Senior Principal Scientist, Clinical Research, Neuroscience

Job Description

The Senior Clinical Director (Senior Principal Scientist) has primary responsibility for planning and directing clinical research activities involving new or marketed medicines in the Neuroscience therapeutic area.  Our company's Neuroscience medicines span all phases of clinical development (pre-clinical to post-licensure).  The Senior Clinical Director may manage the entire cycle of clinical development for their assigned studies including study design, initiation, execution, monitoring, analysis, regulatory reporting, and publication.

Role Responsibilities: 

Specifically, the Senior Clinical Director may be responsible for:

• Evaluating pre-clinical and translational work for the purpose of generating early clinical development plans and Investigational New Drug applications

• Developing clinical development strategies for investigational or marketed Neuroscience drugs

• Planning clinical trials (designing, collaborating on operational plans, etc.) based on the clinical development strategy

• Medical oversight and overall conduct of ongoing or new clinical trials for investigational or marketed drugs

• Analyzing and summarizing the clinical findings from studies to support decisions regarding safety and efficacy as new drug applications, clinical study reports, or publication

• Participating in internal and joint internal/external research project teams relevant to the development of new compounds, and the further study of marketed compounds

• Supporting business development assessments of external opportunities

The Senior Director May:

• Actively engage with other functional areas in support of study execution

• Work closely with a cross-functional group of experts in commercialization, regulatory affairs, statistics, and manufacturing to manage clinical development projects

• Assist the Executive Director and/or Associate Vice President in ensuring that appropriate personnel are informed of the progress of studies of our company and competitors' drugs

• Provide expert opinion, internally and externally, on relevant scientific questions within their responsibility.

The Senior Director is responsible for maintaining a strong scientific fund of knowledge by:

• Maintaining awareness of scientific developments within his/her area of expertise, in terms of new scientific findings, research methodologies

• Identifying scientifically and operationally strong investigators who can assist in the development of our company's investigational and marketed drugs

• Establishing communications with prominent clinical investigators in his/her particular field of interest, particularly those who will be willing and able to assist in the evaluation of our company's drugs

• Attending appropriate scientific meetings to maintain his or her competency and to maintain awareness of research activities in his/her area of responsibility.

To accomplish these goals, the Senior Director may:

• Author detailed development documents, presentations, budgets, and position papers for internal and external audiences

• Facilitate collaborations with external researchers around the world

• Travel on company business about twenty (20) percent of the time to manage future or ongoing clinical research projects.

Education: 

• M.D or M.D./Ph.D.

Required Experience and Skills: 

• Must have experience in industry or as senior faculty in academia

• Minimum of 3 years clinical medicine experience

• Minimum of 3 years of industry experience in drug development or biomedical research experience in academia

• Demonstrated success in overseeing clinical studies and protocols

• Demonstrated record of scientific scholarship and achievement

• Proven track record in clinical medicine and background in biomedical research

• Strong interpersonal skills, as the ability to function in a team environment

• Outstanding verbal and written communication and presentation skills

Preferred Experience and Skills: 

• Board Certified or Eligible in Neuroscience or related discipline

• Prior specific experience in clinical research and prior publication

Required Skills:

Clinical Development, Clinical Documentation, Clinical Medicine, Clinical Neurophysiology, Clinical Protocol Design, Clinical Research Management, Clinical Study Design, Clinical Trial Development, Clinical Trial Protocols, Clinical Trials, Communication, Decision Making, Drug Development, Ethical Standards, Hiring, Intellectual Curiosity, Neuroscience, Scientific Publications, Scientific Research, Strategic Planning, Vaccinology, Written Communication

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.

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U.S. Hybrid Work Model

Effective September 5, 2023, employees in office-based positions in the U.S. will be working a Hybrid work consisting of three total days on-site per week, Monday - Thursday, although the specific days may vary by site or organization, with Friday designated as a remote-working day, unless business critical tasks require an on-site presence.This Hybrid work model does not apply to, and daily in-person attendance is required for, field-based positions; facility-based, manufacturing-based, or research-based positions where the work to be performed is located at a Company site; positions covered by a collective-bargaining agreement (unless the agreement provides for hybrid work); or any other position for which the Company has determined the job requirements cannot be reasonably met working remotely. Please note, this Hybrid work model guidance also does not apply to roles that have been designated as “remote”.

The salary range for this role is

$282,200.00 - $444,200.00

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:

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Job Posting End Date:

04/16/2026

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