Job Description
We are seeking an Associate Principal Scientist to contribute to a pivotal role in our Inventory and Data Management team in our company Biomarker Operations group within Translational Medicine. The mission of this role is to design build and deploy the digital infrastructure that manages our biomarker specimen assets. You will transform a complex landscape of biomarker specimen data into a streamlined accessible and intelligent ecosystem. By automating workflows powerful analytics and stewarding these data you will empower our scientists and clinical teams to make faster data-driven decisions that propel our pipeline forward.
In this pivotal role you will:
Be responsible for integrating cleaning and governing disparate data sources such as biorepositories central and testing labs into a cohesive and governed data environment.
Maintain accurate and comprehensive specimen inventory by tracking specimens collected from our company clinical trials and assay metadata generated from these collections.
Embed automated quality control checks and validation rules directly into data pipelines ensuring our data assets meet the highest standards for compliance and integrity.
Support teams with reports of biomarker information using various query and database integration tools.
Leverage the Microsoft Power Platform to eliminate manual processes in specimen tracking data QC and reporting. You will build and deploy reusable automation solutions that increase efficiency and accuracy across dozens of clinical trials.
Design and implement robust scalable data pipelines using Azure Data Factory Azure SQL.
Create and manage dynamic interactive dashboards in Power BI and Fabric. You will develop data models and visualizations that provide our scientific and operational teams with self-service access to critical biomarker inventory and metadata.
Maintain effective communications and relationships with project teams vendors and other cross-functional our company teams
NOTE: The preferred locations for this role are Rahway NJ or North Wales PA. If candidate is within 50 miles or commutable distance you are expected to be onsite a portion of the time (hybrid). If outside of 50 miles we may consider a remote option.
Qualifications:
Education:
Bachelors (with 10 years) Masters (with 6 years) or Ph.D. (with 4 years) in bioinformatics computer science data science engineering data analytics life sciences or other related field and relevant experience
Required Experience and Skills:
A deep understanding of the clinical trial process: You can speak the language of protocols specimens and clinical data and have a proven ability to translate scientific needs into technical solutions.
Proven expertise in designing and building solutions with modern data stacks (one or more of the following):
Microsoft Power Platform: Demonstrated expertise in building complex solutions with Power Automate Power Apps and Dataverse. You think in terms of flows model-driven apps and connectors.
Data Engineering: High proficiency in SQL for complex querying and data manipulation and practical experience using Python for data processing and automation.
Database Architecture: Proven expertise in architecting and managing databases. You are skilled in designing normalized relational schemas and enforcing referential integrity.
Cloud Data Expertise: Proven experience designing and managing data solutions in a major cloud environment with a strong preference for Azure including Azure Data Factory and Gen1/2 dataflows.
Advanced Business Intelligence Skills: Expertise in Power BI including creating robust data models writing advanced DAX and focusing on performance optimization and user experience.
Preferred Experience and Skills:
Experience with LIMS Systems and building relational models and queries to empower stakeholder decisions.
A builders mindset with a demonstrated ability to take a problem from concept to a fully functional automated solution as well as deep curiosity and willingness to experiment with state of the cloud automation and business intelligence technologies.
A deep technical foundation backed by an advanced degree in a field like Computer Science Data Engineering or Bioinformatics which youre eager to apply to tangible real-world challenges.
Hands-on experience wrangling and optimizing large-scale data transformations using platforms like Databricks. Youre also comfortable in a multi-cloud world with familiarity navigating data ecosystems that span both Azure Blob Storage and Amazon S3.
A willingness to investigate bleeding edge generative AI to data solutions Hands on experience with Copilot Studio and other tools to build intelligent agents that empower scientists to query complex datasets using natural language is desired.
Experience with incorporating Large Language Models (LLMs) to make data and data adjacent tools smarter and the ability embed LLMs as autonomous agents in our backend processes.
Fluency clinical development and experience navigating clinical systems with a strong preference for Veeva CTS.
Mastery of tools like Jira and Confluence for fostering transparency and building a shared understanding across teams as well as a solid understanding of the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and the rigor required to build robust compliant solutions in a validated (GxP) environment.
Experience leveraging the Azure developer stacks including deploying Azure Functions to run custom Python code for complex data processing or specialized API integrations and using Azure Logic Apps to orchestrate enterprise-grade workflows that require advanced monitoring and connectivity.
#EligibleforERP
Required Skills:
Bioinformatics Biomarker Research Clinical Trials Computer Science Data Analytics Microsoft Azure Microsoft Dataverse Microsoft Power Apps Microsoft Power Automate Python (Programming Language) Structured Query Language (SQL)Preferred Skills:
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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 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
$139600.00 - $219700.00This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employees 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 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
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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:
RegularRelocation:
DomesticVISA Sponsorship:
NoTravel Requirements:
10%Flexible Work Arrangements:
RemoteShift:
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11/30/2025*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFOREthe listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.
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Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey, USA is known as “Merck” in the United States, Canada & Puerto Rico. We are known as “MSD” in Europe, Middle East, Africa, Latin America & Asia Pacific. We are a global biopharmaceutical leader with a diverse portfolio of prescription medicine ... View more