conference Presentations
• Data Management
• Data Research
• Epidemiology
• Evidence Gathering
• Health Economics
• Health Services Research
• Meta-Analysis
• Observational Studies
• Outcomes Research
• Pharmacoeconomics
• Real World Evidence (RWE)
• Researching
• Research Management
• Research Reporting
• Retrospective Analysis
• Scientific Presentations
• Scientific Writing
• Stakeholder Relationship Management
• Strategic Planning
• Values Assessment

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit: EEOC Know Your Rights EEOC GINA Supplement We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.

San Francisco Residents Only

We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.

Los Angeles Residents Only

We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.

Search Firm Representatives

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.

Employment Details

Employee Status: Regular

Relocation: Domestic/International

VISA Sponsorship: No

Travel Requirements: 10%

Flexible Work Arrangements: Hybrid

Shift: 1st - Day

Valid Driving License: No

Hazardous Material(s): N/A

Salary

The salary range for this role is $190,800.00 - $300,300.00. This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs. The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long‑term incentive, if applicable.

Benefits

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family)
• Retirement benefits, including 401(k)
• Paid holidays
• Vacation
• Compassionate and sick days

Application Deadline

The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.

Job Posting End Date

09/19/2026

Company Overview

We are a global health care leader with a diversified portfolio of prescription medicines, vaccines and animal health products. The difference between potential and achievement lies in the spark that fuels innovation and inventiveness; this is the space where we have codified our legacy for over a century. Our success is backed by ethical integrity, forward momentum, and an inspiring mission to achieve new milestones in global healthcare.