Associate Director BD&L, Discovery Transactions

Job Description

The Associate Director, Business Development & Licensing (BD&L) Discovery Transactions will be part of a seasoned team of transaction leads located in Rahway, NJ, West Point, PA, Cambridge, MA, and South San Francisco, CA.

The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing and negotiating a broad spectrum of transactions supporting our company's Research Laboratories in the discovery and preclinical stage across in support of therapeutic and functional areas with external, government, and industry partners worldwide. This position will be based in our offices in South San Francisco, CA.  This position will report to a Director in the BD&L Discovery Transactions group.

Primary responsibilities:

• Collaborating closely with our company's research scientists, management, legal and external partners to negotiate material transfers, licenses, evaluations, consortia, research collaborations and other agreements to establish external scientific partnerships

• Negotiating with external counterparts to execute appropriate agreements in a timely manner in support of our Research Division objectives and compliance policies

• Educating and influencing our Research Division scientists and management in the executional and relational aspects of external partnering 

• Participation and networking at industry-professional events to establish our Research Division as a partner of choice

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in a scientific discipline required; an advanced degree in business, law or science is a plus

• A minimum of 5 years work experience in one or more pharmaceutical or biotech companies

• Experience in transactions with institutions, biotech, and/or pharma; contract drafting and negotiation experience desired

• Demonstrated leadership, judgment, and creativity in applying analytical frameworks and solutions to business- and discovery-stage scientific issues

• Demonstrated ability to partner with client groups

• Understanding of scientific principles and the drug-development process

• Candidate must demonstrate superb interpersonal skills and the ability to influence without authority

• Exceptional written, verbal, and organizational skills are essential

• Some travel (<10%) will be required

#EligibleforERP

Required Skills:

Business Development, Contracts, Contractual Drafting, Drafting Agreements, Drug Discovery Research, In Licensing, Intellectual Property Licensing, Licensing, Licensing Negotiations, Multidisciplinary Collaboration, Negotiation, Out Licensing, Patent Licensing, Pharmaceutical Industry, Transaction Management

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

$159,600.00 - $251,200.00

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 https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.

You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (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:

No relocation

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

06/1/2026

*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.