Associate Principal Scientist, Immunology Discovery
MSD
Summary
The Associate Principal Scientist will lead translational discovery activities through strong expertise in immune cell biology, human disease models, assay development, and data interpretation. The candidate will use primary immune cell systems, ex vivo patient samples, co-culture models, tissue analyses, and multi-omics datasets to build decision-enabling translational packages.
Job description
Key Responsibilities
- Design, execute, analyze, and interpret translational experiments to validate therapeutic targets in immunology, inflammation, and autoimmunity.
- Develop disease-relevant in vitro, ex vivo, co-culture, and patient-derived tissue models.
- Integrate mechanistic, pharmacology, transcriptomic, spatial, and biomarker data to connect target biology with disease pathophysiology and mechanism of action.
- Generate decision-enabling data packages to support target prioritization, candidate progression, biomarker hypotheses, and patient selection.
- Apply deep immunology expertise to design fit-for-purpose experiments and address key scientific questions.
- Introduce innovative translational models, technologies, and analytical platforms.
- Represent the function on project teams and communicate plans, progress, risks, and recommendations clearly.
- Collaborate with discovery biology, translational medicine, biomarker sciences, data science, pharmacology, clinical development, academia, and CRO partners.
- Mentor junior scientists through scientific guidance, experimental oversight, and data interpretation support.
- Promote scientific rigor, high-quality documentation, inclusion, and a one-team mindset.
Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's (with 13+ years), Master's (with 9+ years) or Ph.D. (with 5+ years) in immunology, cell biology, molecular biology, translational science, biomedical sciences or related discipline and relevant experience.
Required Experience and Skills
- Strong foundation in immunology, inflammation, autoimmunity, or related immune-mediated disease biology.
- Demonstrated ability to independently design, troubleshoot, and interpret complex biological experiments.
- Hands-on experience with primary cell culture, immune-cell assays, co-culture systems, tissue models, or ex vivo human sample platforms.
- Ability to analyze biological, biochemical, immunological, and translational assay data and design follow-up studies.
- Clear communication of complex science to multidisciplinary audiences.
- Effective collaboration across functions and ability to contribute to multiple projects in a matrixed environment.
Preferred Experience and Skills
- Experience developing translational models of inflammatory or autoimmune disease, immune-cell activation, tissue inflammation, or immune-mediated pathology.
- Expertise with flow cytometry, cytokine profiling, imaging, multiplex tissue analysis, spatial biology, transcriptomics, or related platforms.
- Experience integrating human datasets with experimental models to define mechanism of action, pharmacodynamic biomarkers, responder hypotheses, or combination strategies.
- Experience supporting drug discovery from target validation through candidate nomination or early clinical translation.
- Familiarity with immune-mediated diseases such as IBD, rheumatoid arthritis, hidradenitis suppurativa, psoriatic disease, lupus, asthma, or atopic dermatitis.
- Experience leading external collaborations or coordinating CRO work.
Requirements
- Bachelor's with 13+ years, Master's with 9+ years, or Ph.D. with 5+ years in immunology, cell biology, molecular biology, translational science, biomedical sciences or related discipline
- Strong foundation in immunology, inflammation, autoimmunity, or related immune-mediated disease biology
- Demonstrated ability to independently design, troubleshoot, and interpret complex biological experiments
- Hands-on experience with primary cell culture, immune-cell assays, co-culture systems, tissue models, or ex vivo human sample platforms
- Ability to analyze biological, biochemical, immunological, and translational assay data and design follow-up studies
- Clear communication of complex science to multidisciplinary audiences
- Effective collaboration across functions and ability to contribute to multiple projects in a matrixed environment
Benefits
- Medical, Dental & Vision
- 401(k) Matching
- Retirement Benefits
- Paid Holidays
- Vacation
- Compassionate & Sick Days
- Annual Bonus
- Long-Term Incentive
Company overview
MSD, known as Merck Sharp & Dohme outside the United States and Canada, is a global research-intensive biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Rahway, New Jersey. Founded in 1891, the company has established itself as one of the world's leading pharmaceutical corporations with a rich history spanning over 130 years. MSD operates as the international division of Merck & Co., Inc., focusing on the discovery, development, manufacturing, and marketing of innovative medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and animal health products. The company's extensive portfolio includes groundbreaking treatments in oncology, infectious diseases, cardiology, diabetes, and vaccines, with notable products such as Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for cancer immunotherapy, Gardasil for HPV prevention, and Januvia for diabetes management. MSD maintains a strong commitment to research and development, investing significantly in scientific innovation to address unmet medical needs worldwide. With approximately 75,000 employees globally, the company operates through four main segments: pharmaceuticals, animal health, healthcare services, and strategic alliances. MSD's mission centers on using leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world, guided by the principle that medicine is for people, not profits.