Scientist, Chemistry

Job Description

Scientist, Research and Development Division SSF Discovery Chemistry - ADC Bioconjugation

Our company's Research Laboratories at South San Francisco is a multidisciplinary discovery site that offers state-of-the-art resources to explore promising science, combining our company's world-class R&D expertise in small molecules and biologics. Located in the heart of the Bay Area's biomedical community, research conducted in our laboratories spans exploratory biology through early clinical development and is an integral part of our company's global drug and vaccine discovery network.

At our company, we are inspired by the belief that a research-driven enterprise dedicated to scientific excellence can create medicines and vaccines that save and improve lives. Every employee builds on our proud legacy of scientific breakthroughs. Our ability to impact patients worldwide depends on the integrity, creativity, humility, and scientific acumen of our teams. We are creating a varied organization inspired by invention and grounded in a culture of respect and collaboration. At our company's Research Laboratories South San Francisco, you will have the opportunity to expand your knowledge and skills through collaboration with talented and dedicated colleagues while advancing your career.

Our company is seeking highly motivated and exceptional chemists to join the Discovery Chemistry Department at our South San Francisco, CA site. The successful candidate will contribute to multidisciplinary, highly collaborative discovery teams focused on inventing novel medicines through innovative synthetic chemistry, ADC bioconjugation, analytical characterization, and data-driven design. Candidates should bring strong interpersonal, collaboration, and communication skills, along with a proven record of solving complex scientific problems. The successful candidate will be expected to rapidly build expertise in our company's-specific workflows while independently contributing to reaction setup, route design, conjugation optimization, and molecule characterization.

Specific responsibilities will include: -

• Perform bioconjugations of linker-payload combinations to antibodies, with emphasis on optimizing in-house methods, including site-specific conjugations for preclinical in vitro and in vivo studies
• Develop and optimize novel antibody-drug conjugation strategies, including site-specific approaches
• Design, execute, and optimize synthetic routes to access assigned target molecules using modern synthetic chemistry techniques
• Select and apply appropriate purification techniques for small molecules, including flash chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and recrystallization, as well as biologics purification methods such as SEC, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, and ion exchange chromatography
• Acquire, analyze, and interpret analytical data, including LC/MS, NMR, and related characterization methods
• Use available datasets and in silico tools to generate novel, testable hypotheses and design target molecules that enable clear decision-making
• Participate in the triage and selection of molecules for additional studies, including DMPK, in vivo experiments, and counter-screening

Education Requirement:

• Minimum qualifications include a B.S. or equivalent degree in chemistry, biochemistry, or a related field with 5+ years of industrial or academic research experience, or a Master's degree in chemistry, biochemistry, or a related field with 2+ years of industrial or academic research experience.

Required Experience and Skills:

• Hands-on experience with conjugation, purification, and characterization of ADCs, including experience with analytical techniques and instruments such as HIC, RP chromatography, SEC, SDS-PAGE, UV-Vis, and related methods
• Relevant experience applying organic synthesis to the design, preparation, and optimization of small molecules, linker-payloads, or related intermediates
• Experience independently designing, executing, and optimizing synthetic routes using modern synthetic techniques
• Knowledge of and experience interpreting biological activity data, including structure-activity relationships

Required Skills:
Analytical Characterization, Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADC), Chromatography, Collaborative Communications, Detail-Oriented, Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS), Purification Methods

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

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. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

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:

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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.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

The salary range for this role is
$108,000.00 - $170,100.00

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.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits.- Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at .

You can apply for this role through (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.

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 Please Read Carefully-
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:
Yes

Travel Requirements:
10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:
Not Applicable

Shift:
1st - Day

Valid Driving License:
No

Hazardous Material(s):
N/A

Job Posting End Date:
07/31/2026
*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE -the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.

Requisition ID: R406993